Pre-Natal Yoga
Hot yoga is my only form of regular
exercise since 2009, at least once a week. I would highly recommend it to
friends who want to lose weight or keep in shape. It was really hard for me
knowing that I could no longer go for hot classes during pregnancy as it can
cause dangerous overheating. First trimester was extremely unhealthy for me as
pre-natal classes are recommended from second trimester and did not want to
risk going for normal yoga classes, going into poses that I am not supposed to. So glad when I reached 16 weeks pregnancy and started going back to my once a week yoga routine. Resumed my membership with True Yoga which I suspended upon confirming my pregnancy. They have 2 pre-natal classes every weekend at Pacific Plaza, Sat / Sun 12:00-01:00pm, conducted by Jane.
Pre-natal
yoga is a safe form of yoga that helps to improve the general flexibility of
the body and to strengthen the pelvic muscles, which is the core muscle used
during delivery. It improves blood circulation in the body and also stimulates
the organs and glands. This helps to reduce high blood pressure, which some
expectant mothers may experience during pregnancy.
Benefits
When paired with a cardiovascular
exercise such as walking, yoga can be an ideal way to stay in shape during your
pregnancy. It keeps you limber, tones your muscles, and improves your balance
and circulation, with little, if any, impact on your joints.
Swelling and inflammation is caused
by water retention and decreased blood circulation. Since yoga helps promote
blood circulation, it is effective at preventing and reducing the common
swelling of the ankles, feet and hands during pregnancy.
Lower back pain is a common
complaint during pregnancy. Regular prenatal yoga practice stretches the
muscles of the lower back and strengthens these muscles and the spine. This
reduces muscular tension and improves posture which alleviates the back pain.
To adjust to the physical demands of
the pregnancy, birth and motherhood, yoga provides the mother’s body with
physical and emotional stress relief throughout the pregnancy. Achieving a more
balanced hormonal system, pregnant mothers can maintain a greater sense of well
being through breathing and relaxation exercises that calm both the body and
mind.
Provides natural relief from common
pregnancy discomforts with no external application of medication.
Mothers who practise pre-natal yoga
also learn various breathing techniques which help them relax. This is vital
for expectant mothers as the process of pregnancy may be rather stressful for
the mind and body, especially when her hormonal patterns may be irregular,
causing her to suffer from mood swings. Pre-natal yoga postures and breathing
techniques will help expectant mothers to relax, and indirectly, helps the
foetus to relax since mother and child are so intimately connected. The right
breathing techniques also makes sure that the foetus gets complete oxygen flow.
The breathing technique known as
ujjayi requires you to take in air slowly through your nose, filling your lungs,
and exhale completely until your stomach compresses. This will come in handy as
you face the physical demands of labor, birth, and motherhood. Learning how to
do ujjayi breathing primes you for labor and childbirth by training you to stay
calm when you need it most. When you're in pain or afraid, your body produces
adrenalin and may produce less oxytocin, a hormone that makes labor progress. A
regular yoga practice will help you fight the urge to tighten up when you feel
pain, and show you how to relax instead.
Pre-natal yoga helps the foetus to
develop healthily as different yoga postures help the expectant mother to
stretch her body, and thus, preparing the expectant mother’s body for the labor
process.
Tips
With regards to pre-natal yoga,
mothers-to-be must take care to avoid certain yoga postures, especially those
that are strenuous, or those which may affect the abdominal region. Pregnant
ladies are advised to do the exercises to the best of their ability and not to
over-strain themselves. If they find difficulty in doing the postures, they can
use the various props to assist them, such as the pillows, straps, blocks and
chairs. It is also advised that they do the postures slowly, without sudden
jerks as they might hurt themselves. Avoid lying flat on the back, to keep
blood flowing properly to the uterus. Lying on the back can put pressure on
inferior vena cava, the vein that returns blood from the legs to the heart,
which can cause dizziness, shortness of breath, and nausea.
Do not attempt to do a headstand or
shoulder stand and skip positions that stretch the abdominal muscles too much,
such as deep forward and back bends as well as deep twists. Bring in a bottle
of water during class to hydrate yourself.
Best Poses for Pregnancy
Cobbler's or Tailor's pose (baddha
konasana) : Helps open the pelvis. Make sure your "sit bones" are
well grounded on the mat or blanket (gently pulling the flesh on each side of
your bottom out a bit will help you find the right position). Place pillows or
rolled-up towels under your knees to avoid hyper-extension of your hips.
- Sit up straight against a wall with the soles of your
feet touching each other.
- Gently press your knees down and away from each other,
but don't force them apart.
- Stay in this position for as long as you're
comfortable.
Pelvic tilt or Cat-Cow : Relieve
back pain, a common problem during pregnancy.
- Get on your hands and knees, arms shoulder-width apart
and knees hip-width apart, keeping your arms straight, but not locking the
elbows.
- Tuck your buttocks under and round your back as you
breathe in.
- Relax your back into a neutral position as you breathe
out.
- Repeat at your own pace.
Squatting : Relax and open the pelvis
and strengthen the upper legs. As you start to feel heavier in pregnancy, use
props such as yoga blocks or a few stacked books on which to rest your bottom.
Focus on relaxing and letting your breath drop deeply into your belly.
- Stand facing the back of a chair with your feet
slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes pointed outward. Hold the back
of the chair for support.
- Contract your abdominal muscles, lift your chest, and
relax your shoulders. Then lower yourtailbone toward the floor as though
you were going to sit down on a chair. Find your balance — most of your
weight should be toward your heels.
- Take a deep breath and, exhaling, push into your legs
to rise to a standing position.
Side-lying position : Good resting
pose for the end of a practice.
- Lie on your left or right side with your head resting
on your arm or a blanket.
- Put a body pillow or blanket roll between your thighs
to give your hips some support.
Other good poses during pregnancy :
- Try the standing postures Warrior I (virabhadrasana I),
Warrior II (virabhadrasana II), and Tree (vrksasana). These poses help
strengthen your joints and improve your balance. Warrior poses can also
ease backache and sciatica.
- Downward-Facing Dog (adho mukha vrksanasana) can
energize your whole body, but it is best not to do this position in your
third trimester. Your yoga instructor may recommend variations on any of
these classic poses.
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