Exercise While Pregnant - Use Yoga To Calm Your Body And Mind


Sometimes it is hard to work out while pregnant. Yoga for pregnant women offers moms-to-be an excellent workout that is beneficial for you and your unborn baby. Here is a guide on safe, basic yoga exercises and stretches to practice during pregnancy.

Prenatal yoga has both mental and physical benefits during pregnancy. For one, it is beneficial because it teaches you how to use breathing to soothe your body and mind, factors which will definitely come in handy during childbirth. Learning how to perform the techniques presented in prenatal yoga will prime you for labor and childbirth and it does this by training your body to stay calm.

Yet the benefits of yoga for pregnant women are not only limited to your physical health, as the primary purpose of yoga is to incorporate not just the body, but the mind and the spirit as well. Not only that, but simply being in a positive and nurturing environment with others who are in the same situation as you will help to give you an emotional boost right when you need it most.

There are many yoga poses particularly that are designed for use while pregnant, including the Cobbler or Tailor pose. This is a sitting pose that helps to open up the pelvis. To do this pose, you sit yourself up straight against a wall with the soles of your feet touching each other, and then softly press your knees down and away from each other. Then try to stay in this posture for as long as you can.

Another excellent prenatal yoga position is the pelvic tilt, which is a position that helps to relieve back pain. Get down on your hands and knees with your arms shoulder-width apart and your knees hip-width apart. Make sure to keep your arms straight; then tighten in your abdominal muscles and tuck your buttocks under and round your back, breathing in while you hold the position.

Now, relax your back into its relaxed position, and breathe out, repeating several times.

Finally, another good posture is the squatting position, which helps to open up the pelvis and to strengthen the upper legs. As you start to fill out during pregnancy there are types of support props that you should use to facilitate this position, such as yoga blocks or a pile of books.

You begin by standing facing the back of a chair with your feet spread slightly apart, with your toes pointed outward.Drop your tailbone towards the floor as though you were about to sit down on a chair, but rather than sitting you hold the position there. Take a deep breath in, and at the moment you exhale, push your legs up and rise to a standing position, and then repeat as you feel comfortable.

So if you are pondering how you will possibly exercise while pregnant, consider trying yoga for pregnant women. Not only will you feel great, you'll be accumulating lifelong benefits for you and your baby. This natural exercise program will reduce tension and improve your flexibility. Yoga poses are a wonderful way to enhance your sense of health and well-being, and a practice that you can always manage to accommodate into a mother's busy schedule.

For more information, check out [http://yoga.absolutenaturalhealth.com/]Absolute Natural Health - Yoga Guide or the articles at [http://www.yoga4u-now.com/]Yoga For Life. Unlock your FREE report on Alternative Medicines at [http://www.absolutenaturalhealth.com/]Everything You Wanted To Know About Alternative Medicine.

Copyright 2008 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.

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