> A Brief Introduction to Pregnancy Yoga
> Pregnancy And Yoga: Should You Or Shouldn’t You?A Brief Introduction to Pregnancy Yoga
Yoga originated in India more than 5000 years ago The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word meaning union. A regular yoga practice can yield many benefits from increased relaxation to a stronger, more supple body. People who practice regularly also notice that their weight stabilizes.
People often ask if yoga is appropriate during pregnancy. As long as simple precautions and common sense are followed, prenatal yoga is a fantastic way of staying fit during your pregnancy and will help prepare you for labor.
Without doubt the most important thing to remember when performing yoga poses is to breathe. Few us breathe properly today, we are very uptight and constricted as a rule and tend to breathe from our chests. If you look at a sleeping baby, you will see her tummy rise and fall - this is where we have forgotten to breathe from. Yoga breathing fixes this, thereby relieving tension and ensuring that oxygen rich blood is circulating in your body which is obviously very beneficial for your baby. Yoga breathing can also make your labor much more manageable. When my wife was recently giving birth to our daughter, yoga breathing techniques were central to her strategy. She gave birth without any drugs, gas or air.
As with any physical exercise, you need to take general precautions when you are pregnant. Any poses that mean lying on your back for extended periods should be avoided. Unless you are accustomed to inversion postures, you should not practice them while pregnant. Deep forward or back bends may also not be appropriate, as they may put too much strain on the abdominal muscles. As with everything associated with pregnancy, listen to your body at all times and do not push yourself. You should finish a yoga session in a state of deep relaxation, not heading for the freezer to get an ice pack!
As your body changes in each trimester, you will want to adapt your yoga practice accordingly. In the first trimester, it will likely be possible to perform poses that involve deeper stretching. Standing postures are very beneficial as they will strengthen your legs and improve your circulation. Spine strengthening poses may also be tried. In the second and third trimesters you may want to look at postures that will help open your hips, for example, Triangle Posture. At this point you should take with your back and forward bends. At all times listen to your body and focus on your breath - this cannot be overstated. Once your breathing is out of control while in a posture you are not receiving any benefits. Back off until your breath returns to normal. Yoga is not about how deep you go, someone in the full expression of the posture will be getting just the same benefits as someone who is only in the first 5 percent of a pose but is working up to their limit.
There are lots of resources that can help you embark on a safe prenatal yoga program from DVDs to books to online articles. With their help you can find a practice that is right for you and your baby.
Patrick Attlee is a journalist with a penchant for Yoga. Pregnancy yoga has become a recent interest after watching his wife practice prenatal yoga during her pregnancy. You can find out more at Pregnancy Yoga Resource
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Pregnancy And Yoga: Should You Or Shouldn’t You?
Submitted By: Jude Wright
If you have been practicing yoga, you can still be able to use these exercises - with care. Yoga is good for both mother and baby, though there has been opposing sides to the question.
Even if you weren’t doing yoga before your pregnancy, you can still begin the exercises. However, you will need to be certain that you are doing the poses correctly. There are also some poses that you will need to avoid. Ask your obstetrician if you aren’t sure about the affects of a certain pose.
Yoga benefits you by keeping you calm and serene. You learn to control your breathing and use breathing to help you relax. This is very beneficial to helping you through the childbirth process. Some mothers don’t even need pain medication because they’ve really mastered their breathing and relaxation.
Yoga can also help with the back pain that most pregnant women endure. The exercises can ease the pressure on the spinal cord and make them more comfortable.
There are some rules that must be followed when practicing yoga while you are pregnant.
- Drink a lot of water. You don’t want to get overheated and raise your core body temperature so high that it harms your baby. Take frequent water breaks. If you feel yourself becoming flushed, it’s definitely time to stop and drink some water.
- Be sure that you are eating healthy meals with plenty of nutrition. The extra effort that you use during yoga sessions will eat up a lot of calories.
- Some poses will not be appropriate for you the further along you become in your pregnancy. Some may even be harmful. Stop doing the poses that require good balance. That means, no positions that have your head way below your feet. If you fall, you could hurt yourself and your child. Also, you will be moving more slowly when you are transitioning between positions to prevent becoming dizzy and off balance. Stand near a wall so that you have something to keep you from falling. Avoid major twisting and turning of the abdomen.
There are still many positions that you can use while pregnant. There are videos and books that you can purchase that will show you exactly which poses are best for you and your baby. You may also be able to find a prenatal yoga class in your area - if you live in a city with a higher population. They are still more difficult to find in smaller towns. A certified yoga instructor that has been trained in pregnancy related poses can be of tremendous help.
Again, be sure you consult your doctor before beginning any kind of exercise program, including yoga. This is especially important if you are having any problems at all with your pregnancy.
If you use common sense while using yoga during your pregnancy, you can’t go wrong. Listen to your body. Don’t push yourself into overdoing. You don’t want to get over-tired or strain your muscles. It’s not a marathon, but a way to prepare your body for pregnancy and childbirth.
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