Yoga Guide For Pregnant Women: Efficacy of Prenatal Yoga


Pregnancy is an all together different physiological as well as psychological experience for women and for particularly those who happen to be on the family way for the first time. If you are pregnant, you are very likely to suffer from occasional depression. You will be in a state of subtle excitement almost all the time. It is really difficult for you to keep yourself normal physically as well as mentally. That's when Prenatal Yoga comes handy to you.

It adds to your physical as well psychological strength for a rather comfortable delivery. In addition to that if you keep practicing yoga through out your pregnancy period, post delivery you are very likely to resume your normal activities at the earliest.

Prenatal Yoga is particularly helpful in later stage of pregnancy. I would suggest all pregnant women to do yoga exercises that would be of immense help in excess inflammation and pain in leg. This particular genre of yoga is aimed at strengthening legs, back muscles, limbs and pelvis. Once these body parts get strengthened the level of pain that you experience while giving birth would be far less than the pain you would have experienced without yoga.

But you must ensure that you learn prenatal yoga asanas from an experienced Yogi. If you have geared up to practice yoga for the first time, you shouldn't do exercises without acquainting yourself with all pros and cons of Yoga.

For pregnant women, basic yoga poses are suggested. Once they learn basic poses they are made to practice certain other asanas. Preferred yoga asanas for women on family way are as follows:

Shavasana
This Yoga posture is also known as corpse pose. In this posturu you are simply made to lie as if you are dead.
You are suggested to lie in a very motionless state. But you should continue breathing normally.


Padmasana
This posture requires you to sit while keeping your back completely erected in the
sitting duration. You are also made to put your right leg on the left thigh and vice versa.
Putting legs on opposite thighs help strengthen your hips.


Sukhasana
The asana demands you to keep a crouching posture while sitting. This asana is of great assistance in preventing pregnancy related disorders.






Vajrasana
This asana makes you fold your knees so that hips could be easily postured on your heels.
This is also a sitting asana. You are also required to position your hands on knees.
Your back should remain erect.

These are a few yoga postures that happen to be of great help for pregnant women. Breathing exercises of yoga may prove helpful in pregnancy. So, do yoga for a safer child birth.

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Yoga and Pregnancy Benefits


Yoga is claimed to be a good exercise for everyone. Yoga is also a good exercise for pregnant women and provides them with many benefits. So whether you are pregnant or know someone who is, read on to learn the many positive benefits of yoga for pregnant women.

Yoga is a wonderful exercise for pregnant women and can be safely performed throughout the entire pregnancy. Some poses may need to be modified during pregnancy and poses where the woman is lying on her back or stomach should be avoided. The pregnant woman should also avoid any position or pose that does not feel right to her.

Yoga provides many benefits to pregnant women. Among those benefits of yoga are increased flexibility, more energy and stress relief. Yoga also helps the woman prepare for childbirth. This is done by the regular use and stretching of the muscles that are used in childbirth. In addition, the relaxation and breathing skills learned in yoga will help a woman throughout the labor and delivery of her child and may also lessen some of the woman's pains and anxieties.

As previously mentioned, yoga can play an important part in a woman having a relaxed, comfortable pregnancy and childbirth experience. However, the benefits of yoga do not end there. Yoga can also help the woman to get back into shape after pregnancy and will help to ease the transition into more physical exercise. And the benefits of yoga do not only encompass the pregnant woman; yoga can assist in the mental and physical development of the growing fetus.

Yoga exercises are not the only elements to focus on when performing a yoga routine. A complete, rounded yoga routine for a pregnant woman should include not only the yoga exercises, but also proper breathing techniques, meditation, deep relaxation techniques and mudras, which are yogic gestures. All of these elements of yoga will provide the pregnant woman with many benefits to aid in childbirth.

For the benefit of the pregnant woman, yoga exercises stretch the pelvis and reproductive organs to ensure a smooth pregnancy and childbirth experience. For the benefit of the fetus, yoga exercises provide the best possible blood and nutrient supply. The proper breathing techniques, or pranayama, will aid in the pregnant woman's overall fitness during pregnancy and will supply a rich amount of oxygen for the pregnant woman and fetus.

The benefits of yogic meditation to a pregnant woman are almost self-explanatory. It helps to calm and soothe the pregnant woman, dissolving away any fears and conflicts, whether pregnancy-related or not. It is also claimed to provide the pregnant woman with an unbelievable sense of awareness that helps her connect with her unborn child.

The benefits of deep relaxation techniques are also pretty much easy to understand. Deep relaxation, or yogic sleep, relaxes the pregnant woman both mentally and physically. It also better prepares her for the childbirth experience. The last element of a yoga routine, mudras and bandhas, is yogic gestures. These gestures are believed to have influential effects on the pregnant woman's reproductive organs, as well as any pains and ailments.

By combining all of the above elements of yoga, a pregnant woman can achieve and reap the benefits of a successful yoga routine. There are many books and websites available that provide acceptable yoga poses and positions for pregnant women. But as is the case with any other exercise, a pregnant woman should consult with her doctor before undertaking a yoga routine.

Michael Russell
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Yoga For Pregnant Women


Master your mind! Gain control over your body! Be relieved of your stress through the practice of gentle art of Yoga!

Pregnancy is a physical as well as mental experience. Women
often becomes hyper aware of all the changes their bodies are
going through. Yoga allows pregnant women to adapt to these
changes more gracefully and to feel proud and a sense of
appreciation for their bodies. Yoga exercises can increase
flexibility, strength, circulation and balance. Many pregnant
women find that regular yoga exercises help to reduce swelling,
back and leg pain, and insomnia.

However, Yoga must be practiced very carefully among pregnant
women, as improper exercises will bring negative effect on both
moms and babies. Here are some tips for pre-natal pregnancy Yoga
practice:

1. The general yoga exercises are recommended for the first 2
months. You must consult your doctor and find very experienced
Yoga teachers. With proper guidance, you can practice some yoga
right into labor. If you new to yoga then you should start
slowly.

2. Breathing exercises are beneficial if done twice a day. The
breathing exercises provide more oxygen and energy both to the
mother and the child.

3. Some yoga poses that can help a pregnant women dealing with
the symptoms of pregnancy, ensuring smoother and easier
delivery, and faster recovery after childbirth. Pregnant women
should pay attention not to overstretch the body - the
ligaments around the joints become loose and soft during
pregnancy. The abdomen should stay relaxed at all times.
Difficult and poses that put pressure on the abdomen and other
should NOT be done during advance stages of Pregnancy. No any
kind of pain or nausea should be felt during and/or after yoga.
If this happens, you should stop yoga practice and contact your
GP.

4. When carrying out standing poses with your heels to the wall
or use a chair for support to avoid losing your balance and
risking injury to both you and your baby.

5. Deep relaxation is crucial to give rest to body and mind,
and you will benefit more from a good sleep. Deep relaxation
helps the nerve system change from sympathetic to
parasympathetic activity. Parasympathetic activity is
associated with the restorative processes of the body, which is
needed both by the pregnant woman and the child.

We also strongly recommend regular morning and evening walks.
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Yoga Postures For Infertility


Yoga promotes and improves fertility. There are a few specific yoga practices that can be used for it. They have been known for a long time and there is mention of these special yoga practices in the ancient papers.

The practices include specific postures, mantras and breathing techniques. These exercises enhance fertility by stimulating hormone levels and improving blood and nutrients supply to reproductive organs like ovaries, eggs, tubes, uterus, testes and prostate. In doing this they maximize the vitality of these organs.

For older mums and dads yoga exercises can slow down the aging of organs and tissues like eggs and sperm which is detrimental for the ability to get pregnant.

Here are a few yoga postures you can do in the comfort of your own house.

1. Supported Bridge Pose :

- Lie on the back and bent your knees with feet flat on the floor ,

- Move your feet to your bottom as close as possible,


-Inhale and exhale deeply 4 times, then slowly lift your pelvis and buttocks off the floor while keeping your feet flat on the floor,

-Clasp your hands behind your back,

-Stay in this pose for a minute or two while breathing deeply.

2. Legs up on the wall pose:

-Lie on your side with your buttocks close to wall,

-Slowly inhale and exhale, then when you are exhaling turn your body and move your legs up to the wall at the same time so that you create a 90-degree angle at your pelvis between your legs and body,

-Stay in this pose for a few minutes inhaling and exhaling slowly.

3. Cobbler's pose:

-Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out,

-Inhale and exhale then while exhaling bring your feet close to your groin and push the sole of your feet against each other,

-Hold to your toes and when exhaling try to lower your knees to the ground as much as you can,

-Hold this pose for about 3-5 minutes while slowly inhaling and exhaling.

These postures, mantras and breathing techniques can be mastered by most women and no one can be harmed using it.

Yoga is a practical commonsense system that gives us tools to be healthy and fertile. It is like a health maintenance system. It minimizes the wear and tear of all body organs, including egg, uterus, and ovaries. So, yoga used holistically can increase the fertile time in your life. And that is especially beneficial for older women and men who are trying to conceive at an older age.

These yoga techniques will also balance the production of hormones in the body and stimulate ripening and releasing the egg. It has been proven that women who have been doing yoga for at least 3-4 months ovulate more often and more regular compare to women who have never done yoga before.

If you are after 35 and have a dream to have a baby, start yoga first before you rush to have invasive treatments and tests regarding fertility. According to the last research a general improvement in health before pregnancy helps nearly 50% of people to conceive despite many failures to get pregnant in the past. That means that their infertility was only due to unbalanced organ function which could have been due to everyday stress, wrong diet or lack of physical activity. And yoga could be the right tool to balance all these and achieve desirable result - the baby.

For more info please read www.YouCanOvercomeInfertility.com

Dr Irina Webster MD is the Director of Women Health Issues Program which covers different areas of Women Health.

Dr Irina Webster has a wholistic approach to medicine and her favorite area is to discover natural treatments for Women health problems and share these treatments and methods with other people. http://www.youcanovercomeinfertility.com

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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.

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

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Prenatal Yoga For Women


What is it? As many may know by now, or not, the word 'Yoga' is derived from an ancient Indian word which translates into "union". Yoga is a practice of poses and postures connected to the development of a person's body strength and flexibility. Different poses or postures have, in themselves, different benefits.

Although it may look easy to a stranger's eye, the alignment of postures are physically challenging for beginners, many of them may giggle at the awkwardness of their posture. I've personally thought and still think that yoga is a slow activity yet I find myself sweating profusely than any other sport that I've tried.

Prenatal Yoga (also known as pregnancy yoga) helps a pregnant mother to 'slow down', literally. During pregnancy, there will be many changes taking place in the human (mother's) body. Hormonal changes, circulatory system changes, respiratory changes, body temperature changes to name a few.

Prenatal Yoga helps and encourages women to adapt to these changes in a positive manner - positive growth. The yoga stretches and poses help in strengthening the birthing muscles, improves blood circulation, reduces backache that are common among pregnant women, reduces anxiety and postpartum yoga quickens the recovery process.

Mental Power

Yoga itself is a physical practice but it starts and ends with the mind. Firstly, free your mind and do not think of anything else during your yoga sessions. Keep in mind that you DO NOT HAVE TO worry about chores, responsibilities and a hundred other things. The priority is me, myself and I.
Second of all, be patient. Yoga is not a get-healthy-quick scheme. Yoga is health program by means of determination, persistence and perseverance. Results may not show immediately as it varies from individuals but the one thing that is certain; the most profound results of yoga are achieved after sometime and not the early stages of practice.

Last but not least, consistent by frequency is the key of yoga. Do it every day and make sure that you do it. Yoga cannot work under 'do-whenever-I-feel-like' circumstances, the right momentum is required.

Common Techniques

There are few common techniques that are recommended for pregnancy. DO NOT ATTEMPT WITHOUT FIRST SEEKING EXPERT ADVICE - I'm merely showing what it's about.

Backbend - Known as the bridge pose, is to lie on your back and bend your knees thereby lifting our hips by the strength of your thighs. This technique or posture strengthens your spine and thus spinal flexibility.

Cat and Cow Stretch - is to pose on all fours (hands and legs) like how a toddler crawls. Keep your spine straightened as a neutral pose. Cow stretch is done by attempting to look at the ceiling by first movement of the tail bone then the spine and finally the neck. Cat stretch is the opposite movement of cow stretch, attempting to look at your abdomen/stomach by first moving the tailbone, followed by spine then neck. Repeat poses alternately.

These are good for beginners to start with. For other poses, seek appropriate instructions:
Cobbler's pose, extended triangle pose, goddess pose, half-moon pose, knee to ankle pose, pelvic tilts and one-legged pigeon pose. [http://www.markhoustonrecovery.com/addiction_families_and_the_workplace.php]Addiction Help [http://www.markhoustonrecovery.com/addiction_relpase_and_the_family.php]Relapse Prevention

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Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga Specialist Training


What should be included within a prenatal and postnatal Yoga teacher training? It is agreed that anyone, who decides to become a prenatal Yoga specialist, should be a competent and certified teacher to start with. If the specialist has a medical background, this is a "big plus," as well.

When deciding to take the journey of education toward prenatal Yoga certification, one should consider the amount of continuing education involved. Much like all the specialist branches of Yoga, there is more knowledge than most of us can absorb within one life time.

At the same time, it should be recognized that prenatal and postnatal knowledge is constantly changing and improving. Since the Internet is readily accessible to a large population, knowledge is being shared in an instant.

This instant access can make it confusing at times, because we can also be sorting through erroneous information, which is wasting our time. Therefore, we have to filter information from reliable sources. Unfortunately, all of the answers to prenatal or postnatal health, cannot be found in one document, DVD, CD, certification, or a prenatal Yoga teacher course.

As a result, Yoga teachers, who teach pregnant students, must continue their educations for life. There are a number of factors to consider, within any prenatal course; but Yoga teachers who decide to pursue this path, should consider the following subjects when teaching students who are pregnant.

I. Dietary information that will benefit the mother-to-be and the baby. Much dietary information is common sense. Information about healthy eating is readily available, but we see the results of poor eating habits quite frequently.

II. Asana practices, that can be modified for each trimester. Within each trimester, postures will have to be modified. There is a misconception that the first trimester requires no safety measures. In a nutshell, during each trimester, there are specific safety precautions.

III. Meditation practices, which may be adjusted for each trimester. To focus on good thoughts is a wonderful practice for mother and child. Good mental and emotional health of the mother is critical to the baby's overall health.

IV. Pranayama (Yogic breathing techniques), which may change during the course of pregnancy. Pranayama techniques have specific roles during pregnancy and labor. Some of the relaxing Pranayama techniques can be practiced anywhere and at any time.

V. Relaxation techniques, which can help an expectant mother throughout pregnancy. As mentioned above, controlled breathing is a major part of relaxation, but stage-by-stage, or body scan relaxation sessions, are healthy practices for mother and child.



Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/member-offer.html

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