Pregnancy Yoga and Pranayam: Reduce Stress and Boost Well-being

• The process of breathing in yoga provides more oxygen to the body, which is very important during pregnancy. 
• After doing yoga, the fetus gets the benefit of oxygen-rich blood.
• During yoga practice, your mind becomes very calm and also remains free from stress. This peace reaches your child, with the help of which both you and your child remain physically and mentally healthy.
• The waist and pelvic muscles become weak during and after pregnancy. Regular yoga practice helps to keep them toned and healthy.
• Gentle toning and stretching prepares your body for the baby during and after pregnancy.
• Yoga postures help keep the body supple. They open the pelvic region and relieve tension around the cervix. Yoga prepares the mother for delivery.
• Yoga postures help relieve common symptoms like morning sickness, leg cramps, ankle swelling and constipation.
• Yoga postures also help the mother recover faster after delivery.

(Read more - Diet during the first month of pregnancy)

Exercise is very important during pregnancy. You may have some difficulty with the yoga exercises given below, but do them under the supervision of a teacher.

Marjari Asana -
First of all, sit on the ground by bending your knees. Now move your hands a little forward and slowly place them on the ground. Now bend your stomach down towards the ground and take your neck as high as possible. Stay in this position for a few minutes. After a few minutes, in the same process, take the waist upwards and bring the head between both the hands and bend it downwards. Stay in this position for a few minutes. You can also decide it's time according to your capacity.

Benefits of MarjariAsana -
This will make your spine flexible. This is useful because this asana supports the load on the waist during pregnancy.

• This asana tones the abdominal area. 
• Blood circulation improves.
• This also nourishes the reproductive organs well.

Konasana -
First of all, stand straight with both the feet together. Now stand the right hand straight up and keep the left hand stuck to the leg. Now turn your body as much as possible to the left with your right hand. Stay in this position for a few minutes. You can also decide it's time according to your capacity. Then straighten the body with your right hand and stand straight by sticking both hands to the legs.

Benefits of Konasana -

• By doing this asana, your spine will remain flexible.
• This will open up your body.
• This asana also provides relief from constipation, the most common problem in pregnancy.

Virabhadrasana 2 -
First of all, stand straight. Now take your left leg forward and the right leg backward as shown in the picture but do this according to your capacity. Now raise both your hands and make them completely straight and turn the palms upwards. Stay in this position for a few minutes or you can also decide the time according to your capacity.

Benefits of Virabhadrasana -

• By doing this asana, your body remains balanced because there is a high possibility of falling during pregnancy. 
• It tones the shoulders, legs and lower back.
• By doing this asana, your stamina increases.
• This helps you in delivery.

Trikonasana -
First of all, stand straight. Now open your legs and move your left leg forward. Keep your right leg straight. Now bend your body and place your left hand on the left foot's toe or knee. And move your right hand upwards. Turn your neck towards the right hand. Do this process according to your capacity.

Benefits of Trikonasana -

• This asana keeps you balanced physically and mentally.
• It helps in stretching and opening the hips which is very beneficial during pregnancy.
• Relieves back pain and strain.

Baddha Konasana -
First of all, sit down. And join the soles of both your feet together as shown in the picture. Now hold the toes or toes of the feet with your hands. Then move your feet slowly like a butterfly for a few minutes or according to your capacity.

Benefits of Baddha Konasana -

• Makes the hips and the part between the stomach and thigh flexible.
• Stretches the thighs and knees and gives relief from pain.
• Relieves fatigue.
• Eases delivery.

Viparita Karani Asana -
Take the support of the wall to do this asana. First of all, lie down like a wall while bending your knees. Now slowly lift your legs upwards. A soft pillow should be placed under your hips and waist so that the waist and hips do not touch the hard ground directly. Relax your shoulders and head. Keep your hands on the side and turn the palms upwards. In this position, breathe comfortably for five minutes and bring the breath slowly downwards. You can decide the time of this position according to your capacity.

Benefits of Viparita Karani Asana -

• Doing this asana gives relief from back pain.
• Improves blood flow to the pelvic region.
• Reduces swelling of the ankles and varicose veins, common symptoms of miscarriage.

Shavasana –
First of all, lie down straight. Make a little distance between the legs and keep the hands away from the body. Keep the palms of the hands facing upwards. Then close your eyes. Now leave the body loose and take a slow deep breath. You can do this process for as long as you want.

Benefits of Shavasana –

• Pregnant women should constantly keep an eye on their blood pressure.
• This asana keeps your body relaxed, keeps the cells healthy.
• This asana is a pain reliever in itself.
• Pregnant women should avoid medicines to relieve pain.
• This asana keeps stress away.

Yoga Nidra
First of all, lie down straight. Make a little distance between the legs and keep the hands away from the body. Turn the palms of the hands upwards. Then close your eyes. Now leave the body loose and take a slow deep breath. You can do this process for as long as you want.

Benefits of Yoga Nidra -

• It relieves pain.
• Reduces stress and anxiety.
• Helps regulate blood pressure.
• It relaxes all the cells and prepares the body for delivery.

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Pranayama helps in getting rid of negative emotions like anger and frustration. Reduces stress and keeps the mind calm.

Bhramari Pranayama -
First of all, sit in a comfortable posture. Now place the fingers of both hands near the eyes or on the head. And close the ears lightly with the thumb. Now take deep breaths in and out. While doing this process, make a buzzing sound like a fly. Keep doing this process according to your capacity.

Benefits of doing Bhramari Pranayama -

• Regulates blood circulation.
• Gives relief from headache.

Nadi Shodhan Pranayama -
First of all, sit in a comfortable posture. Now bring your right hand near the nose and press the nose from the right side with the thumb and inhale from the left side. Then close the left nostril with your finger to exhale. Your left hand should be placed on the left leg. Do this process according to your capacity.

Benefits of Nadi Shodhan Pranayama -

• Keeps the mind calm.
• Keeps the body temperature balanced.
• This pranayama increases the supply of oxygen.
• This helps in the development of the baby in the womb.

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• Avoid asanas that put pressure on the stomach during the growing stages of pregnancy.
• Do yoga asanas while standing in the first trimester of pregnancy. This will strengthen your legs and also increase blood circulation. This will also relieve cramps in your legs.
• To avoid fatigue in the second and third trimester of pregnancy, do not do asanas for a long time. Instead, do breathing exercises or meditation.
• Avoid practicing yoga from 10 to 14 weeks of pregnancy as this time is very important.
• Do not do asanas in which your body is in an upside down position.
• Do asanas according to your body.
• Be sure to follow these yoga rules.

(Read more - Symptoms of Pregnancy After Ovulation)

Pregnant women should not do these poses -

• Naukasana 
• Chakrasana 
• Ardha Matsyendrasana 
• Bhujangasana 
• Viparita Shalabhasana 
• Halasana

Before starting yoga during pregnancy, please consult your doctor whether it is right for you or not. If you do yoga, do it under the guidance of a trained guru.

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Regular practice of yoga and pranayama during pregnancy provides many physical and mental benefits for pregnant women. Yoga not only makes the body flexible and strong, but also increases the ability to bear pain during delivery. This improves blood circulation in the body and reduces stress. Pranayama, such as Anulom-Vilom and deep breathing techniques, increases the lung capacity of the pregnant woman and ensures better supply of oxygen to the baby. It provides mental peace, improves sleep and reduces common pregnancy problems like fatigue, dizziness and restlessness. However, it is important to consult a doctor before doing yoga and pranayama during pregnancy, so that they can be practiced with the right method and precautions.