Yoga Asanas You Should Practise If You Are A Mom-To-Be

I am currently five months and two weeks pregnant. I am still figuring out and learning more about the process each day but the last five months have taught me a thing or two about this life-altering journey. This is an exciting time and it has inspired me to make healthier lifestyle choices. One of the things that has worked wonders for me is physical activity. Exercise has been a priority for me always, before and during my pregnancy. I can attribute my good health during this time to the morning walks and prenatal yoga that I have been practicing regularly.

Prenatal yoga videos have been a good way to stay fit and limber, while also helping me manage stress. It is a relaxing and enjoyable activity, not to mention the fact that it also helps me prepare for labour and delivery.

The Benefits Of Yoga During Pregnancy

Yoga really helps with pregnancy and provides immense holistic health benefits:

• Yoga helps keep the body supple. They relieve tension around the cervix by opening up the pelvic region. This prepares to-be-mothers for labor and delivery.

(Also read: The Benefits Of Yoga While Undergoing Fertility Treatments)

^{Yoga helps keep the body supple and relieve tension}

• Yoga and pranayamas can train you to breathe deeply and relax consciously, helping you face the demands of labor and childbirth.

• Yoga helps alleviate the effect of common symptoms such as morning sickness, painful leg cramps, swollen ankles, and constipation.

• Yoga asanas also help pregnant women recover faster post-delivery.

Easy Yoga Asanas For Pregnant Women

I have practiced the following yoga poses every day. They are easy, offer immense benefits and help with challenges that expecting mothers face such as a shifted centre of gravity and lower back pain.

1. Marjariasana (Cat Stretch)

• Stretches the neck and shoulders, alleviating stiffness.

• Keeps the spine flexible. This is useful because the back has to support more weight as the pregnancy advances.

• Tones the abdominal region.

•  Improves blood circulation, ensuring that the reproductive organs are well nourished.

(Also read: 5 Amazing Facial Yoga Exercises For A Firmer Face And Tighter Neck)

^{Cat Pose releases tension of the upper back and neck}

2. Konasana-I (Standing Sideways Bending One Arm)

• Keeps the spine flexible.

• Exercises and stretches the sides of the body.

• Helps alleviate constipation, a common symptom of pregnancy.

3. Virabhadrasana (Warrior Pose)

• Improves balance in the body.

• Tones the arms, legs and lower back.

• Increases stamina.

^{Warrior pose helps in toning of thighs and shoulder muscles}

4. Badhakonasana (Butterfly Pose)

• Improves flexibility in the hip and groin region.

• Stretches the thighs and knees, relieving pain.

• Alleviates fatigue.

• Helps facilitate smooth delivery when practiced until late pregnancy.

5. Viparita Karani (Legs up the Wall Pose)

• Relieves backache.

• Improves the flow of blood to the pelvic region.

• Eases swollen ankles and varicose veins - a common symptom of pregnancy.

6. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)

• Maintains physical and mental balance. Especially useful for pregnant women since their center of gravity shifts.

• Stretches and opens the hips which can be a big help during delivery.

• Reduces back pain and stress.

^{Triangle Pose can offer relief from back pain}

7. Shavasana (Corpse Pose)

• Relaxes the body and repairs cells. This helps self-healing which is vital, as pregnant women should avoid taking pills.

• Relieves stress.

About the Author: Devashree Sharma is the co-founder of the lifestyle blog The Glutton and The Owl (TGTO). Devashree comes from a wide ranging background which includes finance, communications, wildlife and environmental conservation, sport tourism and most recently social media. She was conferred as a Young Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum and was even invited by the Pope to the Vatican in lieu of her work. Devashree started The Glutton and The Owl - a lifestyle blog with her sister Tanushree more than four years ago.

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