Prenatal Yoga Postures and Benefits
Here you will find a few yoga poses that will be safe and beneficial for you to practice throughout your pregnancy. There are many conflicting theories on what is safe and what is not safe; the best thing to do is listen to your body. A good question to ask yourself during any pose is, “can I remain steady and comfortable?” I have worked with many women throughout their entire pregnancy and can honestly say that yoga has proven to be a wonderful experience for them. Yoga has been found to help balance the functioning of bodily systems which are all too often reacting to the stresses of normal living. A healthier body with less stress helps to keep everything working better and makes having a baby easier from conception to delivery.
If you are thinking about having a baby, less demanding styles of yoga can be helpful in reducing stress and helping to regulate and normalize the function of over- or under-active glands and organs. Yoga can help to balance the reproductive cycle and bring energy to the ovaries. Yoga can give you some much needed personal time and the meditation and relaxation techniques will help you with mental peace and better sleep habits.
If you are already pregnant, this is a wonderful time to nurture yourself and to connect with the new baby inside you. Gentle yoga is ideal for becoming more aware of the body and breath and learning to be more relaxed. This will be helpful during the entire pregnancy, as well as during labor and delivery. The risk of miscarriage is greatest in the first trimester and is usually due to genetic disorders, not by the actions of the mother. Mothers should always consult with their physician or midwife about anything that may be a concern and stop all activity until told otherwise. Toward the end of the pregnancy hormones are released to loosen the ligaments, so be careful not to over stretch even if it feels good, especially in the pelvic region. During pregnancy there is an increase in blood flow in the body which can lead to high blood pressure. Calm breathing exercises and meditation practices have been found to lower blood pressure, so these practices are helpful in keeping your blood pressure down.
The gentle yogic breathing practices like Dirgha, Ujjayi and Nadi Shodhana are wonderfully calming and are especially beneficial for keeping the abdomen toned. These breathing practices are meditative and relaxing; the more relaxed you are, the better. Your baby will experience your stress and anxiety, so the less you have the better your baby’s experience will be. You will find that the baby likes the peaceful rhythm and gentle massaging effects of your breathing. For more information on breathing practices, see the article Breathing and Yoga.
The following postures are wonderful and safe. The person demonstrating the postures is 9 months pregnant (she delivered the week after these pictures were taken). There are many other postures that you could easily add into your stretching routine, especially floor poses for opening the hips. In the future I hope to have more pictures to show these postures, but for now I have included these very easy chair versions of standard yoga asanas.
Chair Yoga Postures
Standing Spiraling Twist (For spinal mobility, toning the hips, and for overall elasticity)
From a standing position, transfer your weight onto your left leg. Bring your right leg forward and wrap it around the left leg, placing your right foot on the ground next to the left foot. Straighten your legs, pulling them together. Bring up a squeeze in your buttocks, lengthen your torso, raise your arms up and out to the side at shoulder height. Stand tall and rotate your body to the right, keeping your feet flat on the floor. Rotate as much of your body as you can while remaining steady and comfortable. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths. Repeat on the other side.
Chair Spinal Twist (for lower back relief)
Sit in a straight back chair. Turn sideways with your right side facing the chair back. Place both hands on the back of the chair. Breathe in and lengthen your spine, and as you breathe out, twist to the right. Your arms can be used to (pull) rotate further. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths. Repeat on the other side.
As your size increases (especially in the 3rd trimester), it would be advantageous to twist away from the leg allowing for a freer range of motion without compressing the belly. It is always best to avoid adding additional pressure to the womb.
Chair Forward Bend (for back relief and opening the hips)
Sit at the front edge of the chair with your knees over your ankles, your feet flat on the floor, and your legs comfortably spaced (wide enough for your body to come forward without compressing your abdomen, especially in the second and third trimester). Place your hands on your knees. Lengthen the torso up and out from the waist. Press the crown of the head up. Take a breath in, lifting the collar bones (straightening the back) and coming forward, hinging at the hips. Keep the back straight and come forward as far as you are comfortable with. Let the sensations be your guide, not the range of motion. This should feel good and provide a stretch for your back and hips. Use your arms to control the level of your exploration and intensity. Hold for 1 to 3 breaths. Breathe in as you come up.
This pose is a great way to open the hips safely, as well as to stretch the lower back.
Chair Tree Pose (for balance and concentration)
Stand behind a straight back chair. Turn left so that your right side is next to the back of the chair. Place your right hand on the chair back. Shift your weight onto your right leg. Keep your knee straight without locking it (engage the quads). Lift your left foot off the ground and place it on the inside of your right ankle. When you are steady and comfortable, slide your left foot up the inside of your right leg to a point where you can hold there comfortably with just enough pressure to keep it in place. This could be on your calf or thigh (height is less important). It is important to avoid pressing on the knee joint. Still holding on with your right hand, roll you left knee out and down, opening your hip. Lift up out of the waist (become tall like a tree), press up through the crown of the head, and raise your left hand straight up in the air reaching through the finger tips. If you feel steady, you can also raise your right hand up in the air. Keep your spine straight, and your shoulders down. Roll your shoulder blades together, straighten your arms, and turn your palms to face each other (the hands can be in steeple position). Hold this pose comfortably as long as you like. Repeat on the other side. Your body weight has changed, so be aware of compensating tendencies and honor where you are right now.
This pose is mostly beneficial for the standing leg, extension and concentration.
Chair push back (for stretching the back and decompressing the spine)
Standing behind the chair with both hands on the chair back, lean forward and widen the space between your legs to accommodate the baby and walk back until you've lengthened your torso and straightened your arms. Holding the chair with both hands, sit back and lengthen your spine. Hold for 3-5 breaths.
Invite extension by sitting back, pressing the tailbone toward the wall behind you.
Chair Balancing Stick (for stretching the back and stabilizing the hips)
Standing behind the chair with both hands behind the chair back, walk your feet back until your spine, arms, and neck are parallel with the floor. Shift your weight to your left leg. Lift your right leg up and extend it behind you. Try to make your body parallel with the floor (depending on the height of the chair back). Roll your right hip down so the two hips are also level with the floor. Stay for 3-5 breaths. Repeat on the other side.
Invite micro movements in the hip by rolling the hip on the elevated side up and down.
Chair Lateral Angle (for lengthening the arms, legs, and spine)
This picture shows the left side.
With your feet wide and the chair to your right, rest your right arm on the back of the chair or place it on the seat of the chair. Turn your right foot out 90 degrees and bend your right knee over the ankle. Set your right leg down on the seat of the chair (sitting on the right leg). Extend the left leg back, straighten the knee and press the left heel toward the floor. Bring your body into alignment with the angle (the angle is proportional to the length of the stride) of your left leg (with extension leading with a straight back but not compressing the abdomen), and extend your left arm continuing that alignment. Reach through the fingertips of the left hand and push down through the left heel. If comfortable, turn and look up (rotate, but do not lift the head). Your neck should remain in line with your shoulders so that there is no neck discomfort. Hold for 3-5 breaths. Repeat on the other side.
The support of the chair makes this a wonderful pose for lengthening the legs and arms. Stay extended, lifting up and out of the waist so as to avoid compression of the abdomen.
Chair Runner’s Stretch (for stretching the hamstrings and lower back)
Sitting at the front edge of the chair and holding onto the seat, space your legs comfortably. Position your left leg so that the knee is bent over the ankle and the foot is flat on the floor. Extend the right leg, placing your heel on the floor, and your toes up. Lean forward slightly, keeping your lower back straight, and press the right heel into the floor until you feel a good stretch. Hold for 3-5 breaths. Repeat on the other side.
Reminder: there is no need to bring the belly toward the leg to stretch the hamstrings. Stay extended and use the hands and arms for support and control.
Chair Seated Forward Wide Angle (for opening the hips and stretching the back)
Sitting on the front of the chair and holding onto the seat, bend the knees over the ankles and place the feet flat on the floor. Open your legs as wide as comfortable (knees over ankles). Keep your back straight. Lean forward until you feel a good stretch in your lower back. If there is no compression in the abdomen, you can safely go deep into this stretch. Hold for 3-5 breaths.
Reminder: use the hands to control the intensity of the stretch and to assist in coming back up out of the stretch.
Chair Warrior (for stretching the psoas, hamstrings and spine)
This picture shows the left side
Sit so that right hip and leg are resting on the front left corner of the chair. Hold the chair back with your right hand. Extend the left leg straight behind you, with your leg alignment hip-width apart. Position the ball of your left foot on the ground and your heel in the air. Press the left heel down, lengthening the back of the leg (hamstrings). Roll your left hip forward (stretching the psoas). Lift up out of the waist. Lift your collarbones up and arching your back (cobra back). If you are comfortable, raise the left arm in the air continuing the arc of your spine and reaching back toward the wall behind you (if comfortable and stable, you can do it with both arms). This posture should not be held for more than 3 breaths at a time due to the stimulating effects of the posture. Repeat on other side.
This is a great pose for stretching the psoas. It is safe for the baby (no compression) but due to the stimulating effects, you should only hold for up to three breaths. This pose also opens the chest and irrigates the kidneys.
Chair Triangle (for stretching the sides, hips and upper body)
This picture shows the left side
Place the chair to your right. Step to your left, creating a wide stance. Hold onto the chair back. Turn your right foot out 45-90 degrees. Straighten both legs and engage the quadricep muscles, which will protect the knees (the front knee could bend if straight isn’t comfortable). Extend the left arm straight up in the air. Turn and look up at the left hand. If comfortable, the right hand could be placed on the seat of the chair as shown in the picture. At all times, the right hand should support your weight, regardless of the position on the chair. In this triangle posture, press both feet into the floor, keep the quads engaged (knees straight), and contract the thigh muscles. Roll your right hip forward slightly. Roll the left shoulder back and extend upward, reaching the left hand toward the ceiling. Hold for 3-5 breaths. Repeat on the other side.
Reminder: you are more flexible than normal, so stretch into the pose but honor any very real sensations that may be telling you that this is your edge. Steady and comfortable is the key to good stretching and Yoga.
If you are thinking about bringing yoga into your life, we strongly recommend finding a teacher with at least 200 hrs of certification and some experience working with pregnant women. Yoga Alliance has a find a teacher link that will list all certified yoga teachers from recognized schools of yoga that have met the national standards for yoga teacher training.
We hope you find this information helpful. If you would like to join us in a yoga class, we invite you to visit our classes page and see if there is a time that fits your schedule. To see pictures of our mothers with their babies see ILY Babies.
Om Shanti,
The Infinite Light Yoga Team
© Copyright Infinite Light Yoga 2011
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