Release Tension in Common Areas of Discomfort: Yoga Practices for Pregnancy / Prenatal Students

Purpose

• Release tension in the shoulders and back caused from carrying the added weight of breasts and uterus.
• Low back pain is common during pregnancy as a result of the growing weight of the baby and ab muscles that lengthen and weaken. This tends to put a great deal of strain on the low back back.
• Release tension in the hips.
• Increase circulation to the legs.

Yoga postures help to ease many of the common discomforts of pregnancy such as low back pain, outer hip tightness, and shoulder tension. Poses like Warrior I and II help to both stretch and strengthen the legs and hips which can help to relieve back pain.– Anne Phyfe Palmer

Sample Poses

After 20 weeks, pregnant students should not lie flat on the back. (The weight of the uterus and baby may press on the vena cava, a major vein carrying blood from the lower body back to the heart.) Use a bolster or blankets to create inclined support in supine poses.

• Seated Shoulder Stretches
• Seated Side Stretch
• Toe Squat
• Marjaryasana (Cat-Cow Flow)
• Virabhadrasana I (Warrior 1 Pose)
• Virabhadrasana II (Warrior 2 Pose)
• Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose)
• Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)
• Prasarita Twist – hand to block beneath face, important to keep belly button pointing down so work is in upper back and there is no tension or binding in the belly
• Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose)
• Malasana (Garland Pose / Yogic Squat)
• Supta Padangusthasana (Reclined Hand to Toe Pose)
• Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclined Bound Angle Pose)
• Supported Backbend with feet flat on floor
• Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Pigeon Pose) over bolster
• Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)
• Upavistha Konasana (Wide Legged Seated Forward Fold)

Elevate the student’s upper body past 20 degrees. – Brenda Plakans