What is Prenatal Yoga?

Is Prenatal Yoga Helpful for My Baby?

You might be having many such questions. Today I will try to answer all your queries.

Pregnancy is one of the greatest joys for any parents to be! It is a source of immense happiness and hopes for the new parents to be as well as the extended family. It is absolutely imperative for the emotional, mental and physical wellbeing of the mother and baby in the womb.

 

One of the easiest ways to take care of one’s health during pregnancy is by practicing yoga. Earlier perceptions dictated that since a pregnant woman was considered weak, she ought to take as much bed rest as possible. (1)

But that is no longer the case. Now as there is more awareness of the benefits of physical activities on a pregnant woman. As the body of a woman experiences a transformation, it is best to be physically active and emotionally and mentally happy.

Prenatal Yoga is yoga especially meant for pregnant women as it helps to increase their body’s flexibility and strength through the different asanas and breathing techniques. The asanas mainly focus on stretching, meditation, and controlled breathing techniques. (2)

These techniques eventually help pregnant ladies improve their stamina and relax during childbirth. This form of yoga also helps in forming a lasting bond between the mother and the child in the womb. These are the best yoga asanas for pregnant women.

Yoga Asanas for The First Trimester

There are specific asanas for each period of your pregnancy and the following are said to be beneficial during the first trimester:

1) Marjariasana

Also known as the Cat Pose, it is an asana for beginner level which resembles a cat stretching its back. It is best to do this asana empty stomach. Hold the pose for a maximum of 15 seconds. It is one of the excellent Yoga Asanas for Back Pain Relief.

How to Do Marjariasana:

1. Stand on all the fours in such a way that your back becomes a tabletop while your arms and legs form the legs of the table.
2. Your palms should be flat on the floor while there should be a gap between your legs.
3. Look straight in front and inhale while looking upwards and push your navel down and raise your tailbone.
4. Hold the pose for 15 seconds while breathing in and out.
5. Go back to tabletop position.

Benefits of Practicing Marjariasana:

The benefits of doing Marjariasana are several. It helps to

• Relaxes the mind
• Releases stress
• Improves blood circulation
• Helps in improving the digestion
• Improves metabolism

2) Trikonasana

Also known as the triangle pose, it is a beginner level asana. It helps to stretch the muscles in the ankles, thighs, groin, knees, calves, hips etc. Trikonasana is also good for those who want to lose weight.

How to do Trikonasana:

1. Stand straight and keep a distance of three to four feet between your legs.
2. Turn your left foot in by 15 degrees and right foot out by 90 degrees.
3. Align the center of the arch of your left foot with the center of your right heel.
4. Ensure that the weight of your body is equally distributed between both your legs.
5. While taking a deep breath and exhaling, bend your body towards the right below your hips.
6. Make sure that your waist is straight. Lift your left hand while letting the right hand touch the ground. The arms should form a straight line.
7. Let your right hand rest on your ankle or skin and stretch your left hand to the ceiling, on top of your shoulders. Turn your head towards the left and look at your left palm.
8. Make sure that your body is bent only sideways and not forwards or backward.
9. Stretch your body to the fullest and try to stabilize your body while taking deep breathes.
10. While inhaling, drop your arms to your sides and straighten your feet.
11. Repeat the same with your other leg.

Benefits of Practicing Trikonasana

• Strengthening the legs, ankles, knees, arms, and chest, stretching of the groin, hips, calves, shoulders,
• Helps improve the digestion
• Helps in reducing backache
• Reduces Stress, Anxiety etc.

Here is an informative video on Prenatal Yoga by Saregama GenY

3) Tadasana

Tadasana is also called the Palm Tree or Mountain Pose. It is a yoga asana for beginners. Tadasana is also called the mother of all other asanas. It can be done at any time of the day and need not have to be done in an empty stomach.

Tadasana helps to stretch the entire body and strengthens the thighs, knees, back, and ankles. It is one of the asanas of Suryanamaskar which is a complete yogic exercise.

How to Do Tadasana:

1. Stand straight with your feet slightly apart and hands hanging beside your body.
2. Raise your arms over your head while interlocking your fingers and turning the palms of your hands upwards.
3. Inhale and stretch your arms over your head while raising your heels.
4. Lower your heels and your arms as you exhale and come down.

Benefits of Practicing Tadasana

This pose helps in improving your body posture and makes your thighs, knees, ankles, and back stronger. It also helps to tone your abdomen and buttocks.

4) Uttanasana

Also called the squat and rise pose, it is extremely healing and rejuvenating. It is best to do this asana with an empty stomach.

How to do Uttanasana:

1. Stand straight and keep a distance of one meter between the feet while the toes are turned out.
2. Interlock your fingers and let them hang loosely in front of your body.
3. Bend your knees and lower buttocks slowly.
4. Straighten your knees and stand in an upright position.

Benefits of Practicing Utthanasana

This asana helps to strengthen the muscles of the thighs, uterus, back, and ankles.

Yoga Asanas for The Second Trimester

Just as there are specific asanas for the first trimester, the following are said to be beneficial during the second trimester:

1. Veerbhadrasana

Also known as the Warrior Pose, it is named after an incarnation of Lord Shiva, a fierce warrior. It is usually practiced in the early hours of the morning and with an empty bowel and stomach.

How to Do Veerbhadrasana:

1. Stand straight with your legs about 3 meters apart while your right foot is in the front and your left foot is behind.
2. Turn your left foot in by 15 degrees and right foot out by 90 degrees.
3. Align the center of the arch of your left foot with the center of your right heel.
4. Lift your arm to the level of your shoulders ensuring that your hands are parallel to the ground while your palms are facing upwards.
5. Slowly exhale and bend your right knee in such a way that your knee and ankle form a straight line.
6. While slowly moving into the pose, extend both your arms above your head and stretch.
7. Hold the pose while breathing normally.
8. Inhale and come up and exhale and bring your arms to your sides.
9. Repeat the pose on the left side.

Benefits of Practicing Veerbhadrasana

This pose is an excellent way to increase your stamina by stabilizing and balancing your body. It also helps in strengthening and toning your arms, lower back, and legs. It also releases stress from your shoulders.

2. Baddhakonasana

Also known as the Butterfly Pose, this asana is done in the mornings. It helps in strengthening the legs, hips, abdomen and lower back.

How to Do Badhakonasana:

1. Sit straight and stretch out both your legs.
2. Bend both your knees and bring your feet towards your pelvis and allow the soles of your feet to touch each other.
3. Hold your feet with both your hands.
4. Inhale and start flapping both your legs in an upward and downward motion like a butterfly’s wings.
5. Keep breathing normally and increase the speed of your movements.
6. Slow down and exhale and stretch your legs in front of you.

Benefits of Practicing Badhakonasana

This asana helps in improving the flexibility in the hips and groin. It also stretches the knees and inner thighs. It also helps in bowel and intestine movement.

Yoga Asanas for the Third Trimester

Just as there are specific asanas for the first and second trimester, the following are said to be beneficial during the third trimester:

1) Shavasana

Also called the Corpse Pose, it is an asana in which you completely relax your body and mind. Usually done at the end of an active yoga session, this pose helps in healing and rejuvenating the body.

How to Do Shavasana:

1. Lie down flat on a flat surface and close your eyes.
2. Ensure that your legs are apart and your hands are beside your body.
3. Inhale slowly while drawing attention on each and every part of your body. Start from your toes to the top of your head while breathing gently and deeply.
4. After 10 minutes your body will feel relaxed and refreshed after which you can open your eyes.

Benefits of Practicing Shavasana

This pose helps to bring your body to a relaxed and meditative state where your body will heal itself and release stress. It also reduces blood pressure, insomnia, and anxiety.

2) Bhramari Pranayama

Also known as the Bee Breath, the humming sound helps to calm down the mind. It is one of the best and quickest ways of getting rid of anxiety, frustration, anger, and agitation.

How to Do Bhramari Pranayama

1. Sit straight with your eyes closed.
2. Place your index finger on your cartilage which is between your cheeks and ears.
3. Take a deep breath and as you exhale make a humming sound while pressing the cartilage gently.
4. Continue the same process 3 to 4 times.

Benefits of Practicing Bhramari Pranayama

This pose is an effective way to calm down and reduce stress. It helps to treat hypertension and reduces anxiety, anger.

Benefits of Prenatal Yoga

The benefits of prenatal yoga move beyond the wellbeing of the mother only. It is just as for the baby in the womb.

Some of the benefits of prenatal yoga are:

1. The Connection Between Mother and Child

The time that you spend while doing yoga allows you to spend quality in quiet with your baby. It will make you more aware of the physical and emotional changes in your body.

2. Reduces Stress and Anxiety

The deep breathing techniques help the body to relax which in turn aides in not only reduced anxiety or stress but also develop a stronger immune system.

3. Lowers Lower Back Pain

The various asanas help in reducing the tension in the growing belly of the mother especially on the lower back which tends to bend down with the weight of the belly.

4. Increased Strength, Flexibility, and Endurance of Muscles

The muscles, particularly in the pelvis, abdomen, and hips, get toned which is beneficial during childbirth. Prenatal yoga also helps in increasing the stamina of the body.

The shoulders, breasts as well as the upper back get stressed out due to the weight of the growing belly and prenatal yoga helps to relieve the stress and tension.

5. Reduces Pregnancy Complications

Pregnancy increases the risk of disorders such as diabetes, high blood pressure, intrauterine restriction, and obesity. Such risks are decreased by practicing prenatal yoga and also protect the growing baby’s growth inside the belly.

Also Read: 11 Simple at Home Kegel Exercises for Men and Women

6. Preparation for Childbirth

Prenatal Yoga helps to prepare the mother for a calm labor and delivery through the deep conscious breathing techniques and the various asanas which help loosen the tight muscles in the entire body.

Pregnancy can be overwhelming and often leads to depression which can be reduced through prenatal yoga.

7. Improves Blood Circulation

Prenatal yoga incorporates many asanas which increase the movement of the joints and muscles which in turn increase the blood circulation in the body which is a requisite during pregnancy.

This helps in lowering the swelling in the body and improves the immunity of the mother and child. It also helps in improving sleep, reduce nausea and reduce insomnia, shortness of breath and headaches.

8. Improves Sleep

Sleep is an essential part of pregnancy where your body and mind is able to rest in a calm manner. The hormones in the body are usually out of balance during pregnancy and thereby hampers your sleep which leaves you feeling exhausted.

An exhausted and irritable mother hampers the wellbeing of the baby which is why prenatal yoga helps you get a good night’s sleep every night.

9. Improves Posture

Pregnancy affects the posture of the body and the various asanas such as standing, sitting and lying downs helps to improve your posture and balance.

10. Making New Friends

Prenatal yoga classes can expose you to other expectant mothers with whom you can meet, interact and share your experiences while in the process you develop a friendship with them.

Safety Precautions During Prenatal Yoga

Prenatal yoga is one of the best ways for an expectant mother to keep fit. It also helps in the wellbeing of the growing baby inside the mother’s belly. Having said that, it is imperative that before you start your prenatal yoga journey, a few things should always be kept in mind:

1. Consult your doctor before you start practicing prenatal yoga.
2. Always take deep and conscious breaths.
3. Do not perform asanas which require you to lie on your stomach or your back.
4. Understand your body type and start slow.
5. Do not perform asanas where you are required to jump.
6. Use props or support such as a chair or a wall as the center of the gravity shifts.
7. Avoid asanas which make you uncomfortable and do not push yourself to perform them.
8. Always practice prenatal yoga with bare feet and a thick mat.
9. Do not hold your breath while practicing prenatal yoga.
10. Avoid sudden movements and jerks while performing the asanas.
11. Include Clarified Butter i.e Ghee in your diet.
12. Eat healthy and wholesome home-made food.
13. Your diet should be rich in Vitamin B12, Vitamin D and restrict intake of Vitamin A.
14. A glass of Turmeric Latte is very essential for expecting mothers as it helps in boosting much-needed Calcium in her body and also improves immunity.

Yoga poses to avoid during Pregnancy

1. Cobra Pose
2. Boat Pose
3. Crane Pose
4. Downward Facing Dog Pose
5. Upward Facing Dog Pose
6. Four-Limbed Staff Pose
7. Bow Pose
8. Plank Cross
9. Plow Pose
10. Locust Pose
11. Revolved Side Angle Pose
12. Twisted Chair

Prenatal yoga is of great benefit to the wellbeing of both the mother and the growing child. It is advisable to take the guidance of an experienced prenatal yoga certified instructor and enjoy the advantages of yoga.