Preparing for Parenthood With Yoga.
Yoga for Moms-to-Be
Calling All Pops! Calling All Pops! continued...
He also recommends that a man participate by walking and/or chanting with his partner, and by becoming more sensitive. "He can try to pick up some of the responsibility that has heretofore been on the shoulders of the wife -- if possible."
"It certainly wouldn't hurt him to do yoga also ... I think it will certainly help men grow in that sensitivity and awareness," says Sat Jirvan Kaur Khalsa. "Yoga will open those doors for them."
"They shouldn't be afraid of that," says her husband. "I think men need to allow themselves to understand that there are changes they will go through and not be afraid to let those changes happen. They should let themselves expand as their wives physically and mentally expand. My wife said I should consider myself pregnant. I took her literally: I tried to grow and I tried to let my consciousness expand. And I recommend that to other men."
Beyond Babies
Like Frances, some women who dabble in yoga during pregnancy will get hooked and become yoga devotees in the years after their pregnancies.
"It has helped me feel more connected to my body and less stressed in general," says Frances. "It has made me feel even more comfortable in my own skin, both physically and mentally."
O'Connor couldn't be happier to hear stories like that. "I encourage any women -- pregnant or not -- to explore yoga," she says. "We are faced with different challenges than men are, so I promote yoga at all phases in a woman's life. I encourage giving the gift to yourself to go into a quiet place to honor your body, your mind, your spirit, and emotions. Just honor yourself as a woman. When we can take care of ourselves, then we can accept the challenges that motherhood and daily life bring to us."