Yoga Poses for Pregnant

Guide to Best Yoga Poses for Pregnant Women

Are you expecting? Congratulations! However, this comes with a lot of mental and physical changes. One moment you overcome with happiness and the very next you go cold turkey. There are a lot of emotions that come into play during pregnancy. Fortunately, you have yoga for pregnant women to help you get through this phase of life.

During pregnancy, you experience a multitude of emotions like mood swings which are often a result of numerous hormonal changes. It is what makes yoga a gift from the Almighty for you. In other words, prenatal yoga is the best way to prepare yourself for childbirth.

Let us first understand how prenatal yoga can help you during pregnancy.

Benefits of Yoga for Pregnant Women

Keep in mind that prenatal yoga is a healthy practice to adopt during pregnancy. But, you might wonder how does it keep you calm during the most important time of your life.

With that said, given below are the benefits of including yoga for pregnant women in your daily routine during pregnancy.

1. Supports Your Changing Body

Your body is always undergoing constant change. However, during pregnancy, your body witnesses an accelerated pace of change. Prenatal yoga supports these changes by giving you a healthy and safe way to stretch the muscles and strengthen the body.

2. Tones Important Muscles

A toned muscle has the best combination of length and strength. Prenatal yoga tones your physical body, especially the pelvic floor muscles which help you during the delivery process. You should practice prenatal yoga under the guidance of a skilled yoga teacher. It is what makes yoga for pregnant women a safe option.

3. Helps with Healthier Pregnancy

Numerous scientific and medical research has shown that a healthy mother is more likely to have a healthy baby. Yes! Prenatal yoga reduces your chances of having preterm labor or a low birthweight baby.

As someone expecting, you might be confused about what prenatal yoga class offers. Yoga experts have the answer.

What Happens During Prenatal Yoga Class?

Given below is the complete breakdown of how a prenatal yoga session takes place;

1. Breathing

The yoga teacher encourages you to deeply breathe in and out slowly through the nose. This helps you manage the shortness of breath experienced during pregnancy.

2. Gentle Stretching

The yoga instructor helps you gently move different areas of your body like the neck and arms by following their full range of motion.

3. Yoga Postures

Either standing, sitting, or lying on the yoga mat, you move your body into different positions. This helps your body develop strength, balance, and flexibility. The best part is in yoga for pregnant women, you can also use yoga props like blankets, cushions, and belts.

4. Cooling Down and Relaxation

At the end of every prenatal yoga session, you relax the muscles and restore the heart rate and its rhythm. The yoga teacher tells you to focus on breathing, pay attention to the sensations, thoughts, and emotions to enter a state of self-awareness.

Now, for you to experience the benefits of yoga for pregnant women, you should also know the right yoga asanas.

Top 3 Yoga Poses for Pregnant Women

Given below are three yoga asanas and how these help you stay fit during pregnancy.

1. Marjariasana

cat cow pose

  • Stretches neck and shoulders to alleviate stiffness
  • Tones the abdominal region
  • Improves blood circulation to ensure the reproductive organs receive nourishment
  • Makes the spine flexible

 

2. Konasana I

Konasana

  • Keeps the spine flexible
  • Exercises and stretches the sides of your body
  • Alleviates constipation

 

3. Veerbhadrasana

Veerbhadrasana

  • Improves body balance
  • Tones legs, arms, and lower back
  • Increase stamina

However, there are a few precautions that you should keep in mind when practicing any of these yoga for pregnant women asanas.

Safety Tips for Prenatal Yoga

To protect your’s and the baby’s health, yoga experts have come up with a few easy-to-follow tips when starting a prenatal yoga class.

1. Consult a Medical Professional

Before you sign up for a prenatal yoga session, inform your healthcare provider of the same. If you are at an increased risk of preterm labor or suffer from heart and back problems, prenatal yoga is not something you should do.

2. Remain Cool & Hydrated

Make sure you practice yoga for pregnant women in a cool and ventilated room. Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated and cool.

3. Avoid Certain Asanas

Make sure you bend from your hips and not the back when doing prenatal yoga. Avoid lying down on your belly, and do not try deep forward or backward bends.

Also Read: Yoga Anatomy

Conclusion

Pregnancy is a time of extreme happiness for every woman. You can refer to this guide when planning to do yoga for pregnant women during pregnancy. Just ensure you do all the yoga asanas under the guidance of an experienced prenatal yoga teacher.