Enjoy this mini Yoga for Pregnancy class by Martine Ford in the Spirit Yoga studio in Port Macquarie. Demonstrating around 7of 20 yoga poses from the e-Book - Yoga for Pregnancy which is the 2nd Volume in the 'Spirit Yoga Health Series' available now on Amazon (through it's Kindle platform), for just $4.99 USD go to:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C4NU5A6

To check out other books available go to: http://www.amazon.com/Martine-Ford/e/B009KJ1O0W

Because yoga is a holistic exercise (working on your body and mind) it will reduce stress and anxiety during pregnancy while also toning and strengthening your body. Yoga teaches you to relax at times of discomfort and will help you fight the urge to tighten up when you feel the pain, and instead practice your breathing techniques to gain focus and a more relaxed body and mind. This in turn also helps speed up the whole birthing process.

 It is also important to remember that, the pregnancy hormone relaxin, which allows the uterus to expand, also acts on other connective tissue, making you more susceptible to muscle strain and tear. Therefore, if you experience pain in your back, hips or pelvis, omit this exercise or take the modified option if there is one. As with any form of exercise, you are advised to first check with your doctor before practicing. 

General rules that experts agree on for practicing yoga when pregnant:
 • If you have never practiced yoga or have practiced very little before your pregnancy, you should practice only pre-natal yoga while you are pregnant. 
• If you already had a strong yoga practice before your pregnancy, you may be able to continue a fairly vigorous practice with modifications after your first trimester.
• During the first trimesters both beginning and experienced yogis should only do a gentle practice or none at all, as the foetus is still implanting and the risk of miscarriage is highest.

The Spirit Yoga Health Series is a collection of yoga books designed to benefit a particular health concern & made into an easy to follow class. Yoga is designed to promote balance and unity of body and mind, and it can help to improve breathing, circulation, digestion and hormone balance throughout the body. 

These books are informative & made into an easy to follow class with concise instructions and an image for each pose. These classes mostly use traditional yoga poses and some yoga therapy exercises that are based on bringing energy (chi or prana) to the meridian channels located through-out the body. These yoga classes bring balance to your body and life so you can function with ease.

For my blog on my experiences of pregnancy and yoga, go to this link: http://www.spirityogaonline.com.au/news/2012/09/09/intense-labour-pain-hit-me-and-i-immediately-tens...