by Valerie Brooks
Today’s mom-to-be has some very cool health options. Some of the trendiest include prenatal yoga, water aerobics for an easier delivery, going green for a healthier mom and baby, saving baby’s cord blood for possible life-saving use, and indulging in prenatal massages.

Prenatal Yoga

Less than ten years ago, it was a rarity to find a studio that offered prenatal yoga. Now, it’s hard to find one that doesn’t. In many ways, yoga is the perfect workout for prospective moms, and its popularity is growing. One of the reasons is the concentration of breath during yoga, which ensures a healthy dose of oxygen for mom and baby, while training mom to control her breath, which will be a godsend during labor. The meditative and relaxing aspects of yoga are obviously healthful benefits as well. The asanas chosen specifically for pregnancy concentrate on easing body aches associated with pregnancy, and stretching the muscles that will be most beneficial to the birthing process. Prenatal yoga classes will also show students which poses to avoid during pregnancy.

Bring on the Water

Water aerobics is also gaining popularity in spas and health clubs across the country for expectant moms. Water is one of the great gifts for exercisers looking to alleviate the pains associated with the sport. Its buoyancy takes the weight off the limbs, which is a particular blessing for moms-to-be. WomenFitness.net quoted an article from the journal, Reproductive Health, that says, “A course of water aerobics classes done by sedentary and low risk pregnant women has been shown to reduce the amount of pain-killing medication women request during labor.” Water exercises place less stress on the musculoskeletal system, and help regulate skin temperature to help pregnant women avoid overheating.

Going Green

Having a green pregnancy is super trendy and promises to become more so. This is good news for home, mom, baby, and the earth. The tendency for expectant moms is to go natural on all counts. This means using “greener” cosmetics, which includes fragrances, make-up, soaps, nail polish, hair coloring, shampoo, and deodorant. For the household, women are choosing cleaner detergents, cleansers, pesticides, and cleaners. What makes a product “green” can vary, but it generally refers to those that are organic, contain a minimal amount of chemicals, are PVC-free, and do not have particularly harmful chemicals such as lead, mercury, formaldehyde, or dioxane.

Here is a list from FitPregnancy.com of common chemicals to avoid during pregnancy: fitpregnancy.com.

Prenatal Massage

Got swollen feet? How about back pain, nausea, achy legs, and insomnia? Well, the good news is that more therapists are becoming trained in the specialized art of prenatal massage. With the use of specially designed cushions to accommodate pregnancies of various stages, the massage therapist can effectively offer you a massage while you lay perfectly comfortable on the table. The benefits of a prenatal massage include easing tightness and cramping, promoting relaxation, relieving anxiety cause by hormonal changes, and increasing circulation, which helps reduce swelling. You should avoid a prenatal massage during your first trimester, and make sure you receive your treatment from someone certified in prenatal massage technique. The American Pregnancy Association offers more information about getting a prenatal massage at americanpregnancy.org.

Umbilical Cord Blood Banking

This is one of the newest trends to hit the expectant parents market, and controversy still surrounds it. Blood that is taken from the umbilical cord at birth contains stem cells that may have the capability of being used as a treatment option if disease (particularly cancer) hits your child or family member in the future. The reason stem cells are more viable is because they are immature cells that have the ability to reproduce or turn into other useful types of cells. But banking the cells is costly ($1,500 - $2,500 to collect, and approximately $125 - $250 for annual storage) and the benefits have not been proven yet. But this new life-saving possibility is an attractive trend for many parents-to-be. More info at webmd.com.