Yoga for Pregnant Women

A pregnant woman who does not know the mechanics of labor will, naturally, be tense and frightened.



This only increases the pain. Yoga is a simple technique that strengthens the body and enables it to tackle new developments with maximum ease and comfort.



Yoga makes people look within and understand the body mechanism. It is a great preparatory technique to help pregnant women cope with what has to come.



Here are a few tips for pre-natal (pregnancy) care:

The general Yogasanas can, if you wish, be done only for the first 2 months.

Suggested pranayamas for pregnant women :

• Vajrasana
• Padmasana
• Sukhasana
• Shavasana

Always end your Yoga session with this asana to relax your body. The meaning of relaxation is undoing tensed muscles and hence it is synonymous to reduction of pain.

'Pranayama' or breathing exercises should be done twice daily. This is to facilitate complete expulsion of carbon dioxide that will give way for fresh intake of oxygen.

Suggested breathing exercises are:

• Mild kapalabhatti
• Lots of anuloma-Viloma
• Brahmari

Deep or free breathing at the rate of 5 breaths per minute also contributes to relaxation as compared to the normal rate of 18-20 breaths per minute. We also advise an enema once a week to make way for proper elimination from the intestine. Regular morning and evening walks are compulsory.

As far as diet goes, spices, salts, sweets and fat should be drastically reduced. Have starchy foods in moderation and plenty of fruits, vegetables, juices, curd, buttermilk and sprouts. Preferably, avoid foods that take a long to digest such as non-vegetarian food and dairy products. Due to the property of salts to retain water, it can lead to high blood pressure and swelling of the feet. For this reason, minimum intake of salt is recommended.