International Day of Yoga 2020: Benefits of yoga and asanas to avoid during pregnancy

It has been scientifically proved that the practice of Yoga has immense benefits for the body and the mind. The body goes through a lot of changes, especially during pregnancy. As beautiful as the experience of bringing a child into this world is, it can be strenuous process for the body and mind. Studies show that women who practised prenatal yoga had considerably fewer problems during pregnancy and childbirth. On the occasion of International Day of Yoga on June 21, read on for the pros and cons of practising prenatal yoga.

Benefits of Prenatal Yoga

•The relaxing nature of yoga and the constant focus on breathing helps the mother to have a consistent sleep during the night. Yoga is also known to reduce stress and tension that people carry around all the time. Regular exercise that involves deep breathing helps in controlling morning sickness and headaches. Yoga, in general is very useful in getting rid of aches and pains throughout the body, this is especially beneficial for the expecting mother whose body is going through so many changes.

•As yoga is practice that strengthens the body, it is greatly beneficial for pregnant women as it helps to build stamina, flexibility and endurance which can be very helpful during childbirth. Training your muscles as your body grows ensures that your body is healthy enough to handle the stress of delivery

•The mindfulness that comes along with yoga helps the mother to be more aware of the changes in hormones or body that she is going through. She becomes more in tune with herself and the child. Kundalini Yoga states that the mother and child share the same aura from conception to the first years of life. Mindfulness can help strengthen the bond between mother and child.

•If you get into the habit of practising yoga every day, it can also facilitate shedding baby weight faster. Continued practice is also useful to keeping your sanity with a newborn child. With constantly fluctuating hormones, it can be a difficult time for mothers. Meditation and yoga help the mother in exercising control over her body and mood changes.

•Breathing is perhaps the most vital part in the practice of Yoga and during pregnancy it can have crucial benefits especially at the time of delivery. It takes a lot of strength and regulated breathing to push the baby out, yoga helps in increasing the flexibility of the hips and to gain control over breathing.

What to Avoid While Practising Prenatal Yoga

•It is imperative to the health of the child and the mother’s body, that she knows the capabilities of her own body. The 1st trimester is the trickiest as the baby is in the infancy of its development. Even the slightest miscalculation can have disastrous consequences. Yoga Expert, Nimish Dayalu, suggests that certain strenuous exercises should be avoided like ones that involve jumping, twisting, and bending forwards.

•Avoid hot yoga that involves doing rigorous poses in a heated room. This increases the body temperature and can cause hyperthermia.

•Not all types of yoga poses (asanas) are beneficial for pregnant women, it is important that you talk to your doctor and a trainer before embarking on these exercises.

•Avoid exercises that need you to lie flat on your back or those that require a lot of abdominal stretching.

Pregnancy is a beautiful time in the life of a woman and yoga when done right can help ease your journey from conception to delivery. If you are someone who was a practitioner even before pregnancy, keep your body’s changes into account before continuing the same exercises. Learn about all the risks from your doctors before in hand so as to avoid any complications.

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