Benefits of Yoga during Pregnancy

Read more on Yoga during Pregnancy

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Pregnancy Stages : First Trimester

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Pregnancy Stages : Third Trimester

Yoga during Pregnancy is highly recommended by doctors and yogis. Practicing Yoga and Pranayama during Pregnancy gives following benefits -.

• yoga work wonders on health and capability to have a smooth pregnancy.
• yoga helps on the physical and mental development of the foetus and thus helps in ensuring a healthy baby. At the subtle level, yoga ensure optimum supply of blood and nutrients to the developing foetus. Pranayama exercises ensure the abundant supply of oxygen and a better life force for mother and child.
• yoga can help ease back problems, which are common in pregnant women.
• yoga boosts mind and body, helping to keep pregnancy hassle-free.
• yoga is a great way to stay flexible and relive stress during pregnancy.
• yoga is ideal way to stay in shape during pregnancy.
• yoga helps one learn to breathe deeply and relax, which will come in handy as one face the physical demands of labor, birth, and motherhood.
• yoga can also alleviate the discomforts caused by pregnancy. There are poses for sciatic pain, round ligament pain, and even morning sickness.
• yoga also helps at post-delivery stages. yoga strengthens abdominal muscles and pelvic floor. It also helps to get back to pre-pregnancy shape faster.
• As a therapeutic tool, meditation will help one resolve the deepest of neuroses, fears and conflicts, which are so common during pregnancy. Meditation brings with it an incredible awareness which helps the mother connect with child in a way that is impossible to explain.

For More information on pregnancy symptoms, weight gain and nutrition, what's safe during pregnancy and what's not, pregnancy stages, pregnancy week by week, labor and delivery, and much more — Click Here.

Yoga Asanas for Pregnant Women

The following are the Yoga Poses that can help you in dealing with the symptoms of Pregnancy, ensuring smoother and easier delivery, and faster recovery after childbirth. Poses that puts pressure on the abdomen and other difficult poses should not be done during advance stages of Pregnancy. You do not have to do all these Asanas and remember not to push yourself on a pose. These poses can be read in more detail here. More detailed asanas with pictures can be read here.

Mountain Pose? (Tadasana?)

The Mountain Yoga Pose promotes the experience of stillness, strength, relaxed power, and immovable stability associated with mountains. This yoga posture, and coming back to this stillness after other poses, is one of the ways of becoming acquainted with stillness.

Triangle Pose? (Trikonasana?)

In Hindu art, the triangle is a potent symbol for the divine principle, and it is frequently found in the yantras and mandalas used for meditation. The Trikonasana or Triangle Pose concludes the Yoga Postures in our basic session.

Warrior Pose?

The Warrior Pose stretches and strengthens the arms and legs, increases stamina, improves balance and concentration, and can also relieve backaches. If you are suffering from diarrhea, high blood pressure or neck problems, you should take extra caution practicing this pose.

Standing Side Stretch Pose?

The Standing Side Stretch is another Yoga Pose with two lines of energy radiating outward from your center. This is a simple Yoga Posture with a wonderful stretch in which one line of energy reaches upward from your belly and outward through the arm, and one line travels downward through the legs.

Standing Spread Leg Forward Bend?

Practicing the Standing Spread Leg Forward Fold can strengthen and stretch your inner and back legs and your spine. People with lower back problems should avoid doing the full forward bend. For beginners, you may use props like a folding chair to support your forearms.

Seated Forward Bend? (Paschimothanasana?)

Relax your body and mind, stretch your hamstrings, shoulders, and spine, relieve stress, and improve your posture and concentration by practicing the Seated Forward Bend. Learn how to do this properly and achieve maximum results.

Hero Pose? (Virasana?)

One of the fundamental seated postures is the Hero Pose. This serves as the initial position for several Asanas. It strengthens the arches of the feet, stretches the ankles, and improves posture. This Yoga Pose is ideal for people who have flat feet.

Spread Leg Forward Fold? (Upavista Konasana?)

The Spread Leg Forward Fold is a Yoga Posture which works primarily on the hamstrings and adductors. This energizes the body and promotes inner calmness. In this section, know more about this exercise and learn how to perform it properly.

Fish Yoga Pose?

Doing the Fish Pose relieves stiffness of the neck and shoulder muscles and improves flexibility of your spine. It is the counter-pose of the Shoulderstand. Hold the Fish Pose for at least half the amount of time you spent in the Shoulderstand in order to balance the stretch.

Cat Pose? Bidalasana?

The Cat Yoga Pose teaches you to initiate movement from your center and to coordinate your movement and breath. These are two of the most important themes in Yoga practice. Keep in mind that the Cat Pose may not be advisable if you have any chronic or recent back pain or injury.
Inverted Postures and Balance Poses - Headstand (Sirshasana) Headstand (Sirshasana)
Headstand is one of the basic postures in the world of Yoga and is considered as the king of Asanas because of its numerous effects on the entire body. Many Yogis believe that practicing the Headstand can help in treating illnesses.

Tree Yoga Pose?

The Tree Pose helps strengthen your thighs, calves, ankles and back. It can also increase the flexibility of your hips and groin. Your balance and concentration can also be improved with constant practice. This Yoga Pose is recommended for people who have sciatica and flat feet.

Plough Pose? (Halasana?)

The Plough Pose stretches your spine, thus, improving spinal flexibility. It benefits the thyroid gland and abdomen, eases tension in the shoulders and back, and reduces stress. Learn how to practice the Plough Pose in this section.

Sage Twist Yoga Pose? (Marichyasana?)

Also called Marichi's Yoga Pose, the Sage Twist Pose benefits the abdominal organs and spine. Avoid doing this pose if you have chronic spine or back injury. Also, perform this only under the supervision of a Yoga instructor. Learn how to do the Sage Twist in this section.

Shoulder Lifts?

Many people hold tension in their necks and shoulders, leading to stiffness, bad posture, and tension headaches. Yoga practice can ease tension, increase flexibility, and tone the muscles. This section covers the steps on how to practice Shoulder Lifts.

Neck Exercises?

Many people hold tension in their necks and shoulders, leading to stiffness, bad posture, and tension headaches. Yoga practice can ease tension, increase flexibility, and tone the muscles. Learn some Neck Exercises in this section.

Ujjayi Pranayama?

According to the ancient yogic text, Ujjayi can help protect you from a host of diseases by getting rid of excess phlegm, wind or bile. Learn how to perform this challenging breathing technique by following the guidelines found in this article.

Corpse Pose?

The Corpse Yoga Pose is considered as a classic relaxation Yoga Pose and is practiced before or in between Asanas as well as a Final Relaxation. While it looks deceptively simple, it is actually difficult to perform. Learn more on how to do it with the help of this article.


Jyothi Larson recommends following yoga asanas to be performed during pergnancy :

1: Neck Roll?

What it does: Warms up and stretches the neck
What to do: Sit up tall in a cross-legged position. Inhale. As you exhale, slowly tilt your head to the right until you feel a stretch in your neck. Take three deep breaths while holding the stretch. Then bring your head back to the starting position and do the same on the opposite side. Repeat three times on each side.

2: Shoulder Roll?

What it does: Opens up the chest and back
What to do: Hold your arms out to your sides and place your fingers on your shoulders. Inhale. Bring your elbows forward, then lift them toward the ceiling. Exhale and return to the starting position. Do the same exercise in the opposite direction. Repeat three times.

3: Toe and Foot Stretch?

What it does: Loosens calf muscles, encourages circulation
What to do: Sit up tall with your legs tucked underneath you. Press your toes and the balls of your feet on the floor. Repeat as often as you'd like.

4: Cat and Cow?

What it does: Increases flexibility and strengthens abs
What to do: Get down on all fours with your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. Inhale and push your pelvis back and down, gazing up at the ceiling. As you exhale, bring your head between your shoulders, round your back, and tuck in your navel. Repeat three times.

5: Childs Pose?

What it does: Opens up the pelvic area and chest
What to do: Get down on all fours, keeping your knees slightly wider than your hips. Moving slowly, gently rest your bottom between your heels and your forehead on the floor. Arms can be in front of you or at your sides. Repeat as often as you'd like for as long as you'd like.

6: Pelvic Tilt?

What it does: Strengthens the muscles in your lower back, buttocks, and abdomen
What to do: Lie down and bend your knees. Inhale, tilting your pelvis and pubic bone upward; then bring the pelvis back to the starting position. Pregnant women should do this standing against a wall. Repeat six times.

7: Chest Expansion?

What it does: Stretches and strengthens the chest and upper back
What to do: Sit in a cross-legged position, shoulders back, spine elongated. Grasp one part of a strap in each hand and lift your arms over your head. Arms should be wider than your shoulders. With straight arms, bring the strap behind your head until you feel a stretch. Inhale and exhale three times. Repeat as often as you'd like.

8: Relaxation?

What it does: Opens up your hip and groin area and helps relieve backaches
What to do: Take a pillow and lay it down lengthwise behind you. Lower yourself onto it so your head rests at the top. Pregnant women should do this sitting up.

Denise recommends the following asanas, during pregnancy :

Cobbler Pose? or Tailor pose? or (baddha konasana?)

This sitting pose helps open the pelvis. If you are very loose-jointed in your hips, make sure your "sit bones" are well grounded on the mat or blanket (gently pulling the flesh on each side of your bottom out a bit will help you find the right position). Place pillows or rolled-up towels under your knees to avoid hyperextension of your hips.
- Sit up straight against a wall with the soles of your feet touching each other.
- Gently press your knees down and away from each other, but don't force them apart.
- Stay in this position for as long as you're comfortable.

Pelvic tilt? or Cat and Cow?

This position helps relieve back pain, a common problem during pregnancy.
- Get on your hands and knees, arms shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart, keeping your arms straight, but not locking the elbows.
- Tuck your buttocks under and round your back as you breathe in.
- Relax your back into a neutral position as you breathe out.
- Repeat at your own pace.

Squatting?

Denise recommends that her prenatal yoga students squat every day to relax and open the pelvis and strengthen the upper legs. As you start to feel heavier in pregnancy, use props such as yoga blocks or a few stacked books on which to rest your bottom. Focus on relaxing and letting your breath drop deeply into your belly.
Stand facing the back of a chair with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes pointed outward. Hold the back of the chair for support.
- Contract your abdominal muscles, lift your chest, and relax your shoulders. Then lower your tailbone toward the floor as though you were going to sit down on a chair. Find your balance — most of your weight should be toward your heels.
- Take a deep breath and, exhaling, push into your legs to rise to a standing position.
- Side-lying position: This is a good resting pose for the end of a practice.
- Lie on your left or right side with your head resting on your arm or a blanket.
- Put a body pillow or blanket roll between your thighs to give your hips some support.
- If you're in a yoga class, your instructor may guide you through some breathing exercises.

Precautions

If you are interested in practicing yoga during your pregnancy, be aware that certain postures should be avoided (such as those that involve laying on the back or belly). Get a video or book that is specifically designed for expectant mothers or attend a prenatal yoga class. These videos, books, and classes will cover postures that help to reduce back pain, swelling in the lower extremities, and misalignments due to weight changes. Many postures (for example, squats) are useful preparations for natural childbirth. During pregnancy, hormones cause joints in the body to become loose (that’s why women often increase in shoe size). Yoga postures can help to stabilize and strengthen these joints and promote flexibility in the muscles and fascia.
General precautions to take while practicing Yoga during pergnancy -

• If you're attending a regular yoga class (one not specifically geared to pregnant women), be sure to tell the instructor you're pregnant, and which trimester you're in.
• Don't do any asanas (poses) on your back after the first trimester — it can reduce blood flow to the uterus.
• Avoid poses that stretch the muscles too much, particularly the abdominals. You're more at risk for strains, pulls, and other injuries right now because the pregnancy hormone relaxin, which allows the uterus to expand, also softens connective tissue.
• From the second trimester on — when your center of gravity really starts to shift — do any standing poses with your heel to the wall or use a chair for support, to avoid losing your balance and risking injury to yourself or your baby.
• Steer clear of Bikram or "hot" yoga — working out in an overheated room overheating could endanger the health of a growing fetus, according to studies.
• When bending forward, hinge from the hips, leading with the breastbone and extending the spine from the crown of the head down to the tailbone. This allows more space for the ribs to move, which makes breathing easier.
• Keep the pelvis in a neutral position during poses by engaging the abdominals and slightly tucking the tailbone down and in. This helps relax the muscles of your buttocks (your glutes) and the hip flexors, which can help reduce or prevent sciatic pain down the back of the leg, a common side effect of pregnancy. It also helps prevent injury to the connective tissue that stabilizes your pelvis.
• If you're bending forward while seated, place a towel or yoga strap behind your feet and hold both ends. Bend from the hips and lift the chest, to avoid compressing your abdomen. If your belly is too big for this movement, try placing a rolled-up towel under your buttocks to elevate the body, and open the legs about hip-width apart, to give your belly more room to come forward.
• When practicing twisting poses, twist more from the shoulders and back than from the waist, to avoid putting any pressure on your abdomen. Go only so far in the twist as feels comfortable — deep twists are not advisable in pregnancy.\
• Listen carefully to your body. If you feel any discomfort, stop. You will probably need to modify each pose as your body changes. A good instructor can help you customize your yoga to suit the stage of pregnancy you're in.
• Maintain as much length as possible between the breastbone and the pubic bone to make breathing easier.
• Keep the pelvis upright when stretching the chest and the front of the thighs.

Accessories

Make sure to pick up these items before you get started:

A sticky mat

Mats provide a barrier between you and the floor and prevent your hands and feet from slipping.

A blanket

Blankets are used as padding to make certain poses more comfortable. Choose one that's made of nubby material and folds easily; wool and Mexican-style blankets usually work best.

Blocks

Blocks can help novices experience poses they may not have the flexibility to achieve. If you can't touch your toes, for example, you can use a block to bridge the distance between your hands and your feet.

A strap

Straps can help deepen a stretch or bridge a gap, similar to the way blocks do. If you can't keep your feet together in a pose, for example, wrapping a strap around them can bring them together.

Comfortable clothes

It's important to wear clothes that move with you so you don't have to constantly readjust them. Cotton and Lycra tops and bottoms are clingy yet comfy.

Experiances

• "Taking a prenatal yoga class is a great way to meet other pregnant women — to become part of a community," says Cynthea Denise, a registered nurse and prenatal yoga instructor in Oakland, California
• Independent midwife Manijeh Nedas says: 'In my experience, I believe that yoga plays a very important role in pregnancy. Generally, pregnant mums who do yoga exercises appear healthier, both in mind and body. Their bodies are more flexible, which enables them to adapt to various positions when in labour and the ligaments are more elastic, which in turn can help to reduce labour pain.'
• Andrea Fox, an antenatal yoga teacher in Sommerset, says that yoga classes help to boost circulation and also help with fluid retention. The stretching exercises relieve aches and pains. Yoga helps to prepare for the birth - it encourages breath and body awareness, reduces worry and teaches women to adapt to new situations.
• "I love going to my yoga classes. I felt I had more energy and my aches and pains generally were less after class than before," says Lisa after her first baby's birth.

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