Yoga During Pregnancy
Indulging in physical exercise during pregnancy is a topic with controversial views. Some say pregnancy should not stop you from doing workouts, while others advise taking bed rest for the complete gestation period. But the secret to good health lies in the balance.
Rigorous aerobic exercises can definitely prove disastrous and may even cause mis-carriage. A well curated yoga regime for the complete pregnancy period and even postpartum can work wonders for a happy and healthy mother and baby.
Benefits of practicing yoga during pregnancy are numerous.
- Soothes the mind and enhances positive energy.
- Prepares the woman mentally and physically for labor.
- Performing the right asanas stretches out the pelvis which eases the expulsion of the fetus.
- Some poses can speed up the process of labor by relieving tension around the birth canal.
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Better body strength to combat postpartum depression.
- Fast recovery after delivery.
Confused about which yoga poses you should do?
Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered!
Just practice the following yogasanas and you’ll find yourself, more relaxed and glowing than ever!
Vrikshasana(Tree pose)
It gives a good stretch to legs, back and arms. It also helps to improve concentration and relieve stress. Your body will feel invigorated and full of energy after performing this asana.
Virabhadrasana (Warrior pose)
Pregnant women often experience back pain and stiffness. This asana strengthens back muscles, body and tones up the lower body.
Vajrasana (Thunderbolt pose)
This is the only asana which can be performed after a meal. It enhances digestion and increases energy uptake in the body. It works almost immediately in curing bloating, hyperacidity or other stomach ailments.
Tadasana (Mountain pose)
This pose helps in achieving body-mind balance. As you take your arms up with a long deep breath, all the spinal nerves get cleared of any congestion caused due to stress. It gives a good stretch to your spine and relieves backache.
Matsya kridasana (Flapping fish pose)
It is the best asana to get rid of insomnia or sleeplessness and helps experience a deep relaxed sleep. It also eases the legs nerves and improves blood circulation.
Bhadrasana (Gracious pose)
This pose helps in toning and strengthening female pelvic muscles. This facilitates smooth delivery of the baby and early recovery of the pelvis. Bhadrasana benefits the digestive system too by relieving various stomach ailments.
Ardha titali asana (Half butterfly pose)
This is an excellent pose for stretching and relaxing the hip joints. This makes the lower body ready for delivering the baby and ensures that delivery is smooth and easy.
Utthanasana (Squat and rise pose)
This pose is essentially practiced in the 3rd trimester,as it strengthens the muscles of the back, uterus, thighs and ankles. It completely tones up the pelvic girdle and hence ensures comfortable delivery.
Combining the above asanas with pranayama (rhythmic breathing exercises) gives miraculous benefits during and after pregnancy. This improves breathing capacity and increases stamina and vitality.
Practicing yoga asanas essentially tends to exercise and relax almost all muscles of the body to prepare it for a prolonged steady and stable child delivery without causing fatigue.
Remember- Healthy YOU means a healthy CHILD! So take care of yourself and everything good will already be done.
