Yoga can help pregnant women in many ways, not just for its physical benefits, but for its emotional and mental benefits as well.
Many expectant mothers experience a drop in energy and motivation. Yoga can help keep the mind and body active, which helps you to feel more in control and give you a renewed sense of energy and enthusiasm. Yoga poses for pregnant women can help improve joint mobility, balance, and flexibility.
Managing 30 minutes a day or 3 hours weekly for yoga as a minimum, coupled with our super comfy pregnancy pillow, will help to weather the pregnancy and delivery much more easily. Additionally, regularly practicing yoga will help you to quickly bounce back into shape after delivery.
Read on to learn about the best yoga poses for pregnant women and their benefits:
Pavanamuktasana
Pavanamuktasana (Pose of the Horse) is a seated pose that helps to open the hips, chest, and shoulders. It is a great yoga pose for pregnant women as it stretches the entire body and relieves tension in the lower back. Additionally, it can help reduce stress and anxiety and improve your flexibility. It is a pose in which you lie flat on your back with your legs outstretched, your feet together, and your arms stretched overhead with your palms facing down. While in this pose, you can stretch your arms and legs as much as possible.
Salamba Bhujangasana (Sphinx Pose)
Salamba Bhujangasana is a powerful backbend for pregnancy that helps to open the chest and shoulders. This yoga pose for pregnant women stretches the hips, hamstrings, and lower back and relieves tension in the lower back. It also helps to improve circulation in the body and reduce stress. To do the Sphinx pose, lie flat on your stomach with your palms flat on the floor beside you. Bend your elbows and lift your chest up off the floor, then exhale and lower yourself back down to the starting position.
Ustrasana (Camel Pose)
Camel pose is great for pregnant women to do because it stretches the entire body and helps to improve circulation. It also helps to reduce stress and tension in the body, which can help during pregnancy. To do this pose, kneel on all fours with your palms flat on the floor next to your shoulders, legs straight out in front of you. Inhale and lift your torso up off the floor, then exhale and lower yourself back down. Hold for a few seconds before repeating.
Virasana (Hero Pose)
The Hero Pose is a popular yoga pose, and it is also beneficial for pregnant women as it stretches the entire body and helps to improve your posture. In this pose, you are on all fours, and you are supposed to get into a balanced, neutral position, where you feel a sense of fullness in your stomach, and a sense of lightness in your head. It is a great way to work on your balance, improve your posture, and it can help you to feel more comfortable in your body.
Chakravakasana (Cat Cow Pose)
Chakravakasana or Cat Cow is a yoga pose for pregnant women that has been used for its ability to relieve back pain and help to keep the spine flexible during pregnancy. Cat Cow is a simple yet profoundly effective pose, and not only helps to relieve back pain, but also strengthens the abdominal and back muscles, and tones the hips. This yoga pose can be practiced for thirty seconds to a minute, at any stage of pregnancy.
Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)
There are a number of benefits that pregnant women can derive from practicing this asana. Vrikshasana is a balancing asana. Not only is the pose great for increasing flexibility and releasing back tension, but it can also help calm your mind and relieve back pain by encouraging a good night's sleep. Vrikshasana is one of the standing poses in medieval hatha yoga, which remains prevalent in modern yoga as exercise. The pose is done in the form of a forward bend with the legs and arms stretched upward with the palms facing upward.
MÄlÄsana (Garland Pose)
Many women find that their hips and lower back start to ache and feel tighter during pregnancy. Some women experience pain or even pressure and swelling that can cause backache and pain down the leg. MÄlÄsana is a simple yet effective posture that releases tension in the hips, lower back, and ankles. The pose can be an intense opener or more of a passive pose. To do this pose, sit on the floor with a folded blanket or bolster under the hips, sitting cross-legged on your heels. Place a block or two under your feet if you find that you cannot hold the pose for more than 15-30 seconds.
Virabhadrasana II (Warrior 2 Pose)
This is one of the most well-known poses in yoga, which requires balance and coordination to perform. Virabhadrasana II stretches the muscles in the legs, chest, arms, and back. It is beneficial to use this pose when you are suffering from back problems, or want to build up the muscles in your legs and chest. For pregnant women, it acts as a daily workout, improving their strength and helping them keep their legs strong during pregnancy. Virabhadrasana II helps to stretch the chest, legs, and groin. Also, it improves digestion, increases stamina, and alleviates backaches during pregnancy.
Padangusthasana (Big Toe Pose)
The Sanskrit word "Padangusthasana" means "standing leg stretch". It is a great stretch exercise that helps to strengthen the leg and the ankles. This asana stretches the hamstrings and enhances the balance while supporting the opening of the shoulders, arms, and hips. Additionally, this pose boosts the nervous system and assists you develop greater concentration. Padangusthasana focuses as you build balance, which is extremely useful for your imminent labor.
Savasana (Corpse Pose)
In Sanskrit, the word Savasana translates to the word ārestingā. Savasana is a yoga nidra, which means a deep state of relaxation and awareness. This pose is considered a restorative pose and is recommended for pregnant women because it helps to reduce stress and tension in the body. It also encourages deep breathing. In this pose, you need to lie down on your back and let the mind and body completely relax. The pose is so relaxing that it will help you feel refreshed, rejuvenated, and energized. In addition to this, you can practice this asana on the softest and the fluffiest pregnancy pillow. Quilt Comfort pregnancy pillow is designed to provide full-body support so that you can relax and enjoy your me-time after yoga. You can go for a C Shaped or U Shaped pregnancy pillow. Both of them are perfect for you and your baby just like Yoga.
Bonus Tip: When you are done with Yoga, rest on the most comfortable Pregnancy Pillow
The Bottom Line
Yoga is an empowering practice that can help you feel connected to your body and your baby, and be more aware of your own needs. It can make pregnancy a time of inner calm that will help you get through labor, delivery, and all the joys and challenges of parenthood. The key is to understand your own limitations, listen to your body, and always pay attention to how you are feeling. Rest whenever you want a break and donāt push yourself beyond your limits.
With careful consideration, yoga can help you thrive in pregnancy and beyond. Also, before getting started with these poses, make sure you talk to your doctor to ensure that you are allowed to perform these poses.
Note: It is best to discuss with your doctor before performing the above-mentioned yoga poses. And, if your doctor has suggested taking bed rest, avoid performing these yoga poses.