We have all heard of yoga, many of us have even tried it, some won’t go a day without it, but there are plenty who think yoga is just some weird technique for becoming a human pretzel!

Pregnancy Yoga is being promoted more and more, with many midwives and doctors reporting the benefits for coping with the stresses and rigours of labour.

So how can doing yoga through your pregnancy really help you?

The gentle stretching and strengthening exercises of yoga can help to alleviate cramps and muscle discomfort as your body changes. Many are focused on strengthening your core which will give you extra stamina and strength during labour and healthy muscles will recover more quickly after you baby is born.

Yoga is more than a few stretching exercises though, you will learn to focus on various sets of muscles at one time, breath control and relaxation techniques.

Yoga promotes strength of mind as much as strength of body and helps to release the tensions many of us hold in our muscles.

Many of our maternity clothes are soft, supportive and flexible enough to be worn during yoga class, and many are designed specifically with light exercise in mind.