10 Prenatal yoga movements to prepare for birth

Mothers who are pregnant may already be familiar with prenatal yoga activities or what is known as yoga exercises for pregnant women. Prenatal yoga includes "supplies" for the preparation of delivery for pregnant women in addition to items for childbirth.

Do you already know about prenatal yoga for pregnant women and what yoga movements are for pregnant women?

If you haven't or want to know more, I will discuss prenatal yoga in the review below.

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What is prenatal yoga?

Prenatal yoga or yoga for pregnant women is a type of yoga that is specifically done during pregnancy.

This type of yoga can help pregnant women to be physically and mentally prepared for childbirth, whether it's a normal delivery or a cesarean section.

Mothers who are pregnant with twins and preparing to give birth to twins can also do this yoga movement.

In fact, mothers who plan to give birth at home or give birth in the hospital can also relax themselves with this pregnancy yoga.

Usually, yoga exercises for pregnant women focus on practicing breathing, exercises for the hip area, and practicing various poses.

This breathing exercise is useful as a provision for breathing techniques when giving birth later.

The benefits of poses in prenatal yoga or yoga exercises for pregnant women are to restore energy when they feel tired due to hormonal changes in the body.

For mothers who are pregnant, regularly practicing this type of yoga will help you feel stronger, stay active during pregnancy, and provide benefits to the baby in the womb.

What are the benefits of prenatal yoga for pregnant women?

There are various benefits of prenatal yoga exercises for pregnant women in preparation for childbirth. Launching from the Mayo Clinic, here are the benefits of the yoga movement for pregnant women:

• Improve sleep patterns.
• Reduces stress and anxiety.
• Increase muscle strength and flexibility.
• Helps the body stay healthy, strong and active.
• Improve breathing technique for the better.
• Reduces nausea, headaches, shortness of breath, and pain in the lower back.
• Helps maintain body balance.
• Train the readiness of the hips before childbirth.
• Provide relaxation for the body of pregnant women.
• Cultivate a strong bond with the baby in the womb.

As mentioned earlier, following prenatal yoga exercises for pregnant women in the studio also allows you to meet and socialize with other pregnant women.

That way, you can exchange stories and experiences about pregnancy and childbirth.

Interestingly, the various types of labor that the mother may be planning such as water births, gentle births, and hypnobirthing can also be practiced with this yoga movement.

When and where should you do prenatal yoga?

Actually, you can practice prenatal yoga from the moment you know you are pregnant, especially if before pregnancy the mother had routinely exercised or practiced yoga.

However, you should first consult with your doctor.

This is because most doctors just give the green light to pregnant women to start exercising in the second trimester or beyond 12 weeks of gestation.

Because after 12 weeks of gestation, usually morning sickness you no longer feel it so you can return to activity without a hitch.

Meanwhile, a place to practice prenatal yoga for pregnant women can be done at home or in a special studio with a trainer.

However, for the first time it is highly recommended that you come to a yoga studio to identify yoga movements that are right for the condition of pregnant women.

Then you can then continue practicing yourself at home when you get used to it.

Practicing prenatal yoga exercises for pregnant women in the studio also provides more benefits.

Because in this way, you can meet and get acquainted with other participants as well as exchange information about pregnancy.

If you want to practice at home, you can find videos of yoga exercises online or apply some postures from prenatal yoga classes that have been attended before.

How often can pregnant women do prenatal yoga?

Prenatal yoga can be done by pregnant women about 1-2 times a week for 60-75 minutes when done in a special yoga studio.

Meanwhile, when done at home, you can practice yoga movements in preparation for childbirth for about 30 minutes, citing the American Pregnancy Association.

Mothers can start doing yoga exercises by doing breathing techniques for 15 minutes and yoga poses that focus on the hips, arms, and stretching for 15 minutes.

Prenatal yoga can also be combined with other sports such as swimming and walking to stay active and healthy during pregnancy.

Mothers can do this yoga movement until they are approaching childbirth until later various signs of childbirth appear, including the opening of labor.

Prenatal yoga movements in a standing position for pregnant women

Before doing so, keep in mind that when you practice prenatal yoga, there are often many movements that need to be modified according to the conditions of the pregnancy.

I will describe safe yoga postures for you to practice regularly during pregnancy, of course, with some modifications and variations.

To be even more helpful, you can also use the help of a yoga block, chair, or wall if you feel that you lose your balance while practicing.

Prenatal yoga that you can practice at home are as follows:

1. Mountain pose (Tadasana)

Way to do:

• Stand on your feet, spread your legs waist-wide, then make sure your feet are parallel with the big toes facing the inside of your body and facing each other. It's better if you leave space between the legs, because with the condition of your stomach, this position is more comfortable.
• The arms are active at the sides of the body with the palms of the hands active and the fingers together.
• Soften your facial muscles and shoulder muscles, you can do while closing your eyes.

Variation:

• Bring your palms together in front of your chest while closing your eyes and breathing deeply. Do this before starting a yoga practice to get your breath in, focus and balance.

• Bring your palms together or intertwine, lift and then extend your arms at the sides of your head so that your intertwined palms and open palms are above your head.

• Stretch (stretching) arms and body to the right side and left side.

Perform each posture while breathing deeply from the nose for 5-8 breaths and repeat 3 times for a variation movement.

You can use this pose to warm up your body. Make sure not to hold your breath as it is important to always breathe deeply for both mother and baby.

2. Chair pose (Uttkatasana)

The following are the stages of doing prenatal yoga with chair poses for pregnant women:

Way to do:

• Do an upright standing position (Tadasana) and then bend your knees, as if you are sitting on a chair. Make sure you are not tensing your abdominal muscles but rather strengthening your pelvic muscles.

• Then lift and extend your arms at your sides, palms active.

Perform each posture while breathing deeply from your nose for 5 breaths, then repeat the movement 3 times.

Make sure you don't hold your breath as it is important to always take deep breaths for both you and your baby.

3. Tree pose (Vrksasana)

The following are the stages of doing prenatal yoga with tree pose movements for pregnant women:

Way to do:

• Standing in the Tadasana position, then bring your palms to your waist, bend your right knee and bring the soles of your feet to your left inner thigh.
• If it's too difficult, bring the soles of the feet against the calves Bring your gaze to a single point for focus and body balance.

• When you feel balanced, extend your arms and bring your palms together above your head.

Variation:

Often times when pregnant, it is difficult to balance the body. However, you can use assistance when practicing this posture, either with a wall or a chair.

Perform each posture while breathing deeply from the nose for 5-8 breaths, then work on the right and the left.

Make sure you don't hold your breath, as it's important to always take deep breaths for both you and your baby.

4. Half intense stretch pose (Ardha Uttanasana)

The following are the stages of doing prenatal yoga with half intense stretch poses for pregnant women:

Way to do:

• Stand in the Tadasana position and place the yoga block in a vertical position in front of you.
• Place your hands on both blocks and align your hips with your shoulders, and your hips are level over your ankles.

• You can also do this position with the help of a chair or wall.
• When using the help of a chair or wall in front of you, place your palms in front of your head and your arms in line with your ears.

Perform each posture while breathing deeply from your nose for 5-8 breaths, then repeat 3 times.

Make sure the mother does not hold her breath as it is important to always breathe deeply for both mother and baby.

5. Intense stretch pose (Uttanasana)

Way to do:

The following are the stages of doing prenatal yoga with intense stretch movements for pregnant women:

• Stand in the Tadasana position, then bring your palms to your waist, bend your upper body and bring your palms to touch the floor.

• When your hands are not touching the floor, place the yoga block in front of your feet and place your palms on the block.

Perform each posture while breathing deeply from your nose for 5-8 breaths, then repeat 3 times.

If you feel dizzy, stop doing this position, and return to the Tadasana position. Dizziness usually occurs when you don't breathe properly.

6.Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

The following are the stages of doing prenatal yoga with the Warrior II movement for pregnant women:

Way to do:

1. Stand in the Tadasana position, then bring your right foot back, toes facing the right side. Then, bend your front leg with your toes facing forward.
2. Then open your arms to the sides, parallel to your shoulders. Make sure the back arm is active and parallel to the front arm. Your gaze is on your front finger.
3. Bring your palms to your waist, then step your feet forward back into the Tadasana position. Do it for the side of the left leg.

Perform each posture while taking 5-8 deep breaths from your nose.

Make sure you don't hold your breath, as it's important to always take deep breaths for both you and your baby.

7. Extended triangle pose (Utthita Trikonasana)

The following are the stages of doing prenatal yoga with the utthita trichonasana for pregnant women:

Way to do:

1. Stand in the Warrior II position, straighten your front legs, then bring your palms forward reaching for the big toe of your front foot, or front ankle.
2. If this is too heavy, you can also place the block next to your front foot and place your palms on the block for support.
3. Then open your arms up, parallel to your arms touching your thumbs / blocks, open your chest and look at your fingers above your head.
4. Make sure your shoulders, neck, and facial muscles are relaxed.
5. Bring your body to a standing position with your arms at your sides, then place your hands on your waist and return to the Tadasana position.
6. Do the same for the left side.

Perform each posture while breathing deeply from your nose for 5-8 breaths.

Make sure you don't hold your breath as it is important to always breathe deeply for both mother and baby.

8. Intense side stretch pose (Parsvottanasana)

The following are the stages of doing prenatal yoga with side stretch poses for pregnant women:

Way to do:

• From Tadasana, bring the sole of the right foot back.
• With your body facing forward, keep your legs straight, and your back feet facing 45 degrees to the side.
• Then, bring your palms together behind your back, open your chest, and activate your shoulders.

• Separate your palms from your back and bring your front body closer to your quadriceps, but still leave room for your stomach.
• Place your palms on the floor next to the soles of your front feet, or if it is difficult to touch the floor, place the block next to the soles of your feet and place your palms on the block.

• Raise your body to a standing position then stand in the Tadasana position. Do the same for the left side.

Perform each posture while taking 5-8 deep breaths from your nose.

Make sure you don't hold your breath, as it's important to always breathe deeply for both you and your baby.

9.Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III)

The following are the stages of doing prenatal yoga with the Warrior III movement for pregnant women:

Way:

• From Tadasana, place the block in front of your feet, then do the half intense stretch pose (pose number 4). Place your hands on the block, your hips in line with your shoulders, then lift one leg.
• You can do this position only here, or bring your palms together in front of your chest, gaze fixed on one point for focus and balance.

• If you feel stable enough, you can extend your arms and then do the Warrior III pose perfectly. Keep your body in balance.

• If it is difficult, you can also do the movement with the help of a chair or wall in front of you.
• Place your hands on the chair / wall, then lift one leg extending backward.

Perform each posture while breathing deeply from your nose for 5-8 breaths, then repeat 3 times.

If you feel dizzy, stop doing this position, and return to the Tadasana position. Dizziness usually occurs when you don't breathe properly.

10. Downward dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

The following are the stages of doing prenatal yoga with downward dog movements for pregnant women:

Way to do:

• Bring your body into the Table Top position, place your palms and knees on the yoga mat, squeeze your fingers, then press your toes. The gaze is directed forward.

• Lift your knees, then straighten your legs later and bring your heels closer to the mat.
• Straighten your arms, push your shoulders back. This is the perfect Downward dog position.

Variation:

If you feel pain in your hamstrings when you straighten your legs and bring your heels closer to the mat, you can modify the movement.

Modifications or variations of this movement can be done by bending your knees, but still pushing your shoulders back.

Perform each posture while breathing deeply from your nose for 5-8 breaths, then repeat 3 times.

You can even do this position between other poses.

If you feel dizzy, stop doing this position, and return to the Table Top position. Dizziness usually occurs when you don't breathe properly.

Pregnant women can practice various yoga exercises to help prepare for labor every day at home.

Make sure you read the instructions clearly and always pay attention to your body condition. Also make sure you always breathe deeply in every movement to increase your body's energy and make your body circulation better.

Happy practicing prenatal yoga for pregnant women!

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