Explore the benefits of pregnancy yoga

STRETCHING and bending might be a daunting prospect with a big belly, but yoga can actually be very beneficial for pregnant women.

Research by the Universities of Manchester and Newcastle revealed that attending a pregnancy yoga class once a week for eight weeks resulted in women having significantly less fear about giving birth, and less anxiety in general. Even a single yoga class during pregnancy had the benefit of potentially cutting anxiety in mums-to-be by a third.

Cheryl MacDonald, pregnancy yoga teacher, is not surprised by these findings. “Yoga during pregnancy is especially beneficial, because women are undergoing times of great change, stress and anxiety,” she says. “Yoga brings awareness to the body and the mind, and induces calm.”