Can You Do Yoga During Pregnancy?

Yoga During Pregnancy

Is it safe to do yoga during Pregnancy ?

Yes, it is safe if you are practice under guidance of an experienced Pre-natal Yoga Teacher. It is most thoughtful Question for all those woman’s who practice yoga or someone who are feeling a lot of issues persisting. Nausea, digestion, belching and tiredness.

Pregnancy is the most important, precious, delicate and often frightening time for a woman in her life. Prenatal yoga is getting a lot of attention. You can find website after website, video after video explaining poses and why it will benefit you. Yes, any decent Obstetrician-gynecologist is going to tell you that exercise is very important during pregnancy for you, and the health of your baby. Yoga is a mind-body complementary health practice, that studies have shown to be effective in alleviation of labor pain and possibly improving birth outcome. But is yoga during pregnancy / Prenatal Yoga, right for you?

Here are what the medical journals have to say. Prenatal yoga can be a great way to prepare for childbirth. Before you start prenatal yoga, understand the range of possible benefits, as well as, important safety tips.

What yoga asana you can do or avoid during Pregnancy ?

in the first trimester yoga poses to avoid during pregnancy are deep twists and those that engage the abdomen to curtail any potential impact on the implantation process. And, certain belly down poses like cobra might be fine as long as the lower belly is not compromised. Inversions are mostly avoided during menstrual cycle.

Prenatal has been shown to:

• Improve sleep
• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Increase the strength, flexibility and endurance of muscles needed for childbirth
• Decrease lower back pain, nausea, headaches and shortness of breath

Prenatal yoga, hatha yoga and restorative yoga are the best choices for pregnant women. Also you can read Meditation for Mental Wellness

Styles of Yoga Not Recommended for Pregnant Women

Strenuous yoga practices like Bikram Yoga – hot yoga, Yoga in in the sun, Ashtanga Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, and Power Yoga in all forms are not recommended and should be avoided.

Safety Guidelines for Prenatal Yoga

To protect your health and your baby’s health during prenatal yoga, follow basic safety guidelines. For example:

• Talk to your doctor. Before you begin a prenatal yoga program, make sure you have your health care provider’s OK. You might not be able to do prenatal yoga if you are at increased risk of preterm labor or have certain medical conditions, such as heart disease or back problems.
• Set realistic goals. For most pregnant women, at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity is recommended on at least five, if not all, days of the week. However, each pregnancy is unique depending upon your circumstance. Women can be competitive, especially in groups and over physical appearances and activities. Leave the ego out of it and do only what is good for you and your baby. It’s not just you – not all babies like all poses either.

• Pace yourself. If you can’t speak normally while you’re doing prenatal yoga, you’re probably pushing yourself too hard.

• Stay cool and hydrated. Practice prenatal yoga in a well-ventilated room to avoid overheating. Drink plenty of fluids to keep yourself hydrated.
• Avoid certain postures. Avoid putting any undue stress on the already softened ligaments of the lumbar spine. Poses that include back bends should not be attempted. Also, the pregnant woman should be aware of how she is laying on the floor when attempting floor-based poses. Poses that require the woman to lie on her belly should be avoided in ordered to prevent stress on the fetus and uterus. Laying supine – on your back, for extended periods of time should also be avoided to prevent vena cava compression. Avoid doing deep forward bends, or doing twisting poses that put pressure on your abdomen.

• When doing poses, bend from your hips — not your back — to maintain normal spine curvature. You can modify twisting poses so that you only move your upper back, shoulders and rib cage. As your pregnancy progresses, use props during postures to accommodate changes in your center of gravity. If you wonder whether a pose is safe, ask your instructor for guidance.
• Don’t overdo it. Pay attention to your body and how you feel. Start slow and avoid positions that are beyond your level of experience or comfort. Stretch only as far as you would have before pregnancy.
• If you experience any pain or other red flags — such as vaginal bleeding, decreased fetal movement or contractions — during prenatal yoga, stop and contact your health care provider.

Read about suggested  Yoga for Reproductive Health .Before starting any prenatal yoga, program consult your doctor. Do not blindly watch YouTube videos and read websites. You can harm yourself and your baby. Find a licensed, certified Yoga Instructor who specialized in Prenatal Yoga. Not everyone who practices prenatal yoga will be able to do every pose recommended. Prenatal yoga must be modified to fit the individual and her body. If the instructor you are going to cannot or does not know modifications find a new instructor.

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