Guidelines of Yogic Practice during Pregnancy

Guidelines of Yogic Practice:

1. Yogic practice should be practiced in a quiet and calm atmosphere.

2. Practice in empty stomach after emptying bowels and bladder

3. Use Yoga mat, mattress for the Yoga practice.

4. Light and comfortable cotton clothes are preferred.

5. Yogic practices shall be performed slow and relaxed manner.

6. Always breathing should be through the nostrils unless instructed otherwise.

7. Do not jerk the body when practicing Yoga.

8. Yogic practices should be performed according to your own capacity.

9. Yoga session should end with deep silence / meditation/ Sankalpa Śhāntipatha.

Guidelines- Yoga for Pregnant Ladies:

The first thing is to remember that every pregnancy is different, even for the same woman. It is always best to listen to the body and do only what feels right each day. Modify according to the practitioners condition, especially when trying new Yoga poses. Concentrate on maintaining good alignment and breathing. Asanas should be practiced with proper guidance or under proper supervision.

1. As a general rule, modify poses to make space for growing belly and find poses that are similar but less demanding to the body.

2. Blood sugar levels can dip more frequently in pregnancy. Although one is advised not to eat before doing Yoga, pregnant women may need to have a light snack or juices before class.

3. More attention should be paid to pelvic floor awareness in all asanas and pranayama practice.

4. Tune the body with the growing baby with slow rhythmic breathing and relaxation poses during the Yoga practice. Do modified versions of Balasana (Child), Marjariasana (Cat), Malasana (Squat) and Butterfly Yoga poses (Bhadrasana).

5. Focus on stability and strength, rather than flexibility and endurance.

6. Avoid asanas compressing the uterus (e.g. forward bendings or closed twists) or asanas overstretching the abdominal muscles (e.g. backbends).

7. Do practice open twists by moving from the head to the waist only. Restorative poses, such as Supported Bridge with pillows and Reclining Butterfly with pillow, generally offer similar but less demanding backbends.

8. Avoid inverted asanas, like shoulder/hand/head stand; compressing the abdomen in twisted standing poses like Parivritta Trikonasana and abdominal poses like Navasana and Naukasana.

9. No lying on your stomach asanas like Bhujangasana, Shalabhasana and Dhanurasana etc.

10. Avoid lying flat on your back if you feel dizzy, sweaty, nauseous or short of breath. Avoid raising the hands above your head if dizzy when standing.

11. Avoid Kapalabhati kriya or any such straining cleansing practices.

12. In pranayama avoid Bhastrika and Kumbhaka (retention of breath). Practice slow breathing techniques, such as the Yogic deep breathing, Anuloma Viloma, Ujjayi and Bhramari to bring focus, reduce stress, anxiety and preparation for child birth.