Maintaining a good fitness level is of utmost importance during pregnancy. For any expectant mom who looks for low-impact physical exercise, yoga is the best available option. Apart from boosting physical fitness, yoga can manage stress and anxiety. Decreasing pain and sleep disturbances associated with pregnancy, yoga can improve your quality of life during those nine months. Here are five yoga poses to ease your pregnancy pains.
Child’s Pose
Known as a resting pose in yoga, Child’s pose will be of great help in relaxing your body. It will also alleviate nausea from morning sickness. Moreover, these breathing techniques will be handy when you are fighting labor pain.
How To Do: Kneel on the floor. Keep your big toes together and sit on your heels. Exhale and lay your torso down between your thighs. You can place a bolster under the torso for support. Extend arms overhead, touching forehead to the mat. You can also keep your arms alongside your body with palms facing up. Choose the one, which is comfortable for you.
Cat/Cow Pose
The pose will give you relief from back pain, which is very common during pregnancy. Cat and cow pose will relax your spine by shifting the weight of the baby away from the spine. During labor, this pose will be of great help.
How To Do: Get on your hands and knees with your hands shoulder-distance apart. Inhale and look up. Slowly arch your back and tailbone up to the sky. As you exhale, look down and round your spine while tucking your tailbone down toward the floor.
Extended Triangle Pose
The pose helps you alleviate back pain. As your body stretches, you will also be able to tackle stiffness in the neck. Energizing your hips and legs, triangle pose will help you regain your sense of balance.
How To Do: Stand in Tadasana. Keep your legs apart and stretch your arms at shoulder level and bring it parallel to the mat, palms down. Turn your left foot in slightly to the right and your right foot out to the right 90 degrees. Now sliding your entire upper body downwards towards the right, reach the floor with your right arm. Place your hand where it reaches, either on the leg or on the foot. Strech your left arm toward the ceiling and keep your gaze on the left-hand fingers.
Extended Side Angle Pose
This body stretch will open up the hips. Strengthening your legs, it could improve swelling in your ankles and feet. For those who can’t do Triangle pose, Extended Side Angle Pose is a great alternative.
How To Do: Stand in Tadasana. Widen your legs. Stretch your arms parallel to the mat. Turn your left foot in slightly to the right and your right foot out to the right 90 degrees. Keep your right elbow over your right knee. Extend your left arm straight up toward the ceiling and then extend your arm over the top of your head. Keep your chest, hips, and legs in one straight line, extended over your front leg. Turn your head to look up at the ceiling.
Squat Pose
The hip-opening squat pose is a great stretch through the legs and back. It also strengthens the pelvic floor and other core muscles.
How To Do: Come to squat on your mat with your feet about hips distance apart from one another, and try to bring your heels to the floor. Keep back straight and bring hands together between knees in prayer, pressing elbows into inner thighs. If you find this position uncomfortable, use blocks or blankets for a supported squat.
A Word Of Caution
Even though yoga is safe during pregnancy, you need to practice safety and caution on the mat.
- Before you begin yoga sessions, have a chat with your doctor, Make sure that you don’t have any complication that stops you from practicing yoga.
- If you are a beginner, seek help from a yoga practitioner. With proper guidance from an expert, you will be able to follow the above yoga poses more efficiently.
- Avoid losing physical balance while doing yoga. From second trimester onward, use the support of a wall or a chair when you do standing poses.
- Always listen to your body. If you feel uncomfortable, take a break.
