Easy Yoga Poses During Pregnancy
It is important to stay fit during pregnancy as excessive weight gain leads to high blood pressure and other complications. The dilemma is how to go about it as strenuous exercises are prohibited and you cannot decrease your quota of food. Yoga exercises solve this problem to a large extent. They help to maintain weight and ready the body for the process of childbirth. Certain exercises strengthen pelvic muscles and discipline breathing. These are of great help when the baby is to be pushed out.
Yoga is a holistic set of exercises which include meditation. They calm your mind and teach you certain postures which will help during labor. These prenatal exercises can be performed for the back which is under strain due to an uneven distribution of weight during pregnancy. An exercise to relieve back pain is outlined.
- Get down on your hands and knees keeping about one and a half feet distance between your hands and the same between your knees.
- Keep your arms straight.
- Take a deep breath.
- Slowly lower your buttocks to rest on your legs.
- Sit up straight and relax, breathing out.
- Repeat the exercise a few times.
The pelvis needs to be opened up so here are two exercises that will help you do so.
- Sit straight with your back against the wall.
- Bring your feet together in such a way that the soles touch one another.
- Press your knees down. Hold this position for some time.
The second exercise requires you to stand. Choose a sturdy chair that can bear your weight for this exercise.
- Stand facing the back of the chair.
- Your feet should be about a foot apart and the toes pointing outwards.
- Inhale and lower yourself as if about to sit on a chair and hold this position.
- While exhaling, rise to a standing position.
- This will strengthen your upper legs too.
Both these exercises can be repeated a few times. There should be no pain or discomfort while doing them. Do them at your own pace. They will increase your flexibility and ease the accumulated tension in your body. They will benefit both you and the baby in your womb.
It may help you emotionally if you form a group of women who are in the same condition and do these exercises together. You can help each other and exchange tips. You may use a low stool or yoga blocks for support as your body will be heavy and ungainly. This is a good way to stay healthy and does not require much time.
As with everything else during pregnancy, these exercises should be performed only after consultation with a doctor. It will help to go to a trained yoga guru and learn these exercises properly and do them in his supervision.