Yoga for pregnant women

Yoga benefits for pregnant women

Pregnant women are highly advised to be at least moderately physically active during their pregnancy, and yoga is one of the techniques that provide a number of benefits. Besides the fact that it helps the person stay healthy, relaxed and calm, it also helps in preparing for labor physically and mentally. The techniques of breathing can be very helpful when labor begins, but until then, many symptoms can be relieved, including morning sickness and constipation. The exercises can also ease the labor by opening the pelvis. Women should keep practicing yoga even after delivery, since it helps them to recover faster. However, it is not recommended to practice yoga without an experienced instructor who is well familiar with the positions that are appropriate and recommended for pregnant women, because certain positions should be avoided. Such positions include those that require lying on the back or stomach, as well as backbends, handstands, headstands, upward bow and the positions the require balancing on one leg.

Yoga positions for pregnant women

Even though numerous yoga positions are considered safe for pregnant women, it is highly recommended that they listen to their body and to stop with every exercise that causes some discomfort. The poses in which the abdominal muscles are too stretched or in which the pressure on the abdomen is increased should also be avoided, as well as the poses that stretch any muscle too much. Positions that are recommended include:

Tadasana or the mountain pose, which is related to stillness and strength, Trikonasana or the triangle pose, since the triangle symbolizes the divine principle, Virasana or the hero pose, because it affects the posture in a positive way, it helps the arches of the feet to become stronger, and it stretches the ankles, Bidalasana or the cat yoga pose, which helps in coordinating the breath and movement, which are of great importance in yoga, if not even the most important, Warrior pose, which has several goals – to increase stamina, relieve the symptoms of backache, to make the arms and legs stronger.

Other poses that are regarded as safe include butterfly stretch, cobra (but only during the first trimester), seated forward bend and standing forward bend. However, some slight changes should be introduced, such as, for example, placing a towel behind the feet and holding both ends when bending forward in a seated position.