Prenatal yoga links postures (asana) and breathing exercises (pranayama) to create awareness of your own mind, body and spirit. Prenatal yoga practice can also support a deepened connection to your baby. Try these basic poses at home to ease back pain, relieve fatigue, tension and revitalize the internal organs to help you get smoothly through pregnancy and best prepared for giving birth.
6 Best Basic Yoga Poses for Pregnancy:
1. Triangle pose (Trikonasana)
Place your mat perpendicular to the wall. Walk your feet apart until your left foot is flush against the wall. Turn your right leg and foot to the right, so that your toes point toward the top (short end) of your mat. Place your block behind your right foot. Raise your arms to shoulder height. Extend all four limbs and extend your torso. Keeping this extension place your right fingertips or hands on the block. Look forward, then turn the torso from right to left. Turn your neck and head to the right and look beyond your left hand. Hold briefly. Come up with straight legs. Repeat two more times on this side (for a total of 3 times). Walk your legs in and do the same thing on the left side.
2. Arm extension in Heroine pose (Parvatasana in Virasana)
Sit on a block or bolster with feet by outer hips. Toes point toward the wall behind you. Interlace your fingers near the base of the fingers and extend overhead.
3. Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Put a chair against the wall. Place your palms and fingers on the chair seat, walk your feet back and bend at the hips. Keep your arms and legs straight. Extend your torso completely.
4. Spinal Twist (Baradvajasana)
Place a chair in the middle of the room. Sit in the chair facing forward and then turn your entire body to the right. Turn your mi
d to upper torso further to the right and place both hands on the upright seat back of your chair. Using your arms and back muscles, gently turn further to the right. Relax your neck and throat and turn your neck and head to right. Hold briefly and then come all the way out and sit forward in your chair. Repeat this now on the left side. Repeat both sides so that you do this pose three times on each side.
5. Legs elevated (Viparita Karani)
Place folded blankets or a bolster under your buttocks and your calves on a chair (or couch). Your mid back, shoulder, neck and head are on the ground. Tuck your shoulders under. Rest.
6. Deep Relaxation (Savasana)
Stack two bolsters (or the equivalent of blankets) on a mat. Stagger the top bolster so that it is slightly back from the lower bolster–like a small step. Lay down over the bolsters and put a blanket under your head. Adjust the height of the blanket as needed so that your forehead is higher than your chin. Relax your entire body. Breath softly and smoothly. Stay in the pose for 5 minutes or longer. Come out slowly.
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