Sunday, 24 June 2012

There are many women nowadays who practice yoga as a means of staying supple and healthy before, during and after pregnancy.  Both the physical aspect and the meditation techniques can help during the sometimes stressful time of pregnancy.

Practice carefulness during Yoga for Pregnant Women

Since pregnancy is a period when your actions directly and instantly affect you and your growing baby, it is recommend that you bear in mind the following precautions whilst exercising

  • Generally do a smaller amount of exercise than you normally do, and never hold your breath.
  • Refrain from extremes in all the poses, particularly deep forward or back bends. Do not strain.
  • Do not lie down on your abdomen for any positions.
  • Stay away from sit-ups and positions that put a squeeze on the uterus.
  • Steer clear of the stances that entirely focus on strengthening the abs; preferably, work on toning up your core in the context of more easy positions.
  • When a position involves a twist, it is better to twist from the shoulders and not the belly to avoid compacting the internal organs.
  • Avoid upside-down positions except  positioning your feet upon the wall or a chair.
  • Do not do breathing exercises that  jar the body, such as the shining skull (kapalabhati) or breath of fire (bhastrika).
  • Do not rise or move too rapidly in and out of positions.
  • Avoid overstretching which can easily happen during exercise when pregnant due to  increased hormone levels that stimulate your joints to become very supple.
ACOG recommends that Yoga for Pregnant Women is recommended but that a pregnant woman should refrain from lying on her back during physical exercise, and that includes Yoga.
Advice on Yoga for Pregnant Women Learn More with reviews of Yoga for Pregnant Women