If you are trying, and perhaps struggling, to conceive, you have no doubt explored some of the lifestyle changes that could help. Incorporating a regular exercise regime is a good idea anyway but you may want to consider one such as Yoga, which may have additional benefits for women who are trying to get pregnant.
What is Yoga?
Yoga is an ancient physical and spiritual practice which originated in India and is now popular all over the world. Don’t be put off trying it out by any preconceptions you might have. It is much, much more than twisting your body into torturous positions and chanting in an incense-filled room!
In fact, the idea of doing yoga to improve fertility has been around as long as yoga itself. It aims to make your body and mind the best, healthiest and most balanced they can be - the ideal state to have a baby in.
How could Yoga help me?
Although little is scientifically proven on the benefits of yoga for getting pregnant, signing up to a practice that eases stress, aids relaxation and helps sleep can’t be a bad thing.
How to get started
There are two ways to go about introducing yoga into your plan to get pregnant. You can either find a class specifically geared towards fertility, of which there are a growing number, or join a class which incorporates the bits of yoga which are great for boosting fertility.
Avoid intensive and dynamic classes such as Bikram (the hot and sweaty yoga) or Astanga; both are great workouts but can demand an awful lot from your body – the opposite of what we want when trying to conceive.
If you already practise Yoga
Experienced yogis could ask their teacher about postures which promote fertility and practise these at home, but anyone new to yoga should find a local class at a time you can attend regularly.
How to find a teacher or class
The British Wheel of Yoga has a database of classes and teachers (see the link below). Iyengar is a good choice for fertility because the teachers have all undergone rigorous training in anatomy and physiology. Hatha classes are another strong choice for beginners because they incorporate slow, flowing movements. Kundalini is a very meditative form of yoga, which will get you in the right frame of mind for pregnancy.
Mind and body
Manoeuvring you and your partner into the right headspace for making a baby is half the battle when it comes to getting pregnant, and this is one of main benefits of joining a class. Yoga is a powerful stress reliever, which in turn will regulate and balance your hormones.
Does it work?
A Harvard Medical School study found that stress does impact upon fertility. It discovered that women who practise yoga are twice as likely to fall pregnant as those who don’t, though the study could not prove whether yoga had actually caused the women taking part to conceive.
Yoga also fights fatigue and anxiety and can relieve the effects of many common mental health problems, all of which are said to affect your chances of getting pregnant.
Finally, this one isn’t just for the girls. Yoga can help improve male fertility, but it is also very effective at bringing couples together and improving communication. Reconnecting with your partner and remembering why you are trying to make a baby is a crucial part of the conception process.
The British Wheel of Yoga's website
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