The practice of yoga can help you prepare your mind and body for labor and birth as this helps you focus, to concentrate and keep you healthy. The Yoga Postures are gentle ways of keeping your body active and supple and minimize the common Pregnancy Symptoms like morning sickness and constipation. It can also help in ensuring easier labor and smooth delivery by relieving tension around the cervix and birth canal and by opening the pelvis.
Yoga Precautions During Pregnancy
For the first trimester, standing Yoga Poses are advised as this will help strengthen the legs, enhance circulation, generate energy, and may reduce leg cramps.
During the second and third trimester, you may reduce your time spent for practicing the Asanas to prevent fatigue and overwork. Instead focus more on breathing and meditation.
It is also not advised to practice from the tenth through the fourteenth week of Pregnancy since these are crucial times. Do not overstretch the abdomen; the emphasis of your twisting poses should be on the shoulders and the upper back and not on the abdomen. Avoid doing inversion.
Always consult your physician or yoga teacher before starting the programme to find out the set of suitable yoga postures and yoga regime that suits to your body.
Some general tips before you start:
Avoid postures with excessive pressure on the abdomen
Keep the abdomen well extended
Do more of deep breathing and shorter meditations
Listen to your body and practice accordingly
Benefits:
Breathing techniques in Yoga provide more oxygen to the body, which is much needed during pregnancy
The foetus gains the benefit of the blood full of oxygen which flows through the body immediately after Yoga
Relaxed mind and lack of stress are the after effects of practicing Yoga. Moreover this calmness is passed to your baby. You and baby are more aligned physically as well as mentally
Back and pelvic muscles are at stake during pregnancy and after. Regular yoga practice helps keep those toned and healthy
The gentle toning and stretching prepares your body to take care of the baby before pregnancy as well as after delivering it.
Yoga Poses During Pregnancy
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 put 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 to listen to your body and just do as much as you easily can.
Sukhasana
Shoulder lifts
Neck excersises
Ujjayi breathing
Full yogic breathing
Bhramari
Cat pose
Vajrasana with ujjayi
Mountain Pose
Konasana-1
Konasana-2
Trikonasana
Veerbhadrasana
Paschimottan asana
Gentle Butterfly
ViptritKarni (against the wall)
Shavasana (Final Relaxation)
YogNidra
NadiShodhanPranayam
Meditation
