The Benefits of Yoga for Maternal Mental Health

What is Maternal Mental Health?

Maternal mental health, or perinatal mental health, refers to mental health during pregnancy and up to two years after giving birth. The word "peri" means "around," and "natal" means "birth" (https://maternalmentalhealthalliance.org/about-maternal-mental-health/)

Maternal mental health conditions can be experienced in different ways, and include anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and eating disorders. These conditions can be mild or severe, and require specialist treatment as soon as possible. Some conditions may have existed before pregnancy and worsened during the perinatal period, or symptoms may be experienced for the first time. Postpartum psychosis is considered the most serious perinatal mental health condition and should be treated as a medical emergency. More information about the symptoms of postpartum psychosis can be found at: https://maternalmentalhealthalliance.org/about-maternal-mental-health/

Research shows….

(Maternal Mental Health Alliance)

Anyone can experience a maternal mental health condition, but some factors increase the chance of someone becoming unwell. These include:

a history of mental health problems
biological causes
lack of support
difficult experiences during childhood
domestic abuse
financial concerns or insecure housing
traumatic experiences, including birth trauma

How Can Yoga Support Maternal Mental Health?

Yoga offers a variety of practices that can help create a feeling of calm and groundedness if we’re experiencing anxiety, or a feeling of energy and motivation if we’re feeling depressed or lethargic.

Yoga also helps to ease aches and tension in the physical body. Quite often in pregnancy and the postnatal period our body can feel like it’s not our own. We’re either making space for baby to grow and develop during pregnancy or we’re experiencing neck, back and shoulder aches from holding, feeding and carrying baby postnatally. Yoga movements and postures help to release these aches and pains, leaving the body feeling more relaxed and spacious. The benefits are not just physical but mental, emotional and energetic too. As we soften physically we also soften and release mentally and emotionally.

Postnatally, it can be common to feel there is instability and/or weakness in the physical body from pregnancy and birth. Yoga postures and movements can also be used to restore strength and stability gradually as women progress in their postnatal journey and recovery. And again this physical strength and stability can have a positive impact mentally and emotionally too.

In addition, breath practices, or pranayama, can be used to promote a feeling of ease and relaxation physically, mentally and emotionally. By deepening the breath and/or finding a steadier rhythm to the breath we send a message to the nervous system that is safe to slow down and rest. To move out of a state of going, doing, and rushing (the sympathetic nervous system) and into one of resting and digesting (the parasympathetic nervous system). This can be so healing during the perinatal period as we allow the body and mind time to slow down, rest and restore. This can have a positive effect on many physiological functions in the body, such as reducing stress levels, regulating the endocrine system, promoting better sleep, improving digestion and reducing blood pressure, to name a few. These effects can have benefits for our mental and emotional health too.

Meditation can also be used in pregnancy and postnatal yoga to enhance emotional regulation by promoting mindfulness and self-awareness. We learn to become aware of the activity of the mind and what is coming up in the mind, without judging it, or getting caught up in it. We simply observe the fluctuations of the mind. Over time, we realise we do not need to react to our thoughts, feelings, memories, plans, stories etc., and that we can simply be with them and let them pass through, and this can lead to improved mental well-being.

Postnatal yoga also offers the opportunity to bond with baby in a calm, relaxed space, with a group of mothers going through similar experiences. Yoga can reduce cortisol levels (a stress hormone), and promote oxytocin (the bonding hormone), and this can positively impact mood and emotional well-being. Participating in a group yoga class offers a sense of community and support. The opportunity to connect with other mothers facing similar challenges and experiences can be comforting and empowering, and this helps to build a support network in a time that can feel lonely and challenging. Importantly, yoga offers mothers much needed time and space for themselves, to connect with their needs. It’s a designated space for self-care, relaxation and restoration and this is so important during the perinatal period to support physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Pregnant and postnatal women should consult with their doctor, midwife or health visitor before starting any new exercise programme, including yoga. It’s generally advised to wait until you are at least 12 weeks pregnant before commencing pregnancy yoga and either 6 weeks post vaginal birth or 12 weeks post caesarean birth to start a postnatal yoga class. Finding a qualified yoga instructor that has experience working with pregnant and postnatal women, will also ensure practices are safe and tailored to specific needs.

For advice and support relating to mental health visit:

MIND https://www.mind.org.uk/

Eating Disorders Association https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/

NHS https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/

Samaritans https://www.samaritans.org/

Mothers for Mothers https://mothersformothers.co.uk/

Action on Postpartum Psychosis https://www.app-netowrk.org/

Birth Trauma Association https://www.birthtraumaassociations.org.uk

Antenatal Results and Choices https://www.arc-uk.org/

Maternal OCD https://maternalocd.org/

Maternal Mental Health Alliance https://maternalmentalhealthalliance.org/

The Association for Postnatal Illness https://apni.org/