Prenatal yoga and it’s benefits: All you need to know

CHENNAI: Prenatal yoga is a great way to stay in shape during pregnancy. If you're pregnant and looking for ways to relax or stay fit, you must consider prenatal yoga.

What is prenatal yoga?

Prenatal yoga focuses on positions which focuses on gentle stretching and strengthening, that are specifically designed for pregnant women’s bodies. It is a form of yoga that is designed to complement the growing needs of a pregnant body during all three trimesters.

How prenatal yoga during pregnancy helps?

• Improves sleep

• Helps alleviate the effect of common symptoms such as morning sickness, painful leg cramps, swollen ankles,

• Reduces stress and anxiety

• Stabilises your mood

• Increase the strength, flexibility and endurance of muscles needed for childbirth

• Helps with mental centering

• Decreases lower back pain, nausea, headaches and shortness of breath

Prenatal yoga poses:

The following poses, or asanas, are helpful during pregnancy:

• Marjariasana (Cat Stretch)

• Konasana-I (Standing Sideways Bending One Arm)

• Veerbhadrasana (Warrior Pose)

• Shavasana (Corpse Pose)

• Cobbler's (Tailor's pose)

• Upavistha Konasana (Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend)

• Balasana (Child’s Pose)

• Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)

If you experience any of the following symptoms, it is advised to stop practising it right away

• Calf pain or swelling

• Belly cramps or backaches

• Pressure in your pelvis

• Fluid leaking from your vagina

• Shortness of breath

• Dizziness

Yoga poses to avoid during pregnancy:

• Naukasana (Boat Pose)

• Chakrasana (Wheel Pose)

• Ardha Matsyendrasana (Sitting Half Spinal Twist)

• Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

• Viparita Shalabhasana (Superman Pose)

• Halasana (Plow Pose)