Pregnancy Yoga
Medicine for the Body, Mind and Soul

Pregnancy can be both wonderful and frightening. During the course of about 40 weeks (in a single fetus pregnancy), your body increases pelvic and breast dimensions, overall body weight and system-wide function. Blood volume grows by about 3.5lbs, lungs increase the amount of oxygen consumed and transported by 14%, and increased kidney, liver and heart workloads are developed to accommodate your body’s ability to sustain itself, as well as another complete human being. Multiple pregnancies produce even more profound change. It is no wonder that the delicate balance of hormones, support structures of the body and overall emotions are tested.

Yoga is a great system of exercise because it accommodates for physical change and will produce toned muscles and flexibility. With the help of a qualified instructor, yoga’s effect can also be structured to treat common pregnancy related conditions and have a balancing effect on the nervous, respiratory and circulatory systems of the body. 

The following are some basic postures that, when used on a daily basis, can alleviate five common pregnancy related discomforts. It is suggested that you discuss your intentions to practice the above with your primary care provider before getting started.

Complaint: Headaches, heart burn, anxiety, fatigue

Posture: Supta (Supported) Badda Konasana 

Stack several pillows or supportive cushions on an incline behind your buttocks as you sit with the bottoms of your feet pressed together. Use your arms to guide your back onto the pillows in a reclined posture. If low back requires more support, roll a bath towel and place it transverse along weak area. During the last trimester, if hips are heavy or painful, place pillows under hips as well. Arms should be turned palms up. Lengthen and soften your breaths and visualize each level of your body getting soft and open, beginning at your feet.  Make sure you release tongue, jaw line, eyes and shoulders.  Stay in posture for up to two minutes, adding one minute until you can easily relax for several minutes.  Once finished, gently rock joints from feet upward, roll to your left side for a few breaths, and use arms to shift weight from sideling to sit.

Complaint: Low back pain, restricted breathing

Posture: Arda Utanasana,modified ½ forward fold

Place a chair about three feet away from you. Stand with feet parallel and hip width distance apart. Knees should be soft. Upon your next inhale, lift with your heart and raise arms overhead, keeping your tailbone towards the floor, creating length along the sides of the body. As you exhale, fold body forward bending at the hips, reaching for the back of the chair. Keep balance by pushing heels into floor and pulling hips back.   Take several breaths here with focus on relaxing low back, sides of body and shoulders.  To stand, move hands to hips and on an inhale squeeze buttocks and lift chest as a whole until standing.

Complaint: Sciatica, constipation

Posture: Cat Pose

Place yourself on your hands and knees keeping shoulders and hips stacked over hands and knees.  Allow back to flatten by lengthening from crown of head to tail bone.  Relax neck and shoulders while taking more weight into arms. If knee pain is felt, roll a towel and place just below kneecaps, and flip feet so that tops of feet (lace up area of shoes) are pressed into floor.  Elbows should not be locked. Slowly arch back creating a curve from pubic bone to top of head while you exhale.  As you take your next inhale, move spine towards floor, sinking heart towards the floor. Repeat several times.

Complaint: Flatulence, bloating, leg cramps, lower abdominal or groin pain, irritability and tension

Posture: Universal Pose (Supine Twist)

Depending upon your belly size and comfort, lay on your back or on a slight incline of pillows. Bend left leg and support it on a pillow while actively trying to straighten right arm and leg. Take five full inhales and exhales. Perform on opposite side. If comfort allows, perform a second stretch by bending your right leg, keeping right arm extended out to side. Gently bring right knee across body towards a stack of pillows next to your left hip. Exhale deeply, take several breaths, and then repeat on opposite side.

Complaint: Poor balance, side hip pain

Posture: Modified lunge/kneeling warrior 1

Place yourself in a right half kneeling posture, balance initially using a chair or the wall.  Once in place, without moving spine, bring hands to heart. Exhale and push both feet into the floor. Begin pulling belly button away from front left thigh. Try not to arch low back. The idea is to release tension in the front of the right hip, while working on strengthening other hip muscles. Squeeze buttocks gently for more support. Inhale and continue to breathe, while maintaining posture for several breaths.  Once this is easily performed, challenge yourself to initiate push into floor of front foot while also squeezing inner thighs together. Upon the inhale, squeeze shoulder blades together without arching low back, open collar bones apart.  After several breaths, move into all fours and rest. Perform on both sides.  Aim to be steady, keep hips level and midline and to not hold breath.

Editorial provided by Lisa Holland PT, RYT, YT, owner of Belly Guru, LLC in Charlotte, NC.

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