Yoga and Pregnancy
Pregnancy is the time that requires you to be in best of your health. A good health means complete well-being, which means you have to be fit physically, mentally and spiritually. Yoga is the best way of getting your physical, mental and spiritual fitness. Yoga and Pilates are highly recommended during and after pregnancy. They help you attain a comfortable pregnancy and delivery and get back to your shape post delivery.
Pregnancy is the time for backaches, emotional stress and mood swings. Yoga during pregnancy would be really rewarding to give you the physical and emotional support to carry on healthy pregnancy, help you with easy labor and will get you emotionally prepared for motherhood. Inform your yoga instructor about your pregnancy and your stage of pregnancy. Yoga exercises can be tailored as per your need and safety. Certain yoga poses are a strict no for a pregnant lady. ‘Bikram Yoga’ (Hot Yoga) should be avoided by expecting mothers, as overheating can be detrimental to the fetus.
Pilates and Pregnancy
Pilates is one of the most suited exercises for pregnancy. It helps you build your core strength and tone your abdominal, back, pelvic floor (Kegel) muscles. It assists you through a smooth pregnancy and delivery. Like Yoga, Pilates exercises are adaptable and can be modified as per the need of your growing pregnancy.
Whether you are doing yoga or Pilates or a combination of two, make sure that once you enter your second trimester you never do exercises that require you to lie flat on your back or your tummy. This can be quite harmful to the baby as it obstructs the circulation to the fetus. You can prop your feet but keep your hips down. Never put your feet over your head. Eliminate any sharp movements from your exercise routine like those vigorous sidekicks and the exercises on jump board. Do not overstretch as it might strain your muscles. Your growing belly might shift your centre of gravity. So be extra cautious about balancing yourself in any pose or exercise. Do keep in mind to keep yourself well hydrated and to take extra healthy calories to compensate for those that are burnt during these exercises. Eat well as you are eating for two.
It is always advisable to do yoga and Pilates under the supervision of an expert instructor. Before doing yoga or Pilates, you should definitely consult your medical care provider and see if your condition permits you to go for these exercises. Some complication in pregnancy might hinder you from doing these exercises. And one more point to be kept in mind is that the key rule of any exercise during pregnancy in the comfort of your body. So listen to your body and avoid the poses that are too stressing or which cause any discomfort. Your pace and duration of exercise should be in accordance with your body comfort and so will change with the growing pregnancy.
A healthy lifestyle and good diet along with Yoga and Pilates ensure the healthy growth of embryo as well as the well being of mother.
