Yoga For Pregnant Women

Pregnancy is a beautiful stage in a woman’s life. 9 months of pregnancy divided into 3 trimesters. A woman needs to take care of her self to keep her child healthy. Many questions raised in her mind. Ideally, she should be free from all such queries and tensions. But is there yoga for pregnant women?

As discussed above we divide pregnancy into 3 stages and we have a different program for 3 different stages. Nowadays in this fast-forward life, it is very difficult for a woman to take care of her self. Nowadays most women have to take care of their jobs as well. Stress plays a major role in women’s lives. Sometimes if pregnancy is unplanned, another stress in women’s lives. To cope up with all this Yoga helps.

Let’s have a look at how Yoga and Pranayam helps.

In the first trimester, that is the very first time a female comes to know that she is pregnant. It is a shock for her, either too happy or too stressed. Both situations can be treated with

Yoga and Pranayam

Benefits of Yoga and Pranayam in pregnancy.

1. Helps relieve stress
2. Breathing practice helps during normal delivery
3. Helps relieve back pain
4. It helps relieve swelling in the foot
5. Helps in normal delivery

We have special Asanas sequence for pregnancy.

We pay more attention to resting poses and breathing techniques and also leg spreading Asanas which will help in normal delivery. All asanas for all three trimesters to be done under professional supervision along with a professional guide. A person should always be present while doing asanas during pregnancy.

Let us have a look at a few asanas

1^st trimester

Supta veerasan & Supta badhkonasan with props – This is a resting pose, helps chest expansion, leading to better breathing. Legs spread, lead to better comfort. It helps support a normal delivery.

Padanghushtasan resting- This helps Venous return, reducing swelling in the feet. After a few asanas, we give shavasan or Lumbar rest. Not many asanas are suggested, rather we pay more attention to Breathing & Pranayam. The chanting of Omkar is also very helpful.

In the 2^nd trimester, we add a few more asanas

1. Along with Supta veerasan & Supta badhkonasan, we also give Gomukhasan (hands) while sitting with simply folded legs.
2. Parshwahastasan can also be added- These help chest expansion. It also helps relieve a backache.
3. Dandasan with ankle & toes movement help reduce swelling in the feet and make movements easy. Prevents varicose veins.

3^rd trimester along with the above asanas we add

1. Adhomukh shwanasan with a chair
2. Tikonasan with chair
3. This helps reduces back pain and eases movements.
4. Upavishtakonasan
5. It helps to stretch the perineal region, to facilitate normal labor.
6. Pranayama should be done regularly.
7. Breathing also facilitates normal labor.

All the above sequence helps relieve stress as well, making a woman ready for childbirth.

Happy Motherhood.