Yoga for pregnancy: A healthy approach to healthy pregnancy

Yoga for pregnancy is globally underlined as a safe physical activity for pregnant women. Hop on these great yoga ideas and reap phenomenal benefits.

Pregnancy is a time when you need to be very conscious about your diet as well as exercise. A healthy pregnancy not only depends on the pregnancy nutrition food you take but also on what kind of exercise regimen you follow. Moreover, yoga for pregnancy is regarded as safe and non-exerting exercise by medical fraternity. So, what are you waiting for? Enlist yoga in your to do list and enjoy its glorious benefits.

In this article:

• Ideal Yoga Poses for Pregnancy
• First Trimester Yoga Poses
• Second Trimester Yoga Poses
• Third Trimester Yoga Poses
  
• Benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy
  

Ideal Yoga Poses for Pregnancy:

Prenatal yoga gives you a hang of what a yoga course or a yoga program entails. It will teach you importance of yoga for you and your bump. It boosts agility, reduces anxiety and gives you good sleep. Also if your are planning for a maternity photoshoot based on yoga theme, find the best maternity photographer who will guide you the best maternity photoshoot dress and click frameworthy pictures.

An ideal prenatal yoga for pregnancy program usually has the following yoga asanas:

• Moo/Meow – Moo/Meow or Cat/cow pose helps improve spine agility and is especially fruitful if you experience back labor. Stretch your spine and move and allow your stomach to hang. This is the best way to reduce anxiety and invite calm in your life. Don’t forget to breathe when you exhale and contract.
• Hold the table – Balancing table pose asks you to stretch your right leg back and move your left arm forward. Breathe in and hold for 5 counts. Change the leg and arm, and repeat the pose. This pose works on your abdominal muscle. Your core strength is vital to balance your body. Building your core will help at the time of labor.
• Rise up like a mountain – Face downward and help relax your shoulder and upper back tension.
• Join your hands but separate your legs – Squat and keep your leg at a distance, both facing at the opposite side. Join your hands like you do for a prayer. This pose works wonders as it strengthens your pelvic floor and legs, integral at the time of delivery.
• B for Butterfly pose – Also called as  ‘Bound Angle pose’, it aims to relax and remove tension from the legs. It is a highly meditative and has lot of physical and mental benefits. Not only that, it stretches, opens the thighs and pelvic muscles, and aids normal delivery. Sit in a lotus pose. Let the soles of your feet touch each other. Bend your knees. Do not slouch but sit straight else you will injure your spine. When you breathe out, move your knees up and down. When you breathe out, get your knees up. Try this pose few times and up your count suiting to your comfort and threshold.

First Trimester Yoga Poses:

First trimester yoga poses need to be gentle as your body is in the process of adjusting to a new life inside you. Yoga for pregnancy is strongly recommended from this stage as your body will get accustomed to the movements. During this period, lot of women face anxiety and stress because of the hormonal roller-coaster ride. Choose movements and poses that will relieve you from tension and build strength. Your lower back and hips are two main parts where the passing months will put more pressure on. So, avoid intense backbends and forward bends, jumping and hopping etc. Instead try these yoga asanas in first trimester:

Janu Sirsasana – Head to Knee forward bend will increase strength in your back. It aids digestion and relaxed you from tension.

• Sit and extend your leg forward
• Take the left foot and place it against your inner thigh
• Inhale when you bring your arms overhead
• Exhale when you fold forward, straightening your front
• Be in this pose for a minute and repeat
• Do not bend much if you are uncomfortable
• Always remember to breathe

Upavistha Konasana – Wide-Angle forward bend is also to build strength in your lower back, pelvis and hips. 

• Sit with your legs wide
• Place your arms overhead and tilt your pelvis forward
• Hold your toes and be in this pose for a minute
• See to it that you don’t overstretch your legs if you feel unease

Second Trimester Yoga Poses:

Yoga poses in second trimester are generally enjoyed by pregnant women as this is the golden period when you and your baby are used to each other.  

Uttanasana – This is also a forward bend pose but you are required to do it in standing.

• Do not join your feet but move it little wider
• Your knees can be bent lightly
• Move downward and place your hands on floor
• Be in this pose for 30 seconds and repeat the steps

Balasana – This is very relaxing as you just have to sit on your legs and bend your head like you are doing namaskar (prostrate). Stretching in this pose boosts flexibility in your back and thighs.

• Bring down your hips on your heels
• Place your arms forward and breathe profoundly
• Be in this pose for a minute and repeat the steps
• Use your judgement while doing this pose as do not venture if you are feeling pressure on your belly

Third Trimester Yoga Poses:

Remember, third trimester is very sensitive period in pregnancy. You need to take it gentle and easy with your yoga poses and exercise. Avoid bending backwards, quick movement, jumping and lying on your back asanas.

 Yoga practitioners recommend:

Virabhadrasana – Through this yoga asana, your body is opening door to widen your hips. This is a whole body pose as it takes care of your hips, neck, and relieves back pain.

• Stand and place your left foot back
• Turn your toes slightly to the left
• Widen your hips to face the left side
• Place your arms parallel to the floor
• Let the palms face down
• Bend your right knee gently
• Get your focus over your left-hand fingers
• Be in this pose for half a minute and repeat the steps
• Do not bend much in your front knee which will put unnecessary pressure on your belly and leg

Sukhasana – A relaxing pose which will lengthen your back, useful for your hips and caters to your inner calm.

• Sit and cross right leg over left leg
• Place hands on your leg
• Breathe with eyes closed
• Be steady in this pose for a minute or two
• Repeat the steps again
• Ensure you have something behind your back like a wall for support

Benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy:

Do you know yoga and pregnancy goes hand in hand? Let’s look at the plethora of benefits it offers:

• Apart from being agility and strengthening your body and back, it also offers a sense of peace and tranquillity to your mind.
• It reduces your anxiety and corrects your sleep pattern
• It makes your more aware and brings laser sharp focus in you
• A regular yoga regimen helps in maintaining normal birth weight in your baby

Yoga for pregnancy is highly beneficial but that said, yoga asanas during pregnancy should take into consideration your body and its limits. They should not exert you but should make you feel invigorated after doing them. Always have a yoga expert with you when you are practicing yoga. Do not overstretch and overwhelm yourself as it will lead to complications. Anything that puts pressure on your abdomen is a complete no. Take it slowly keeping your comfort in mind.