Prenatal yoga poses for moms to be
Prenatal yoga offers many benefits for moms-to-be. Whether or not it’s your first pregnancy or if you’re new to yoga, a regular practice can help your body and mind prepare for having a baby.
These four, simple poses can offer many benefits to pregnant women and her child if practised on a regularly
- Sukhasana/Easy Sitting Pose
Sukhasana brings more balance and relaxation into your life and allows you to deepen your connection with the new life growing inside you. Sit cross-legged on the floor, with one hand on your belly and the other hand either in Gyana Mudra or on your heart.
Try breathing a little slower than usual, at your regular depth. Keep the eyes closed. Make sure to keep your spine straight and in line with the head and neck.
If sitting like this is uncomfortable, you can tuck a block or pillow under your trail bone or lean up against the wall. Stay here for three to five minutes. Send love to your baby while focusing on your breath.
- Baddha Konasana/Bound Angle Pose
Hip, pelvis and back pain are common in pregnancy due to all the changes your body is going through to prepare for carrying and delivering a child. Baddha Konasana can gently help to relieve that pain by stretching the hips, groin and lower back. From Sukhasana, bring the knees out to the side and the soles of the feet together.
Wrap your hands around either your ankles or your calves, or use a strap if one of those options is unavailable to you.
This pose is gentle and can be deepened by hinging forward from the hips while keeping the back straight and reaching the heart towards the ground.
- Uttana Shishosana/Extended Puppy Pose
The shoulders and chest are another sore spots for many pregnant women as weight gain in the chest and belly often make you want to slump forward. Uttana Shishosana can help avoid this. It’s also a good alternative during pregnancy because Downward Dog may become too strenuous or you may feel too nauseous during pregnancy.
From Baddha Konasana, come to your knees and hands.
Separate your knees wider than your hips until you feel comfortable, as your belly grows. Walk your hands forward until you can rest your forehead on the floor, keeping the hips high.
Press your palms into the floor, keep your arm strong, and slightly curl the armpits under.
- Balasana/Wide Child’s Pose
The hips and lower back are guaranteed to love this resting pose as they bear more and more weight throughout pregnancy. Balasana also gives a nice stretch to the ankles.
Take time here to slow down the breath and count at least six inhales and exhales.
Six slows breaths should take about a minute to complete, which is the average length of a contraction.
These poses should help any expectant mother get the right balance of rest, meditation, and stretching that they need to help them and their baby get through the pregnancy.
