Yoga exercises for pregnancy
Pregnancy is a physiological stress posing undue physiological demands on the mother and fetus. Research carried out to date show alternative therapies have been effective for reducing pregnancy-related back and leg pain, nausea; promote normal labor, depression and cortisol levels, and the associated prematurity rate. The yoga practices which is effective for pregnancy consist of loosening exercises, breathing exercises, sitting postures, supine postures, pranayama, and meditation.
9 Yoga poses for the first trimester
The following simple yoga poses are beneficial for pregnant women to make them active, energetic along with supple body for the period of first to three months.
- Ardha Titali asana (Half Butterfly): It is an excellent Yogic practice for loosening of hip and knee joints that enables faster and safe delivery.
- Poorna Titali asana (Full Butterfly): It is good to relieve tiredness from legs.
- Supta Udarakarshan asana (Sleeping Abdominal Stretch Pose): It relieves stiffness spine caused by prolonged sitting and also overcomes the problems of constipation.
- Chakki Chalan asana (Churning the Mill Pose): It is a good Yogic posture to tone nerves and organs of the pelvis and abdomen region thereby helps in pregnancy. It regulates the menstrual cycle and effective for postnatal exercise.
- Kashta Takshana asana (Chopping Wood Pose): It loosens and tones the pelvic muscles.
- Marjariasana (Cat Stretch Pose): It is known for flexibility in the neck, shoulders, and spine area. It also helps to tones the female reproductive system.
- Kati Chakrasana (Waist Rotating Pose): This asana is good to tone the waist, back, and hips muscles.
- Tadasana (Palm Tree Pose): It is good for spinal loosening and clear congestion of the spinal nerves.
- Utthanasana (Squat and Rise Pose): This Yoga posture helps to strengthen the muscles of the uterus, thighs, and ankles.
9 prenatal yoga postures for the second trimester
The following simple and easy prenatal yoga poses are beneficial for pregnant women to make them active, energetic along with supple body for the period of three to six months.
- Matsya Kridasana (Flapping Fish Pose): This asana re-distributes excess weight around the waistline. It helps in digestion and eases constipation and relaxes leg nerves. It is an ideal posture for relaxation and sleeping.
- Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose): It is good for digestion, can be practice directly after a meal, eases from hyperacidity, and strengthens the pelvic muscles.
- Bhadrasana (Gracious Pose): Gives relief from acidity.
- Marjariasana (Cat Stretch Pose): This asana improves flexibility of the neck, shoulders, and spine muscles.
- Hasta Utthanasan (Hand Raising Pose): It helps reduces stiffness from the shoulders and upper back, good for heart and blood circulation.
- Tadasana (Palm Tree Pose)
- Kati Chakrasan (Waist Rotating Pose)
- Utthanasan (Squat and Rise Pose)
- Meru Akarshanasan (Spinal Bending pose): It is good for muscles of the thigh and abdomen.
Pregnancy precautions for the second trimester
Following Loosening Exercise and Yoga poses should not be performed during the second trimester
- Forward/ Backward Bending
- Sarvangasana
- Matsyasana
- Pawanmuktasana
- Ardha Shalabhasana
- Paścimottānasana
- Sasankasana
- Bandhakonasana
- Vakrasana
- Ardhamatsyendrasana
5 easy yoga poses for the third trimester
- Ardha Titali Asan (Half Butterfly)
- Poorna Titali Asan (Full Butterfly)
- Supta UdarakarshanAsan (Sleeping Abdominal Stretch Pose)
- Ankle Crank: Relieves stiffness from the feet.
- Shoulder Rotation (Single Arm & Double Arm): It gives flexibility in the shoulders and upper back, good for the heart and lungs. Also stimulates the mammary glands.
Pregnancy precautions for third trimester
Following Loosening Exercise and Asanas should not be performed during the Third trimester
- Forward/ Backward Bending
- Sasankasana Breathing
- Padhastasana
- Viprit Karni
- Bhjungasana
- Ustrasana
- Sarvangasana
- Matsyasana
- Pawanmuktasana
- Ardha Shalabhasana
- Paścimottānasana
- Sasankasana
- Bandhakonasana
- Vakrasana
- Ardhamatsyendrasana
12 Yoga poses for all the trimesters of Pregnancy
There are asanas that can be performed during all the trimesters.
- Vajrasana: It is a favorite in all the trimesters and good to perform after a meal. It helps to improve digestion and blood circulation, especially in the pelvic region. Improves flexibility in joints like knee, ankle, and muscles around these joints.
- Marjarasana: helps to improve the tonicity of back muscles.
- Sulabha (simplified) bhadrasana: helps to tone the muscles in the groin and in the pelvic region.
- Sulabha(simplified) Ustrasana: This asana eases from strain of back muscles, improves breathing patterns, and helps in expanding the lungs.
- Sulabha (simplified) Parvatasana: This asana tones up breast muscles, helps in lung expansion, and eases back muscle problems.
- Sulabha (simplified) Utthit Ekpadasana: It is a very important asana for pregnancy. It improves the venous drainage from limbs to heart, ease leg cramps avoid edema problems in pregnancy.
- Sulabha (simplified) Setubandhasana: helps in relieving spasm of back muscles
- Sulabha (simplified) Supta bhadrasana: helps in improving of breathing pattern.
- Sulabha (simplified)Uttana Vakrasana: helps in soft massaging of paraspinal muscles.
- Sulabha Januskandhasan: relives constipation.
- Sulabha (simplified) Chakrasana: helps in improving breathing capacity.
- Sulabha (simplified) Utkatasana: helps in stretching the perineal muscles.
