When you are pregnant, your body undergoes several changes. You can benefit a lot by doing prenatal yoga. There are a lot of places that offer prenatal yoga classes. In some regions, finding a place that offers regular classes isn’t easy. Yoga school in Rishikesh offers online yoga classes, which you can avail yourself of. Prenatal yoga helps create space for your baby and connects you with several yogi mommies with whom you can be good friends. Even if you are a yoga practitioner before getting pregnant, the rules are not the same. It changes a bit to accommodate your little one. Prenatal yoga makes your body ready for pregnancy and helps in soothing anxiety.
Here are a few tips that you should keep in mind while practicing yoga during pregnancy:
Remain hydrated:
It’s a controversial topic whether to drink water during pregnancy or not. According to some, it distracts from building the inside heat you want in yoga. During pregnancy, the requirements of your body are different, and you have to listen to your body and believe what it requires. Ensure you remain adequately hydrated before the class, and if you get yourself looking for water during the class, you can go for it. Drinking lots of water after every workout, not only yoga during pregnancy, is essential.
Flex your feet and hands whenever they are up:
Edema, also called retention of fluid, and swelling is widespread during the later stage of pregnancy. If, while doing Warrior 1 pose, you had your arms up, then it’s better to stretch your hands and make fists. If you had your legs up in a wall pose, it’s best to roll your ankles and point and stretch those toes. It helps contract your muscles, which is one of the best ways to move your lymph fluid around your body.
Keep a gap between mealtime and yoga sessions:
While you are pregnant, the whole process of digestion becomes very slow. Suppose you had an energizing meal 30 minutes before the prenatal yoga session. In that case, it will be sitting undigested in your stomach or your small intestine that causes you some discomfort. This can also cause a lessening of space in an already less abdominal cavity, affecting your capability to do yoga poses. It’s best to eat small meals more frequently but take into consideration the meal timing very carefully before hitting the prenatal yoga classes.
Do not forget to talk to your health care provider:
Before you start your prenatal yoga program, it’s best to consult your health care provider. You should not do prenatal yoga if you have the risk of preterm labor or if you have some medical conditions like back problems and heart diseases.
Set some realistic goals:
For maximum pregnant women, a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity is suggested at least five days a week. But shorter or less frequent workouts can also assist you in staying in shape and preparing yourself for labor.
Do not push yourself hard:
If you find out that you cannot generally speak while doing prenatal yoga, then it’s more likely you are pushing yourself very hard. So pace yourself and do yoga as far as your body is comfortable. Pay good attention to your own body and how you are feeling. Initiate things slowly and avoid all positions, not of your level of experience and comfort. Stretch only as much as your body allows with convenience. Stop and consult your health care provider if you feel any pain or red flags like reduced fetal movement, contractions, or vaginal bleeding during prenatal yoga.
Remain flexible on your backend:
Feeling discomfort on your back is one of the common issues during pregnancy because of a change in body anatomy, body mechanics, and alignment. Therefore, it is not good to put any strain on your body. Once you have selected a good backbend, do only 70% of what you usually do and hold it for about a few breaths less than expected. Focus on the backbends that strengthen you instead of stretching your body.
Go easy with forwarding bends:
When pregnant, your body secretes a hormone called Relaxing that makes you flexible. This prepares your body for the final act of expansion at birth. The best part is that your body is well aware of how to do this independently. But the downside is that another part of your body is hyper-flexible, and a wish to stretch is available with it. Your body will be craving to stretch, but this moment is somewhat counterintuitive. There is a high chance of overstretching. Therefore, the best is practicing in moderation and abstinence. Even if you have a strong desire to stretch yourself, give only 70% of what you can give overall. Moderation might not be adequate at the moment, but it will protect you.
Do inverted pose carefully:
Even if there is no proper research on inverted poses at the time of pregnancy, it’s better to practice it with utmost caution. Many teachers restrain against them during the first trimester and agree that when your baby turns, and their head is down, do not do inversions. Never try to do anything that will disrupt your pregnancy stage.
Switch:
It’s best to switch some of the yoga poses while doing yoga during pregnancy. Instead of Paschimottanasana, do Janu sirsansana, then swap Parsvottanasana with Prasarita Paschimottasana.
Remember that it is a sacred time:
The most vital thing to remember is that it is a sacred time, and you can’t keep up with the practice as you did before pregnancy. Everything will return to you, and you will get a lot of time for all fancy arm balances and deep backbends. Pregnancy is when you must slow down and bond with your baby and yourself. You might find out new things about yoga practices when you slow down.
Remain kind to yourself:
Being pregnant is a precious time in a woman’s life. When growing a tiny human inside, you should not keep up with the intense yoga regimen. Remain kind to your body and keep in mind that you have to limit yourself in various ways that you were not before. Try to enjoy this bonding while you carry your child within you and enjoy all the best things that pregnancy can provide you.
Choose your prenatal yoga class very carefully:
Select a program taught by any instructor with the required training in prenatal yoga. You can observe a class well ahead of time to ensure you are comfortable with all activities involved, the instructor’s style, the class size, and the environment. A 200 hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh offers good training on prenatal yoga poses.
Conclusion
Pregnancy is one of the best times of your life that you must enjoy thoroughly. If you are somebody who practices yoga, then maintaining consistency in routine is very important and something possible to do. Keep all tips in mind, and also consult your doctor or yoga trainers when you have any confusion.