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Asanas During Pregnancy

Yoga before birth
Dos and Don'ts about exercising during pregnancy
• Do not overstrain.
• Do the Asanas regularly.
• Do not exhaust yourself, but do not be lazy.
• Perform the Asanas in a relaxed, comfortable manner.
• If possible, the Asanas should be done early in the morning or in the evenings. It is better to practice the Asanas before taking food. (Light stomach). If you are practising Asanas after food, take care that there is a gap of at least 3 hours.
• Asanas should be performed in a rhythmic manner. There should be no jerks. Avoid sudden movements. While you are maintaining the asana, observe your breathing. The breathing should be normal. Maintain the final posture as long as you find it comfortable. But try to remain in the asana at least for 8 to 10 breaths.
• You can divide the Yoga practices into certain groups and do them separately at different timings, e.g. meditative postures early in the morning and other active postures at any suitable time
• Do the practice in airy room. Wear a loose comfortable dress.
• Stop all Asanas if there is any vaginal bleeding. Consult your doctor immediately. The following set of Asanas can be performed throughout pregnancy.

The following set of Asanas can be performed throughout pregnancy.
Sitting postures
Sukhasana
• Sit cross-legged
• Hands on knees.
• Shoulders and elbows relaxed.
• Spine erect.
• Observe the breathing while maintaining the posture.
Benefits:
• The expansion given to the hip joint would make the joint flexible.
• It is suggested to do the daily routine work like cutting vegetables, reading etc.

Vajrasana (The Ankle Posture)
• Sit with legs stretched out, keeping the heels about a foot apart.
• Taking the support of the palms, slightly lean backwards.
• Now relax the neck muscles and let the head hang down freely backwards.
• Now relax the whole body in this leg stretched sitting position.
• Now straiten the back to proceed to Vajrasana.
• Slowly fold the right leg backwards and keep the heel under the right buttock.
• Fold the left leg to bring it under the left buttock. Sit in between the heels.
• Keep the knees together, spine erect, the head shoulders and buttocks in a vertical line. Rest the palms on the thighs.
• Close the eyes. Observe your breathing.
• Try to maintain the posture at least for8 to 15 breaths.
• Slowly unfold the right leg and then the left leg and come to the leg stretched position.
• Relax for5breaths before starting the next posture.
Benefits:
• Mobilises stiff ankles and knees.
• Useful in varicose veins

Bhadrasana
• Sit with legs stretched out, spine erect.
• Slowly draw the right foot towards groin.
• Draw the left foot towards groin, soles of the feet together, heels touching perineum.
• Place hands on respective knees or hold the toes.
• Retain the posture for at least 8 to 15 breaths.
Benefits:
• Stretches and strengthens the inner thighs and muscles of the pelvic floor.

Padmasana
• Sit with legs stretched out
• Bend the right leg in the knee joint, folding it upon itself; place the foot at the left groin.
• In the same way place the left foot at the left groin; both soles are turned upwards.
• Sit erect. Hands on the thighs with bent elbows.
• Retain the posture for at least 8 to 15 breaths.
• Unfold the left leg then the right leg.
• If you are unable to do Poorna -Padmasana, do Ardha Padmasana i.e. place one foot at the groin at a time.
Benefits
• Exercises pelvic, thigh and leg muscles.

Parvatasana
• Sit in Sukhasana, Padmasana, or Vajrasana.
• Inhaling raise arms upwards to join palms.
• Try to retain the posture for at least 8 to 15 breaths.
• While exhaling come to the normal posture.
Benefits:
• The chest and trunk muscles get strengthened.
• Relieves backaches and corrects postural defects. More oxygenation to the body.

Standing Postures
Tadasana
• Stand erect with feet 1' apart and parallel to each other.
• Inhaling raise the arms upward above the head, raise the heels simultaneously.
• Stretch as per your maximum capacity.
• Try to retain for at least 8 to 15 breaths.
• Exhaling lower the arm downwards and lower the heels simultaneously.
Benefits
• Exercises chest, spine, extremities and abdominal muscles.
Precaution
• Do not raise toes after 3 months.

Vakrasana
• Stand with feet 2' apart.
• Keep both feet parallel.
• Exhaling twist from waist moving arms and head together.
• Swing arms as back as possible.
• Try to retain the posture at least 8 to 10 breaths.
• Do not bend legs.
• Return to normal, inhaling.
• Repeat on other side.
Benefits:
• Helps flexibility of spine and waist region.

Supine postures
Yashtikasana
• Lie on the back.
• Extend legs fully.
• Stretch arms towards head.
• Stretch toes and fingers outwards.
• Try to retain the posture for 8 to 10 breaths.
• Come to normal.
Benefits:
• Gives complete stretch to the thighs, arms and spine.
Precaution
• How to get up from supine (lying down) postures
• Do not get up suddenly.
• Turn to the side and take the support of the hand when getting up from supine
• Position to standing or sitting position.

Hastapadangustasana
• Lie on the side.
• Keep one arm under the head place the other hand in front of the abdomen on the ground.
• Lift leg to 90 degrees while exhaling.
• Try to retain the posture at least for 8 to 15 breaths.Return to normal while inhaling.
• Repeat on the other side.
Benefits:
• Strengthens the pelvic and thigh muscles.

Shavasana.
• After performing the above Asanas, Shavasana is a must to have deep relaxation to the body and mind.
• Lie on the back very comfortably. If necessary take a flat cushion under the small of the back.
• Slightly stretch the body and allow the whole body to relax completely.
• By concentrating the mind on different parts of the body starting from the toes to the head a feeling of relaxation is experienced. This autosuggestion can be learnt initially with the help of the teacher. Gradually one learns to suggest oneself to relax part by part.
• With practice one gets control and then relaxation will be natural and spontaneous.Then the mind experiences alert rest or restful awareness.
Benefits:
• It is a very efficient tool to achieve deep relaxation to the whole body and mind.

Note : The relaxation can be prolonged at will. As it slows down the metabolic rate, the relaxation can bring about a feeling of coolness. So, if it is to last for more than ten minutes, the body should be covered by a thin cloth. Shavasana can be performed in the position lying on the side as some people especially towards the end lying on the of the pregnancy as it may be more comfortable than back. We will know about some more Asanas, which can be done for a limited period only during pregnancy, in the next session. In this session we will go through some breathing exercises and Pranayamas. Which can be practised through out the pregnancy.

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