Yoga and Pregnancy

Every woman wants to have a healthy baby. Yogic practices, when done carefully, can make a woman’s body stronger and more flexible. Yoga poses tone muscles, improve overall balance and circulation, while making joints more flexible.

Yoga poses help you breathe and relax, which can help you adjust to the physical demands of labor, delivery, and motherhood. Learning to do ujayi breathing prepares you for labor and delivery by training you to stay calm when you need it most. If you are afraid during labor, your body produces adrenaline and stops the production of oxytocin, a hormone that makes labor progress. Practicing yoga will help you combat the urge to squeeze when you feel pain and show you how to breathe.

The practice of meditation is extremely beneficial for you and your baby. It has been shown to slow the heart rate, relax and focus the mind, all great for baby.

As a general rule, avoid back bending poses as well as extreme forward bending. Spread your legs apart to sit paschimottanasana (forward bend).

If you’ve never practiced inversions before, now is not the time to start. However, if you have investing practice, you can proceed carefully through the first two quarters. Do not hold the poses for long.

You may want to skip any movements that require you to lie on your back for more than a few minutes, especially after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Lying on your back can put pressure on the inferior vena cava, the vein that returns blood from your legs to your heart, and can cause dizziness, shortness of breath, and nausea. But many women are comfortable lying in this position well into their pregnancy, so watch your body and your instincts.

First quarter

You don’t have many restrictions this early in your pregnancy. If you are a regular yoga practitioner, accept that your routine will require modification as time goes on. Listen to your body.

Second bedroom

Do not try to hold the poses for a long time and remember to sink into the yoga positions slowly and carefully to avoid injury due to loosening of the joints. Your expanding belly will affect your sense of balance.

Third quarter

You’ll probably feel less graceful now that your tummy is bigger, so do standing poses with your heel against the wall to avoid losing your balance and risking injury to yourself or your baby. Accessories like blocks and straps can also help you move through different poses with added stability.