Though you have to be careful with the exercises you do during pregnancy, there are some extremely effective and safe pregnancy yoga poses. These asanas not only do wonders for your wellbeing, they also make your delivery and recovery much better. We have curated some of the best yoga poses for pregnancy so that you have a safe and healthy pregnancy. These pregnancy safe yoga poses can actually do wonders.
5 Yoga Asanas for the First Trimester
Fatigue is common in the first trimester and it may not seem logical to work out but you will notice the benefits of yoga poses as they gently exercise your body and boost energy and endurance levels.
1. Easy Pose
Benefits
This asana helps to open out the hips very gently and makes you feel very calm and peaceful.
Method
- Sit and cross your legs with either the right or left leg in front.
- Sit straight and feel the pull in your waist.
- Extend your neck and relax your shoulders.
2. Unicorn and Rainbow Pose
Benefits
Often referred to as the cat and cow pose, this asana maintains flexibility and strengthens the lower back and abdomen.
Method
- Get down on all fours with hands at shoulder width and knees at hip width.
- Inhale and gaze upwards, lifting the breastbone and tailbone toward the sky as you pull in your lower back.
- Exhale and round the spine as you pull in the pelvis.
3. Pointer Dog Pose
Benefits
This pose is great for balance training and core strength.
Method
- Start on all fours with hands at shoulder width and knees at hip width.
- Inhale and lift your left arm with the thumb pointed upwards and lift your right leg to the height of your hip.
- Feel the stretch in your spine as you extend the front hand away from the back foot and feel a gentle lift in the abdomen.
- Change sides.
4. Down Dog Pose
Benefits
This asana, also known as the Mountain Pose, gives an incredible stretch to the entire back of the body from head to toe.
Method
- Get down on all fours with hands at shoulder width and knees at hip width.
- Exhale and lift your hips to the sky with your arms and legs straight.
- Ensure that you look at your toes when you look back at your feet.
5. Garland Pose
Benefits
This asana helps you to improve flexibility of the hip joints and enhances pelvic floor strength.
Method
- After the Down Dog Pose, place your feet a little wider than your hip width and turn your toes out at a 45 degree angle, with your hands in a namaste pose at the heart.
- Squat down until your hips are hanging above the floor.
5 Yoga Asanas for the Second Trimester
The second trimester of pregnancy is relatively a cakewalk as most of the symptoms have subsided. This is the time to bump up your exercise and focus on strength building so we have chosen a few of the best yoga poses for pregnancy.
Puppy Pose
Benefits
This asana is a simple and safe way to stretch the lower back while supporting the upper body.
Method
- Stand with your feet at hip width and place your hands at shoulder width on a wall.
- Slowly walk backwards until your torso is parallel to the ground.
- Contract thigh muscles and stretch your tailbone backwards and your head forward.
7. Dancing Warrior
Benefits
This pose strengthens the lower body and enhances flexibility of the upper body.
Method
- Begin in Warrior 1 with the left leg forward and with your arms stretched close to your ears.
- Move to Warrior 2 while exhaling and spread your arms to the sides. Bend the front knee and keep the back leg straight with the foot turned out slightly.
- Inhale and bring the left arm up and back while you bring your right hand to your hip so that the left side is stretched in Reverse Warrior.
- Exhale and stretch the right arm alongside your ear while placing your left forearm on your front thigh.
- Change sides.
8. Goddess Pose
Benefits
This pregnancy safe yoga pose strengthens the lower body and helps build strength in the core stabilisers.
Method
- Stand with your feet apart, a bit wider than your shoulder width.
- Rotate your hips outward so that your feet are turned out to 45 degrees.
- Keep your spine straight and look ahead, inhale and bend your knees to 90 degrees, keeping your knees turned out.
- Exhale and return to a standing position.
9. Bent-Over One-Arm Row
Benefits
This asana strengthens the muscles of the posture muscles or rhomboids.
Method
- Stand, holding a dumbbell in your left hand and your right hand on your right quadriceps.
- Stretch your spine.
- Keep your palm facing your torso as you exhale and pull your left shoulder blade towards your spine as you pull the elbow back and up.
- Inhale and return to the starting position.
10. Lower Back and Hip Stretch
Benefits
This pose stretches and relieves tension and pain in the lower back.
Method
- Stand with your arms straight and hands resting on a stable surface.
- Cross your left ankle on top of your right thigh and gently push your hips back as you bend your right knee.
- Stretch your spine upwards.
- Breathe deeply and feel the muscles relax.
- Change sides.
5 Yoga Asanas for the Third Trimester
The third trimester is the time to build up the pelvic floor muscles to support the weight of your baby and also push during delivery with a few pregnancy safe yoga poses.
Hip Circle
Benefits
This movement engages the core and gives stretch to the hips and lower back.
Method
- Get down on all fours with hands at shoulder width and knees at hip width.
- Gently rotate your hips in one direction with knees slightly bent a few times.
- Reverse the direction.
12. Standing Lateral Stretch
Benefits
This movement stretches the sides of your body.
Method
- Stand with your feet at hip width, inhale, interlock your fingers and stretch your arms upwards with your palms facing up.
- Exhale, reach over to the left and stretch.
- Change sides.
13. Seated Side-to-Side Rock
Benefits
This asana mobilises the muscles of the pelvic floor.
Method
- Sit straight on a stability ball with your feet at a little more than hip width. Put your hands on your hips.
- Feel your bones gently pressing into the ball and shift your weight onto the left side as you exhale.
- Return to the centre, and change sides.
Wall Squat
Benefits
This squat strengthens the legs, hips and core stabilisers.
Method
- Place a stability ball against the wall at your hip height and hold it there with your back with your feet at hip width.
- Stand straight, inhale and squat till your knees are at a 90 degree angle. The ball will roll up your spine and you will feel a stretch in the pelvic floor.
- Exhale and straighten your legs. .
15. Kneeling Hip Abduction
Benefits
This exercise strengthens the outer thighs and hips and stabilises the core.
Method
- Kneel on the floor with the right side of your torso lying on the stability ball, your right knee on the floor and your right arm on the ball.
- Exhale and slowly lift your left leg till it’s parallel to the floor.
- As you inhale, bring the leg down till it almost touches the floor.
- Repeat and switch sides.
We hope you enjoy the benefits of yoga poses and have a safe and healthy pregnancy. If you are looking for more information on suitable yoga poses for pregnancy, do get in touch with the EuroKids website.
