WoMeN WoMen WoMen: Yoga and Pregnancy - Yoga Techniques for Pregnancy

Yoga and Pregnancy - Yoga Techniques for Pregnancy

Pregnancy is something most Women anticipate. It brings both fear and joy to parents, joy for finally having a baby and fear of the risk that goes with it. Pregnancy is the period from conception to birth. That is from the time when a male's sperm cell fertilizes the female's ovum (egg) to the time of delivery or a total of 40 weeks or 280 days. Some women go into labor before the expected date of giving birth, resulting to premature infant. Pregnancy Symptoms include missed Menstrual Period, morning sickness, tenderness and swelling of breasts, fatigue, nausea, increased frequency of urination, weight gain, mood swings, and sometimes may also include cravings for unusual substances such as ice, clay or cornstarch.

Pregnancy has a lot of risks, though these risks are always worth taking. The complications may be on the mother or the child. The risks include ectopic Pregnancy wherein the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus and toxemia, a serious complication that occurs in the later stage of Pregnancy and is characterized by High Blood Pressure, extreme weight gain and protein in the urine. Health problems can also increase the risk in Pregnancy such as heart disease, high blood pressure, liver disease, Asthma, epilepsy, and sexually transmitted diseases. The risk relatively the highest during the first trimester or the first few months because it is during this period that the infant's most vital organs like the brain, internal organs, the arms and the legs are being formed. The second trimester, on the other hand, is characterized by weight gain and the continuous growth of the baby in your womb. You will also notice that your baby starts to move before the end of this trimester. Constipation and leg cramps may also continue, thus it is important to keep yourself healthy. In the last trimester, you may still continue to feel the discomforts you felt in the second trimester. In addition to this, you will also have the need to go to the bathroom often and breathing can become harder. Your baby is growing bigger and putting more pressure in your organs.

The Practice of Yoga can help you prepare your mind and body for labor and birth as this helps you focus, to concentrate and keep you healthy. The Yoga Postures are gentle ways of keeping your body active and supple and minimize the common Pregnancy Symptoms like morning sickness and constipation. It can also help in ensuring easier labor and smooth delivery by relieving tension around the cervix and birth canal and by opening the pelvis. The Breathing Techniques can also become handy during labor. It also helps in restoring your body shape, uterus, abdomen, and pelvic floor, and in relieving upper back tension and breast discomfort after childbirth. Special care, however, is needed in choosing the Yoga Poses that you will practice, you should avoid poses that requires laying on the back or belly.

For the first trimester, standing Yoga Poses are advised as this will help strengthen the legs, promote Circulation, generate energy, and may reduce leg cramps. It is also advisable to do some stretching such as the hamstrings stretch to avoid Sciatica. During the second and third trimester, you may reduce your time spent for practicing the Asanas to prevent fatigue and overwork. It is also not advised to practice from the tenth to through the fourteenth week of Pregnancy since these are crucial times. Supine poses, backbends, and twisting can also be done with modification or if the body is on an incline. Do not overstretch the abdomen; the emphasis of your twisting poses should be on the shoulders and the upper back and not on the abdomen. Avoid doing inversion poses though some experience Yoga practitioners usually still feel comfortable doing this until the seventh month.

The following are the Yoga Poses that can help you in dealing with the symptoms of Pregnancy, ensuring smoother and easier delivery, and faster recovery after childbirth. Poses that put pressure on the abdomen and other difficult poses should not be done during advance stages of Pregnancy. You do not have to do all these Asanas and remember not to push yourself on a pose.

	Mountain Pose (Tadasana) The Mountain Yoga Pose promotes the experience of stillness, strength, relaxed power, and immovable stability associated with mountains. This yoga posture, and coming back to this stillness after other poses, is one of the ways of becoming acquainted with stillness.
	Triangle Pose (Trikonasana) In Hindu art, the triangle is a potent symbol for the divine principle, and it is frequently found in the yantras and mandalas used for meditation. The Trikonasana or Triangle Pose concludes the Yoga Postures in our basic session.
	Warrior Pose The Warrior Pose stretches and strengthens the arms and legs, increases stamina, improves balance and concentration, and can also relieve backaches. If you are suffering from diarrhea, high blood pressure or neck problems, you should take extra caution practicing this pose.
	Standing Side Stretch Pose The Standing Side Stretch is another Yoga Pose with two lines of energy radiating outward from your center. This is a simple Yoga Posture with a wonderful stretch in which one line of energy reaches upward from your belly and outward through the arm, and one line travels downward through the legs.
	Standing Spread Leg Forward Bend Practicing the Standing Spread Leg Forward Fold can strengthen and stretch your inner and back legs and your spine. People with lower back problems should avoid doing the full forward bend. For beginners, you may use props like a folding chair to support your forearms.
	Seated Forward Bend (Paschimothanasana) Relax your body and mind, stretch your hamstrings, shoulders, and spine, relieve stress, and improve your posture and concentration by practicing the Seated Forward Bend. Learn how to do this properly and achieve maximum results.
	Hero Pose (Virasana) One of the fundamental seated postures is the Hero Pose. This serves as the initial position for several Asanas. It strengthens the arches of the feet, stretches the ankles, and improves posture. This Yoga Pose is ideal for people who have flat feet.
	Spread Leg Forward Fold (Upavista Konasana) The Spread Leg Forward Fold is a Yoga Posture which works primarily on the hamstrings and adductors. This energizes the body and promotes inner calmness. In this section, know more about this exercise and learn how to perform it properly.
	Fish Yoga Pose Doing the Fish Pose relieves stiffness of the neck and shoulder muscles and improves flexibility of your spine. It is the counter-pose of the Shoulderstand. Hold the Fish Pose for at least half the amount of time you spent in the Shoulderstand in order to balance the stretch.
	Cat Pose (Bidalasana) The Cat Yoga Pose teaches you to initiate movement from your center and to coordinate your movement and breath. These are two of the most important themes in Yoga practice. Keep in mind that the Cat Pose may not be advisable if you have any chronic or recent back pain or injury.
	Head Stand (Sirshasana) Headstand is one of the basic Yoga Postures in the world of Yoga and is considered as the king of Asanas because of its numerous effects on the entire body. Many Yogis believe that practicing the Headstand can help in treating illnesses.
	Tree Yoga Pose The Tree Pose helps strengthen your thighs, calves, ankles and back. It can also increase the flexibility of your hips and groin. Your balance and concentration can also be improved with constant practice. This Yoga Pose is recommended for people who have sciatica and flat feet.
	Plough Pose (Halasana) The Plough Pose stretches your spine, thus, improving spinal flexibility. It benefits the thyroid gland and abdomen, eases tension in the shoulders and back, and reduces stress. Learn how to practice the Plough Pose in this section.
	Sage Twist Yoga Pose (Marichyasana) Also called Marichi's Yoga Pose, the Sage Twist Pose benefits the abdominal organs and spine. Avoid doing this pose if you have chronic spine or back injury. Also, perform this only under the supervision of a Yoga instructor. Learn how to do the Sage Twist in this section.
	Shoulder Lifts Many people hold tension in their necks and shoulders, leading to stiffness, bad posture, and tension headaches. Yoga practice can ease tension, increase flexibility, and tone the muscles. This section covers the steps on how to practice Shoulder Lifts.
	Neck Exercises Many people hold tension in their necks and shoulders, leading to stiffness, bad posture, and tension headaches. Yoga practice can ease tension, increase flexibility, and tone the muscles. Learn some Neck Exercises in this section.
	Ujjayi Breathing Technique According to the ancient yogic text, Ujjayi can help protect you from a host of diseases by getting rid of excess phlegm, wind or bile. Learn how to perform this challenging breathing technique by following the guidelines found in this article.
	Corpse Pose The Corpse Yoga Pose is considered as a classic relaxation pose and is practiced before or in between Asanas as well as a Final Relaxation. While it looks deceptively simple, it is actually difficult to perform. Learn more on how to do it with the help of this article.