SUPRAJA CLINIC"Sarve Santu Niramya, Sarve bhavantu Sukhinah".

Fitness before and during pregnancy is prime motive of our therapy. Ayurveda the science of lifestyle has mentioned various different concepts during pregnancy.

Support of Yoga is additional benefit to prepare the mother and fetus for pregnancy and labour. Yogic exercise can be divided in different parts and can be conducted during different period of pregnancy.

When followed together, they work wonders on your health and your capability to have a smooth pregnancy. Smooth pregnancy and a natural childbirth are just some of the benefits of yoga. But more importantly, yoga does wonders on the physical and mental development of the foetus.

Ensuring a healthy baby is every woman’s dream and yoga helps you do just that.

A) Breathing or Pranayama – These powerful techniques ensure the very good supply of oxygen.

Yoga Exercise :

Yoga Asanas or exercises are ways of holding or stretching the body muscles in different positions.
These exercises (postures) gently stretch and explore all parts of your body need to be followed under
supervision of an expert.
During pregnancy, yoga Asanas are a gentle way to keep active.

How Yoga Exercises help in pregnancy?

1. Helping to reduce nausea, morning sickness and mood swings in combination with pranayamas (yogic breathing).

2. Strengthening and massaging the abdomen which help stimulate bowel action and appetite.

3. It relieves edema (fluid retention) and cramping which can be quite common in the last months

4. Raising the level of energy while also helping in slowing the metabolism to restore calm and focus.

Yoga in Post Natal Care :

1. It helps in contraction and retraction i.e. restoration of the uterus, abdomen and the pelvic floor.

2. It also relieves upper back tension and breast discomfort.

We have segregated these yoga exercises into trimester-wise sequences.
However, it is recommended that you follow these under expert guidance to use these asanas in conjunction with pranayamas, meditation and relaxation techniques.

First Trimester :

1) Ardha Titali Asan (Half Butterfly):-

How to do?
Sit with legs outstretched. Bend the right leg and place the right foot as far up on the left thigh as possible. Place the right hand on top of the bent right knee.
Hold the toes of the right foot with the left hand. While breathing in, gently move the right knee up towards the chest. Breathing out, gently push the knee down and try to touch the floor. The trunk should not move. Movement of leg should be achieved by the exertion of the right arm. Repeat with left leg. Slowly practice about 10 up and down movements with each leg. DO NOT STRAIN.

Benefits:
It helps in loosening of hip and knee joints, which shall enable faster delivery.

2)Poorna Titali Asan (Full Butterfly):-

How to do?
Sit with legs outstretched. Bend the knees and bring the soles of the feet together, keeping the heels as close to the body as possible. Fully relax the inner thighs. Clasp the feet with both hands.
Gently bounce the knees up and down, using the elbows as levers to press the legs down. Do not use any force. Repeat up to 20-30 times. Straighten the legs and relax.

Benefits:
Tension from inner thigh muscles is relieved. It removes tiredness of legs.

3) Supta Udarakarshan Asan (Sleeping Abdominal Stretch Pose):-

How to do?

Benefits:
Relieves constipation, improves digestion, stiffness and strain of spine caused by prolonged sitting.

4)Kashta Takshan Asan (Chopping Wood Pose):-

How to do?
Sit in squatting pose with feet flat on the ground and one and a half feet apart. Clasp fingers of hand and place them on the floor between the feet. Straighten the arms and keep them straight throughout the practice. Elbows should be inside the knees. Imagine the action of chopping wood. Raise arms as high as possible, behind the head, stretching the spine upward. Look up towards the hands.
Make a downward stroke. Expel the breath making a "Ha" sound and removing all air from the lungs. Hands should return towards the feet. This is one round. Practice 5-10 rounds.

Benefits:
It loosens the pelvic girdle and tones the pelvic muscles.

5) Marjari Asan (Cat Stretch Pose):-

How to do?
Sit with buttocks on the heels (Vajrasan). Raise the buttocks and stand on the knees. Lean forward and place the hands flat on the floor. This is the starting position. Inhale while raising the head and depressing the spine so that the back becomes concave. Exhale, while lowering the head and stretching the spine upward.
At the end of the exhalation contract the abdomen and pull in the buttocks. Head will be now between the arms, facing the thighs. This is one round. It may be done for 5-10 times .Be careful not to strain yourself.

Benefits:
This asan improves flexibility of the neck, shoulders and spine. It improves tones of female reproductive system. It can be safely practiced during first 6 months of pregnancy.

6)Kati Chakrasan (Waist Rotating Pose):-

How to do?
Stand with the feet about half a meter apart and the arms by the sides. Inhale while raising the arms to shoulder level. Exhale and twist body to left. Bring right hand to left shoulder and wrap left arm around the back. Look over left shoulder. Hold breath for 2 seconds, inhale and return to starting position. Keep feet firmly on ground while twisting. Repeat on other side. Do twisting smoothly without any jerks. Do about 5-10 rounds.

Benefits:
Tones waist, back and hips. Induces a feeling of lightness and used to relieve physical and mental tension.

7)Utthanasan (Squat and Rise Pose):-

How to do?
Stand erect on feet about a meter apart, with toes turned out. Interlock fingers of both hands and let them hang loosely in front of the body. Slowly bend knees and lower buttocks. Straighten knees and return to upright position.

Benefits:
Strengthens muscles of middle back, uterus, thighs and ankles.

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