MOMMY NOSE KNOWS THE BEST YOGA IN TOWN

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TOP 10 REASONS TO TAKE PRE-NATAL YOGA

1. Yoga reduces and relieves the negative impact of stress.

2. Yoga helps to strengthen the muscles of the pelvis and thighs, which help support the weight of the growing baby and are useful pushing muscles during labor.

3. Asana (postures) are useful for maintaining suppleness in the spine, alleviating physical tension held throughout the back and shoulders as women gain weight in the abdominal and breast areas.

4. Yoga helps normalize blood pressure, which can rise during pregnancy.

5. Regular practice balances weight gain, keeping it from being too rapid or even too slow.

6. Yoga is effective for reducing the ankle, leg and foot swelling many women can experience as a result of increased weight and water volume.

7. A unique aspect of yoga is the fact that it strengthens both body and mind.

8. Another advocate of increasing women’s personal power and their physical and mental control during the birthing process is Dr. Tina Navarez, chief of obstetrics in Los Angeles and regional chief of obstetrics in southern California for Kaiser. Dr. Navarez finds that prenatal yoga is beneficial physically and improves mental control along with a woman’s ability to relax during labor.

9. Attending prenatal yoga classes offers women an immediate support system. Students mingle with women in early stages of pregnancy as well as those who are ready to deliver.

10. Doing Yoga gives you that one good reason to get out of bed, get dressed and go do something when you feel like a 180 pound bowling ball!

Downward Dog: A popular yoga pose is born: Man and dog over chasm

MOMMY NOSE ON YOGA

When I was six months pregnant something very interesting happened to me concerning yoga. While attending a social dinner in Beverly Hills, Darlings, I was questioned by an overdressed h'ourderve as to why anyone pregnant would take yoga. Why, didn't I know? Hadn't I heard? "Yoga is bad for pregnant women", exclaimed this bell pepper all dressed up like a pickle. And I have discovered since then that there is a huge misconception regarding yoga with pregnant mommies.

Soooo here is what Mommy Nose has to tell you...

Just because it's probably a really bad idea to jump off of a 150 foot high diving board into a swimming pool while pregnant doesn't mean you shouldn't go swimming while pregnant, does it?

There are all sorts of Yoga classes out there in the world and many various styles of yoga. If you are a mommy to be then you should be looking for a PRE-NATAL YOGA CLASS. These classes are structured especially for pregnant mommies and are geared to helping you stay in shape as you morph into a walking balloon while enhancing your babies little vacation in your womb. Pre-Natal Yoga doesn't do - Breath of Fire exercises, or exercises that put mommy on the belly. Locks or seals, including mula bandha, or anal lock, and uddyana bandha, or abdominal lock should all be avoided. Consistent with advice of other Yoga teachers, Gurumkh eliminates abdominal strengthening movements and reminds students not to exercise to the point of exhaustion or excessively increase their heart rate. Poses lying on the belly are generally avoided. Jumping is not recommended while pregnant, as it can lead to tightening the abdominal muscles and gripping the uterus. Poses described as push-up backbends are generally avoided, including bhujanasana (cobra). Expansive backbends, on the other hand, like ustrasana (camel) can be attempted with proper precautions. Twists compressing the abdominal area and uterus are avoided, while expansive twists can be practiced with an experienced teacher. Most often, women are advised not to lie flat on their back after their fifth month as it reduces circulation. Instead they prop themselves up on bolsters or blankets. That all being said, most of the exercises you see in books for mothers to be are all derived from yoga.

So why not just go to the source and get the real thing? Plus, I have found that the yoga classes calm me down and get me centered. They also spend a good portion of the class discussing what's going on with the mommies in the class and it's a good place to get answers in pre-natal care if your looking to go the holistic approach with your pregnancy.

Gurmukh teaches at Golden Bridge Yoga in Hollywood. This is a brand new 15,000 square foot Yoga center that has everything from live music to art to holistic medicine. Grumukh is my teacher and I just love her. Not to mention that even Madonna took prenatal yoga from Grumukh. She's the Yogi to the stars and from the moment you meet her you will know why. Gurmukh is also the co-director of Golden Bridge Yoga and let me get a little specific here about Golden Bridge. They not only hold yoga classes, they have birthing classes, parenting classes, and classes on everything you can imagine. Go to their website and check them out. www.goldenbridgeyoga.com They have a fantastic organic cafe, an incredible herbal bar where they sell the best herbs in the country and all sorts of incredible healing products, they have a wonderful art gallery featuring the incredibly talented work of Jim & Iris Klien, and a very sexy, but pricey boutique. Did I mention they also have the top certified masseuses and acupuncturists on site as well?

If you buy the yoga classes in advance - for example - if you pay for 20 classes up front they come out to only $9.00 a class. That's dirt cheap for yoga classes. If you only buy one class at a time, I think it's $15.00 a class.

I can't say enough about Golden Bridge Yoga. It has really been a life saver for me both during my pregnancy and now that Baby Nose is here. We do Mommy and me yoga on Tuesday's and Thursdays and now on Sunday at 11:30am they have family yoga.

To add to the pot, one of the best mommy stores in Los Angeles is only 3 blocks away. The Pump Station. If you haven't been, go before your baby is born. This is a great place to register. They have incredible products for sale here and they also have breast feeding classes and parenting classes once your little baby is born.

www.pumpstation.com With their on-line baby registry, breastfeeding products and support www.Pumpstation.com is here to for you 24 hours a day.

Below is a list of additional Pre-Natal Yoga classes in the Los Angeles area. Goodluck and Sat Nam!

A Mother's Haven

15928 Ventura Blvd
Suite 116
Encino, CA 91436 818.380.3111 | info@amothers-haven.com

A Mother's Haven is a center for expectant and new parents to find baby products, education, information and support.

Yoga Kingdom Sanctuary - (626) 792-7871 - 553 S Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA

Forrest Yoga Circle - (310) 453-5252 - 1612 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA

Yoga West • 1535 S. Robertson, Los Angeles, CA 90035 ...

Silver Lake Yoga Los Angeles California

Silver Lake Yoga is a friendly yoga studio just east of downtown Los Angeles in Silver Lake that specializes in hatha yoga, prenatal and postnatal yoga classes, and special workshops. ... in the tool bar. 2810 1/2 Glendale Boulevard. Los Angeles, California 90039. (corner of Glendale and Rowena) Telephone (323) 953 0496. Glendale Yoga ...

These are 2 fantastic Yoga DVD's. One is for your Pre-Natal Care and the other is for after your baby is born. They are both led by Gurmukh, who by the way, taught Madonna yoga when she was pregnant. Gurmukh is the best and how do I know? because Mommy Nose always knows!