A fun way to stay fit and healthy during pregnancy, strengthen, stretch, get in touch with your body, prepare for and learn about birth and promote a faster recovery. Dance allows you to work at your own pace, making it one of the safest forms of exercise. Better yet, specialised dance classes are now available, which are designed to help women through the specific issues associated with pregnancy and birth. We all know about the benefits of regular exercise, so it comes as no surprise that during pregnancy an even greater range of benefits exist. Physical benefits can include improved strength, flexibility, balance and stamina, which all help during pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period. Regular exercise will also help you minimise unnecessary weight gain, recover more quickly after birth, reduce the risk of gestational diabetes and improve placental health, therefore encouraging a healthier baby. Pregnant women experience postural changes that place strain on the back, shoulders and hips. Pregnancy dance classes include stretches to release tight muscles and targeted exercises to improve posture. Special exercises can also be learned to train the muscles used in childbirth, such as strengthening the deep abdominal muscles used in pushing, while relaxing the muscles of the pelvic outlet, through which the baby passes. Pregnancy dance classes also build a movement repertoire that can be used during labour leading to a shorter, easier and less painful labour. There is a growing trend to use the wisdom of traditional cultures to help women through the birth process, including traditional dances such as belly dance. Moving the hips is acknowledged as a keystone to facilitating labour. Movements from Belly Dance, African, Carribean, Latin American and other traditional dance forms are incorporated into the dance class, which is a fun way to get in a dose of exercise. Not just for the body, dance brings joy, increases confidence and reduces stress, anxiety and depression. Aside from dancing, participants learn relaxation, meditation and visualisation techniques, which are also highly valuable during both pregnancy and birth. Dance classes tailored for pregnancy encourage you to listen to your body’s signals as you move through the class. This increases your ability to tap into your inner wisdom; a valuable tool for any phase of life. Attending regular classes allows women to build an invaluable peer support network. New mums are encouraged to return with baby to continue enjoying the support of the group and share their experiences. Make sure to check with your medical professional before beginning any new exercise. Unfortunately, there are some conditions that preclude any exercise during pregnancy and other conditions that require modification of the exercises performed.
