Why Prenatal Yoga Is a Powerful Practice for Birth Preparation

Prenatal yoga is more than just movement — it’s breath, presence, alignment, and connection to self. It’s the essence of what supports you through pregnancy, prepares your body and mind for labour, and nurtures your recovery postpartum. This practice is an anchor — steady, wise, and available at every stage of this sacred transformation.

Whether you're navigating discomforts like sciatica during pregnancy, lower back pain, or simply seeking a grounded way to prepare for birth, prenatal yoga can meet you where you are.

Physical Benefits: Strength, Mobility, and Alignment

Prenatal yoga helps you build strength and flexibility in the muscles and ligaments surrounding the pelvis and uterus. This includes:

• Adductors and hamstrings — key for stability in standing and squatting

• Pelvic floor muscles — for support and elasticity during birth

• Hip and glute strength — to reduce aches and support pelvic alignment

  
  

These muscles are essential for holding active labour positions like squatting, hands and knees, side-lying, and standing. As your baby prepares to descend, these movements encourage optimal fetal positioning and ease in labour.

Another key focus in my private sessions is alignment. Pregnancy shifts your centre of gravity, often throwing the pelvis, neck, and spine out of alignment — leading to sciatic pain, back pain, or discomfort in the hips, knees, and feet. With gentle awareness and breath-led adjustments, we restore balance through movement and posture — reducing tension and preventing strain that can show up both on the mat and in everyday life.

Pelvic Floor & Deep Core Awareness

This is a cornerstone of my prenatal yoga sessions.

We explore the pelvic floor and transverse abdominis (deep core) through breath and movement — building both strength and softness. These areas are often overlooked in traditional prenatal classes or even standard birth prep, yet they’re crucial for:

• Supporting your growing belly

• Encouraging a more easeful birth

• Aiding recovery and continence postpartum

• Promoting long-term pelvic health as you age

  
  

Each session incorporates awareness and toning of these deep core systems — helping you feel more stable, supported, and connected to your body.

One of my yoga + doula client's reflection:

"I felt your support from the moment I walked into the first yoga session and it was so comforting. I felt like for the first time in my IVF journey that I was a whole woman capable of taking on this journey all on my own (with my partner’s support of course). More than anything, I left every session feeling more empowered than I did before."— Erin, first-time parent

Breathwork: Your Anchor Through It All

Breath is the most accessible and powerful tool you have — especially in pregnancy and birth.

Through prenatal yoga, you’ll become deeply familiar with a variety of breathing techniques that support your nervous system, reduce stress, and centre your mind. These practices become second nature — showing up for you in the moments that matter most:

🌬 during labour contractions

🌬 when uncertainty arises

🌬 when you need to come back to yourself

This breath becomes your rhythm, your power, your anchor.

Mindset, Trust, and Connection to the Sacred

Pregnancy can feel overwhelming — physically, emotionally, mentally. But when we drop into the practice, yoga becomes a portal back to self. Back to what’s essential.

This practice helps you:

• Trust the wisdom of your body

• Feel your strength (physically and emotionally)

• Connect to the soul of this experience — not just the tasks, but the transformation

  
  

While mainstream culture and social media may offer quick fixes, memes, and “pregnancy hacks,” this practice offers something more meaningful. It reminds you that this is not just a physical feat — it’s sacred, spiritual, and deeply human.

Another client shared:

"The practice left me feeling physically, emotionally, and spiritually refreshed, and I drew on these learnings during my birthing time. I wish every pregnant person could experience such a holistic prenatal yoga class."— Eleanor, second-time mom

Private 6-Week Prenatal Yoga & Birth Preparation Sessions

If you're looking for more than a group class or online video, I offer private, personalized prenatal yoga sessions designed to support you through every phase of this journey. These sessions are tailored to your body, your birth preferences, and your pace.

Over 6 weeks, we work together to:

✨ Relieve tension and reduce pain (including sciatica, lower back pain, and hip discomfort)

✨ Build strength and mobility in key muscle groups (pelvis, adductors, hamstrings, core)

✨ Prepare your body for effective labour positions

✨ Deepen your breath and nervous system regulation

✨ Strengthen pelvic floor and core connection for birth and postpartum

✨ Explore mindset and emotional readiness for birth

✨ Receive birth education, including understanding the stages of labour, navigating your medical options, and making informed decisions that align with your values and birth preferences

This is not just yoga. This is embodied, soulful birth preparation — movement, breath, education, and empowerment — woven together just for you.

And after her birth, a client shared this:

"I am so grateful I discovered your class and you. You were such an incredibly open and supportive person as I prepared for birthing. You strengthened my confidence in my body and encouraged me to trust my intuition. Your movements and advice helped initiate my birthing, and I strongly relied on the class during my precipitous birthing time — breathing, movements, poses, and feeling my physical and spiritual strength."— E.B., Third birthing experience

You Deserve to Feel This Supported

Whether you’re in your first trimester or preparing for birth in just a few weeks, a yoga beginner or experienced practitioner, it’s never too early (or too late) to reconnect with your body, your breath, and your power.

✨ Let’s explore what this support could look like for you:

👉 Book your free exploration call

✨ And while you're here, grab this free resource to deepen your birth prep today:👉 6 Natural Pain Management Techniques for Labour That Actually Work

Always here for you in any way, in every phase of your journey.

With love and gratitude,

❤️ Kristen

Kristen Ann Fortier

Prenatal Yoga Teacher • Holistic Birth & Postpartum Doula • Energy Healer

Serving Embrun + Ottawa + surrounding areas in person | Virtual support available anywhere

www.empoweredsouls.ca | Book a Call