Yoga and pregnancy
Yoga for pregnant woman learns the connection between the rhythm of her breath and the state of her mind. This is of great help when, in hours of depression, she can free herself from low spirits by deep relaxation. The breathing exercises alone lead her to the steps of contemplation and therefore to a source of comfort and peace.
Generally, pregnancy exercises can be continued until approximately the twelfth week of pregnancy. The postures must be performed particularly slowly and without any force.
In the fourth month of pregnancy the following exercises must be omitted: shoulder stand, plough, forward bending, head stand and all exercises in the abdominal position.
After the fourth month of pregnancy, leg cradling exercise is intended to keep the pelvis elastic. Sit on a blanket, bend the right knee and hold the leg with the right arm, try to bring the foot with the sole under the left armpit. Then transfer the weight to the left buttock and link your hands lightly. Bring knee and foot to the body and perform a rocking movement from left to right. Change to the other leg and repeat. Follow this up by the contemplative breath lying on the back. Feel the warmth in the pelvic region.
In the fifth month of pregnancy these exercises you should avoid: danda, windmill, triangular posture, camel ride, complete breath in thunderbolt posture and leg cradling.
During the last months of pregnancy the following exercises can be continued: very slowly screw, spiral, and foot circling on the back. As pregnancy advances, partial and deep relaxation becomes more important.
There are many women who, until the sixth month of pregnancy, have never bothered to study the functions of their body. In most cases they have only tried to relieve their colds, coughs, constipation, kidney trouble, migraine etc with tablets, pills and injections. When in the sixth month they come to the Yoga teacher with a kidney attack, varicose veins or strong pain in the back, it is too late for exercises of a dynamic kind. It is hardly possible at that stage to teach them even thoracic breathing which the well prepared can continue with in the sixth or even seventh month.
Deep relaxation differs from short partial relaxation as it needs a longer preparation and excludes any movement such as a correction of the posture which would disrupt the mental collectedness. For slim people it is usually sufficient to put the legs on a cushion or mattress which also supports the heels. Pregnant women with a hollow back should put the legs from the knees downwards on an upholstered chair or couch. If even then the back does not lie flat, one can slide a cushion underneath the head to support the hollow part of the back.
Deep relaxation for the pregnant woman should take 20 to 40 minutes without any change of the position and with legs and feet covered. Only under these conditions can the whole body from top to toe participate in the benefits of deep relaxation.