Happy!!!!! you r pregnant…..You must be – excited, scared, happy, and overwhelmed – all at the same time. It’s important, both for your health and that of your baby, to stay active during pregnancy. If you manage at least 3 hours of activity weekly, or 30 minutes a day, as a minimum bar, you will weather the pregnancy and delivery much easier and it will also be a quicker bounce back into shape after birth.
Benefits
- Yoga asanas help keep the body supple. They relieve tension around the cervix by opening up the pelvic region. This prepares to-be-mothers for labor and delivery.
- Yoga and pranayams can train you to breathe deeply and relax consciously, helping you face the demands of labor and childbirth.
- Yoga helps alleviate the effect of common symptoms such as morning sickness, painful leg cramps, swollen ankles, and constipation.
- Yoga asanas also help pregnant women recover faster post-delivery.
Butterfly Pose
- Sit with your spine erect and legs spread straight out.
- Now bend your knees and bring your feet towards the pelvis. The soles of your feet should touch each other.
- Grab your feet tightly with your hands. You may place the hands underneath the feet for support.
- Make an effort to bring the heels as close to the genitals as possible.
- Take a deep breath in. Breathing out, press the thighs and knees downward towards the floor. Make a gentle effort to keep pressing them downward.
- Now start flapping both the legs up and down like the wings of a butterfly. Start slow and gradually increase the speed. Keep breathing normally throughout.
- Fly higher and higher, as fast as you comfortably can. Slow down and then stop. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, bend forward, keeping the chin up and spine erect.
- Press your elbows on the thighs or on the knees, pushing the knees and thighs closer to the floor.
Cat-cow pose
- Start on your hands and knees in a “tabletop” position.
- Make sure your knees are set directly below your hips and your wrists, elbows and shoulders are in line and perpendicular to the floor.
- Center your head in a neutral position, eyes looking at the floor.
- As you inhale, lift your sitting bones and chest toward the ceiling, allowing your belly to sink toward the floor. Lift your head to look straight forward.
- Exhale, coming back to neutral “tabletop” position on your hands and knees. Repeat 10 to 20 times.
Trikonasana
- Maintains physical and mental balance. Especially useful for pregnant women since their center of gravity shifts.
- Stretches and opens the hips which can be a big help during delivery.
- Reduces back pain and stress.
Viparita Karani
- Find an open space near a wall and sit next to it, such that your feet are on the floor, spread in front of you, and the left side of your body is touching the wall
- Exhale. Lie on your back, making sure that the back of your legs press against the wall, and that the soles of your feet face upwards. It will take you a little bit of movement to get comfortable in this position.
- Place your buttocks a little away from the wall or press them against the wall.
- Make sure your back and head are resting on the floor. You will find that your body forms a 90-degree angle.
- Lift your hips up and slide a prop under them. You could also use your hands to support your hips and form that curve in your lower body.
- Keep your head and neck in a neutral position and soften your throat and your face.
- Close your eyes and breathe. Hold the position for at least five minutes. Release and roll to any one side. Breathe before you sit up.
