In my first part of the blog, we got to know how beneficial it is to follow yoga during pregnancy. In this second part, I will tell you which prenatal yoga poses should be done to get fit during pregnancy and a good post-delivery recovery. Let’s dive into it!
Exercises & Yoga Poses To Do During Pregnancy
Before you begin, start with breathing. Close your eyes and breath in through the nose and breath out through the mouth continue for 3-5 minutes.
- Sit comfortably, with your knees bent and your shoulders, head and neck relaxed.
- Place one hand on your upper chest and the other just below your rib cage. This will allow you to feel your diaphragm move as you breathe.
- As you breathe in and out, feel your hand over the diaphragm move out and in.
1. Cat and Camel
- Begin on your hands and knees, knees under hips, hands under shoulders
- Round your back up towards the ceiling, drop your head slightly, tuck in your buttocks
- Come back to neutral position
- Let your belly lower towards the floor, creating an arch in your back
- Keep your head up slightly, with your eyes looking straight ahead
- Alternate between poses
Make it easier: For painful knees, fold a towel or blanket under the knees. For painful wrists, place fists instead of palms on the floor.
2. Butterfly Pose
- Keep the spinal chord and the neck straight
- Breathe natural and easy
- Bend both the knees
- Bring the soles of the feet together and place them up to the crotch area
- Grasp both the paws with your hands firmly
- Do not allow the heel to be raised
- Keep the torso above waist including keeping the neck straight
- Place the elbows on the thighs
- Inhale deep and press both the thighs downward with the elbows effortlessly
- Remove your hands from thighs and try to raise the knees without any support; exhale breath
3. Kegel’s Exercises
It is done to tone up pelvic floor muscle. It can be done in any position sitting standing and lying down – whatever’s comfortable for you. Contract your pelvic floor muscles as you would to stop urine flow for 5 seconds and then relax the muscles for 3 seconds. This muscle fatigues quickly, so do only 5-10 repetitions at a time. Do not hold your breath and breathe normally while doing this. Repeat a set of 10 at least twice a day.
4. Goddess Pose
- Step your right foot a stride length towards the back of your mat. Turn your toes out and your heels in, so your feet land on a 45-degree angle
- Bend your knees deeply out the sides and sink your hips down to the height of your knees
- Bring your arms out to shoulder height and bend your elbows so that your fingertips point skyward. Spread your fingertips wide apart from one another and activate the muscles across your back to hold your arms here
- Engage your core muscles and draw your tailbone in the direction of the floor. Do not hunch forward with your shoulders; keep your spine long and your muscles engaged
- Stay here for 30 seconds to one minute
5. Warrior Pose
- Stand with both your feet roughly three feet apart
- Place the right foot in front of the left foot
- Hold your arms out to the side with your palms down and arms extended and straight
- Turn your left foot out to the side and your right foot in
- Lunge forward gently, bending your left knee as you keep your right leg straight
- Hold the pose as your legs stretch
- Return to the original position then switches legs.
6. Walking
Walking is a great way to become physically fit. If you have not been a fit person, then start with slow walks that are less strenuous to the body. Expecting women can start with slow walks for a cardiovascular workout. Walking for a few minutes every day is safe and easy. 30 minutes of walking, three days a week is a good routine. For best results, club it with 30 minutes of your favorite exercise.
Do try these exercises and yoga poses during pregnancy and let us know your thoughts in the comments below. For more tips on how to manage your health during pregnancy, reach out to your GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr
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