Today we are excited for a guest post from Allegra McBane, Certified Yoga Teacher, a Postpartum Doula and a Certified Lactation Educator Counselor and one of the smiling faces you see at our front desk! Follow her on Instagram at @mamatotowellness.

Yoga and acupuncture can work hand-in-hand together to support your fertility journey and the early stages of pregnancy. 

 Yoga is scientifically proven to help both men and women with fertility challenges and helps to increase the success rate of IVF by improving the physiological and psychological state of the body. (source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29112941/)

How does Yoga do this? The basic gist is that the practice of Yoga, both asana (the physical shapes) and meditation (the breath and mind practice), help to reduce stress and promote relaxation and strengthen the body - a necessary balance for pregnancy and overall health. When the body is less stressed, the body is happier and healthier. 

There are many simple shapes that can be practiced at-home in conjunction with regular acupuncture treatments to support fertility and in the early weeks of pregnancy. 

Here are three of our favorites:

Legs up the wall: slide your bottom to the base of a wall or couch and lift legs up to elevate above the heart. Allow legs to remain in this supported position for anywhere from 5-15 minutes. 

Cat/cow: come to all fours. Place hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Press hands firmly into the ground and round your spine as you release your head. Try not to clench the pelvic floor or the seat muscles as you do this. Take several breathes. Next, begin to tilt your bottom to the ski, gently arch your lower back and open your chest as you look forward. Take several breathes. Begin to alternate between these two shapes, moving with your breath for as many as 20 cycles. 

Squat: if you have tight hips or knee issues, use a stack of cushions or yoga blocks to sit on or even a low stool or chair to support you in this shape. Step your feet wider than hip distance, lower your seat, release your lower back. As you breath in this shape, start to part your lips and exhale out through the mouth, feeling your jaw and throat relax, your belly release, and your pelvic relax and lengthen. Stay here for as long as you like.

If you are looking for a more comprehensive yoga practice to support fertility, reach out to a certified yoga instructor for personalized guidance and support on your fertility and pregnancy journey.