For all of those pregnant women who don’t know, yoga is by far the best activity with low impact during these months. If you are trying to get into the forward bend but can’t figure out the right position because of your baby bump then it’s perfectly normal and you don’t have to worry about a thing.
Yoga can be your ideal activity because it allows you to do some modifications to the original practices according to your preferences and comfort. If you know these modifications then you will not only be able to keep yourself away from the pain but will also keep your baby safe.
In this post, we will provide you with some valuable information regarding the best modifications for all those favorite Asanas of yours. These modifications include the likes of pigeon pose, bridge, as well as child’s pose and others.
These positions will guarantee your comfort and will make sure that you stay consistent with all your activities on a daily basis. Apart from that, these positions will also allow you to keep your focus on the health of yourself and your baby.
Advantages associated with yoga during pregnancy
During the days when you are expecting, your bodies go through a number of changes. These changes become the primary source for stress both physically and mentally. To free your mind and body from this tress one of the most effective tools that you can use is prenatal yoga.
In addition to that, you can also do some modifications to a number of your favorite yoga positions as well. This can also boost the flexibility and strength of your body. Furthermore, it can also improve breathing and blood circulation throughout the body. Apart from all that this yoga can also improve the sleep quality and your body’s ability to recover.
With adequate rest, you won’t have to deal with any of those lower backaches as well. During the pregnancy, yoga can also help in reducing nausea as well as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Practicing yoga will also limit the headaches along with any risks associated with preterm labor and it will also boost your baby’s growth.
Just make sure that you don’t push yourself on a daily basis and everything will remain fine. A 30-minute activity with regularity will be more than enough during these days that is if you are a beginner. F you do yoga regularly then you can set a schedule for yourself as per your own preferences.
The fear of doing yoga in pregnancy
A number of mommies-to-be are very doubtful and even downright scared to indulge in any kind of activity during pregnancy. These activities also include yoga without knowing the fact that yoga when done appropriately, is among the most beneficial exercises during your expectation stages.
The reason behind that is yoga allows your hips to open up and it also strengthens your legs while being a low impact activity. Moreover, it is also extremely beneficial for bringing blood circulation towards the region of your pelvic floor.
Apart from all that this activity is also a very useful tool for providing you with mental and physical relaxation and rest and it also connects your mind with your body to create perfect harmony. So, there is nothing to fear about doing yoga during your pregnancy but of course, you need to do some modifications as well for best results.
So here are the 10 best pregnancy yoga modifications you need to know!
-Tadasana
With the passage of time during pregnancy, you tend to get bigger and it becomes even more difficult for you to maintain your balance. And balancing your feet is everything in the Tadasana pose as your feet are tightly zipped together.
Also known as the mountain pose, you can easily modify it during the sun salutations by widening your feet according to the width of your hips and making a stance. This will allow you to easily lift your arms up without any problem. During the time when you are diving down into a bending position forwards, your belly will have more space due to the extra room between your legs.
-Chaturanga
Expecting mothers can also try a host of different variations during the Chaturanga pose. There are a few modifications that you can do with Chaturanga.
If you are doing a plank and you are not able to bend down due to your belly bump then you only need to drop down to the knees and bend your arms halfway to modify this yoga pose according to your preference and comfort.
If you can afford to go for a tougher option then you can do Chaturanga push-ups. Here, you will need to keep your arms straight and bend them downwards and then back up. You need to do this before returning back to the dog pose facing downwards
If you want to skip this Chaturanga pose all together then you only need to flow from the plank pose to the dog pose facing upwards but with your flexed feet. After that, you can return to the dog pose facing downwards.
-Dog – Downward facing
It is one of the most recommended yoga poses for expecting moms. The reason behind that is it is a gentle inversion and it will significantly strengthen your entire body. With that being said, if for any reason you feel dizzy or even light-headed during this position you can come down or rest in child’s pose with wide knees. You can always feel free to position a small block underneath your forehead to support it while your belly remains elevated.
-Twists
As the days of your pregnancy go by and your belly bump increases in size, this pose is contraindicated to keep your belly within the midline. For instance, doing the swivel across the midline for lunging twist will push your belly up against your knees.
Instead of doing this you can go for the open twist by placing your elbows inside your knees and keep your belly open while you twist.
You can also do the same while going for the seated spinal position twist this can be done by only twisting away from your bent knee towards your open side instead of going for the twist through the midline.
One twist that you can do throughout the time you are pregnant is the standing or seated straddle position because there is nothing that will go through the midline and your entire body will stay open. Your body will get a very good stretch throughout your entire hip region as well as the inner thighs.
-Belly Down Pose
When expecting moms enter their 2nd and 3rd trimester they are not able to lie on their bellies. Due to that the belly down pose is the best tweak of the bow as well as the locust pose as you will remain on your knees and hands. Now get on your knees and hands and then raise your right arm as you raise your left leg.
Now with your hand try to reach your ankle and make an all-four bow pose. This can be extremely difficult if you are not used to doing yoga or have been doing yoga exercises for a short period of time. Just try to achieve the best position while taking your time. Don’t hurry through the process as you will eventually get there.
-Camel Pose
Camel pose is another one of the best exercises for the women who are expecting. This pose allows them to stay on their knees as they try to go for the bend with supported back. if they are used to this position and feel open enough then reaching out the hands behind their backs will allow them to rest n their ankles and their feet will either be flexed or pointed.
-Bridge
Some mommies-to-be tend to feel very uncomfortable lying on their backs and if you are one of them too then try to use a block and place it under the sacrum as you are going for the bridge pose. It will serve to be a restorative posing stretch instead of a full wheel can prove to be a bit too stretchy for your belly bump.
According to your preferences or liking you can also put two blocks or even a bolster under your head for keeping it elevated above the lie of your heart. Besides that, you can also go for pressing your soles together as it will enable you to create a stretch on the inside of your thighs.
You can also achieve this by extending both your legs upwards and pull them towards your body for a deep stretch of your hamstring. As always you can do a gently twist on each side using your knees and falling down towards your yoga mat.
-Pigeon Pose
When it comes to doing pigeon pose, there are two different ways that expecting moms can do a comfortable stretch.
The first one is by placing a block under your front hip as it will elevate your body enough to provide support to your belly. Additionally, you can also bend forward to open your hip a bit more if you want to as per your comfort.
Apart from that, you can also place a block under your back or front thigh. It will give plenty of space for you to fold forward as much as you prefer.
Final words
One of the biggest merits of all these yoga poses is that all of them are good for you even in your 1st trimester. You can also go for any of these positions during any stage of your pregnancy particularly when you feel fatigued. You must keep in mind that even just a brief 10-minute yoga flow can help ease out your stress both physically and mentally. These positions will also enable you to improve your balance over time. Even when the times that you feel off-balance you can take some support using a nearby wall particularly when you are doing your standing balances. If you are doing your practices at home, you can place your hand on a chair and do your balancing poses.
You can do any or all of these poses according to your experience and practice in yoga. All of these positions will benefit you a lot during your pregnancy and ease out the stress from your both physically and mentally.
So which one of these positions have you tried and how did it work out for you? Is there any other position or modification that you have tried and we failed to mention here? Leave your comment below and share your side of the story. We will be more than happy to respond to your queries or suggestions as well if any.
Time to stretch!
