It can often times be
hard to get up and exercise during those precious months of pregnancy. Some
figure it out pretty quickly and fall into a good routine to stay healthy, but
sometimes intense exercising can be worrisome for others. To keep it simple and
safe, and definitely healthy, yoga can be a great alternative.
There are
many benefits to yoga, whether you are pregnant are not. Some of the
top benefits for pregnant women, however, are that it will help relieve back
pain, headaches, nausea, and even can help lower carpal tunnel syndrome. On top
of this yoga helps to improve sleep and reduces stress and anxiety. All things
we need and can do without during such a special time. Before starting any yoga
class at home or not be sure to talk to your doctor or health care provider.
And, as always, pay attention to your body and invest in the right equipment (yoga pants, a block and a thick mat) to keep you safe.
Triangle Pose
This pose can be a huge
help in getting you back into balance. Pregnancy can tend to heighten the
tension and stress we carry in our bodies to levels we most likely aren’t use
to. Triangle pose is a great yoga pose for pregnant women as it helps to
stretch your sides, opens up your shoulders, energizes your hips and can work
the legs too.
If you can’t reach the
floor as you bend over, try using a block or stack of books to rest your hand
on. Be sure to not push yourself too far or twist your body too much as this
can actually be more harmful.
Cat-Cow
Nearly all women will
experience back pain during some point of their pregnancy, and can even end up
enduring what is called back labor. One of the best yoga exercises to help
relieve this pain is the cat-cow. This exercise will help warm up your spine
and stretch your body. This pose can also help to move the weight of the baby
away your spine and provide added relief.
Wide Squat
It doesn’t necessarily
have to be a wide squat, but squatting whether wide or regular, every day can
really help open up the pelvis and strengthen your upper legs. Squatting can
also help you body to relax. Be sure that as you continue to get further along
into your pregnancy (and a bit heavier) that you use props or even a few
stacked books to rest your butt on.
Goddess
Goddess pose is
another great yoga exercise for pregnancy. This pose helps to strengthen the
thighs and legs which are most used during labor. The added benefit of the
Goddess pose is that is safe and can be done during every trimester of
pregnancy. For another great pose, you can easily transition from Goddess to
Side Goddess. Lean over to one side, rest your elbow on your thigh while
raising your other arm up overhead. This will double the benefits of triangle
(stretching the side) while also strengthening your legs at the same time.
Final Tips
Some final tips for
doing yoga while pregnant: make sure to avoid doing any moves that require you
to lie on your back or belly, and ones that require you to do deep forward or
back bends and twists. Lying on your back puts pressure on the vein that
returns blood from your legs to your heart. This can cause nausea, dizziness
and shortness of breath. Deep bends and twists can stretch abdominals muscles
too much and could even cause tears or strains. Also avoid hot yoga or
Bikram classes and any breathing exercises that require you to hold your breath
for a period of time. These can also cause you to become dizzy or lightheaded.
Most importantly pay
attention to your body. As you get further along into your pregnancy, the
center of your gravity will tend to shift which may cause difficulty in some
poses. Don’t be afraid to use props to help better assist you. Another
important rule of thumb is to not stretch further than what you have already
done before pregnancy. Start slow, and only do poses that are in your level of
comfort and experience.
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