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Pregnancy stories vary dramatically from person to person. Some people tell tales are glowing cheeks and healthy weight gain and others reel about the horrors of colossal moods swings and endless cravings. But the common thread that seems to weave together a happy pregnancy is yoga.
People with a solid practice throughout their pregnancy are better equipped to handle the mood swings and hormones. You’re able to keep things in prospective. Whether you do yoga in a class setting or you have your own practice, it’s important to take a few percussions and of course, consult your doctor.
Tips for Prenatal Yoga
1. Savasana or Corpse Pose should be done lying on your side.
This is because lying on your back can cause the weight of the uterus to compress the vena cava, the vein that returns blood from the lower back to the heart. I think this is one of the most important poses for a pregnant woman because it relieves fatigue. Start by lying on your side. Place a pillow or rolled up blanket under your head and neck. Drape your arms on the pillow and then place another pillow between your arms. Place a blanket between your legs as well. Begin to follow your breath as it enters and exits the nose. Sink into the ebb and flow of your own breath.
2. Practice slower forms of yoga.
Try fatigue-free forms of yoga. Pregnancy can really tire out the body and it's important that you do slower forms of yoga to rejuvenate the body. Just remember to take it slow and listen to your edge. Consider restorative Yoga, Yin Yoga, or a deep stretch form of the practice.
3. Remember the breath now more than ever.
Remember to breathe, and breathe slowly and deeply. This will increase lung expansion and make better use of your breaths during labor. Practice Pranyama (breath work) for five to 10 minutes daily. Consider lengthening the exhale to slow the nervous system and relax the body or counting your breaths on the inhale and exhale to stay mindful.
4. Don't rely on your belly.
Avoid poses that have any weight resting fully on your stomach. This is especially true during the 3rd Trimester. This includes Cobra and other frontal and belly down poses.
5. Relieve lower back pain with cat/cow.
Cat/cow poses are a great way to relieve the lower back pain that can be associated with pregnancy. Start off on all fours. Root down through the palms of the hands. On the inhale the head drops and the back curves, lifting the back of the heart, and moving into cat. On the exhale the shoulder blades come together in the back body and the heart opens, moving into cow. Connect movement and the breath and get a sense of bringing fluidity to the spine and the back body.
More on Yoga:
8 Yoga Poses That Make You Happy
9 Yoga Poses to Beat the Flu Naturally (Slideshow)
Breathe In Breathe Out: Chair Yoga Keeps You Calm and Collected Throughout Your Busy Day
