Step-By-Step Yoga For Pregnancy : Essential Exercises for the Childbearing Year [Paperback]

Wendy Teasdill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 11, 2000

Yoga calms the mind, bringing a sense of peace, relaxation, and well-being as well as optimizing physical health, agility, adn strength. Step-by-Step Yoga for Pregnancy is an essential guide to the best exercises for each stage of pregnancy and the resources you need for a harmonious pregnancy, birth, and recovery. Step-by-Step Yoga for Pregnancy is:

• a beautifully illustrated yoga handbook for all three trimesters and the weeks following delivery
• the perfect resource for newcomers to yoga and invaluable for experienced students
• a complete collection of safe, carefully selected postures
• written in consultation with top yoga instructors, midwives, and doctors
• approved by leading pregnancy experts Wendy Teasdill is an experienced yoga teacher and the mother of three children. She began teaching yoga in Hong Kong, where she adapted her teaching to meet the needs of pregnant students. She lives in Glastonbury, England.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Wendy Teasdill is a well-known and widely respected instructor of Iyengar yoga who lives in London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (April 11, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0809225433
• ISBN-13: 978-0809225439
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #679,891 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #83 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Exercise & Fitness > Pregnancy

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Covers prenatal yoga and provides lots of general info, too!, July 17, 2003

By 

Vanessa Bradley (Dallastown, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Step-By-Step Yoga For Pregnancy : Essential Exercises for the Childbearing Year (Paperback)

As a prenatal yoga instructor, I find this book to be very user-friendly, full of photos and illustrations, some original stuff that you won't find in every book on yoga for pregnancy. It contains not only programs suitable for the three trimesters, but also yogic breathing practices, simple ways to incorporate kegels, pelvic floor visualizations, a guided relaxation, very basic info on the chakras, nutritional information, tips for relieving backache and performing daily activities with optimal alignment. The Teasdill book is very pleasing to the eye, enjoyable and easy to read. I just love the "Salute to the earth - growing into gravity" series of poses. This series alone contains some positions useful during labor and delivery as well as in preparation for the big day. There is also a page of positions specifically useful for labor. There are other visualizations and meditation techniques suggested for use leading up to and during the birthing process, general info on the stages of labor and reminders of what may serve you during each stage. There is also a chapter on life after birth which includes yoga postures for recovery as well as general info on breastfeeding, nutrition, what to expect emotionally. This book does include a bit of yoga philosophy. The last lines of the book state, "Yoga is not just a system of stretching and meditation: yoga is awareness, yoga is living in the present, yoga is union, synthesis and integrity. Yoga is life." Preparing for birth requires more than just physical preparation. A lot of birthing is mental, being able to stay present for each contraction and rest between rather than creating more tension and pain in the body in anticipation of what may come, "complaining mind." The mindfulness and awareness of body and mind that come from the meditative aspects of performing the poses or sitting in meditation are valuable beyond the physical preparation. If natural birth interests you, you might want to check out Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Natural Childbirth. Another good book on prenatal yoga is Janet Balaskas' Preparing for Birth with Yoga. Wendy Teasdill's book has a more informal, conversational feel to it than the Balaskas book, if that is of interest. Makes is very easy and fun to read!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well-organized, useful text ... a must for pregnant practice, February 26, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Step-By-Step Yoga For Pregnancy : Essential Exercises for the Childbearing Year (Paperback)

Even as a yoga instructor, I found myself at a loss when trying to structure pregnancy practices. I picked up this book and found that it is very well put-together. It describes poses well and tells you when it is appropriate to do them, trimester-wise.

The book does allude to some yogic philosophy (NOT religion; yoga is a science, not a religion), but for a serious practitioner of yoga this is actually good -- so many yoga books and videos don't even bother to acknowledge yoga's long-standing history!

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Step by Step Yoga for Pregnancy, June 23, 2000

By 

Lisa C. Bramblet (Antioch, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Step-By-Step Yoga For Pregnancy : Essential Exercises for the Childbearing Year (Paperback)

Terrific book. Very easy to follow and logically organized by trimester. Sound advice and good for everyone from the beginner to the very experienced. Gets a bit into the "religion" of yoga, however is still a great resource for the every day pregnant woman looking for a good ~ safe workout. I highly recommend this book!