One thing is certain in every pregnancy – your body will experience many changes: some obvious, and some more difficult to see. Practising asana can help you physically and mentally cope with these changes, and make your pregnancy a much more pleasant experience.
What should you do in the first trimester?
Your first trimester is a very exhausting time. As your body works frantically to develop major systems for a developing human being, you may experience severe nausea or morning sickness. If you’re able to, we recommend performing the restorative practice, vinyasa, daily.
During the first trimester, you’ll experience a rise in the hormones relaxin and estrogen, which softens connective tissue, giving you greater flexibility.
To make the most of this flexibility, we advise you to strengthen your pelvic floor. You can do this through the Warrior II and Goddess poses.
What about the second trimester?
During this stage of pregnancy, you may experience a surge in energy and morning sickness will have dissipated. You’ll also notice a rounder belly, as your body makes room for the growing baby.
As the weight on your abdominal muscles increases, this is a great time to perform half-plank, rather than full-plank, poses. The most effective poses to strengthen your abdominal muscles include: a modified camel (these can be performed with blocks or a bolster) and standing chest openers.
What should you do in the final stages of your pregnancy?
The third trimester is a very exciting, yet nerve-wracking few months. You’re so close to welcoming your little one into the world. Yet, you may understandably feel a little nervous. The final trimester is the ideal time to consider the position of your baby.
If you’re planning on a vaginal birth, there are many poses we can recommend to encourage perfect foetal positioning. Practising poses on all-fours will discourage the baby’s spine away from your own spine. This is why many all-fours poses are used during labour.
Standing poses, such as the warrior, goddess and chair are also helpful. These poses will build strength in your legs, as well as create a feeling of empowerment you will notice all throughout labour.
To experience a calm, enjoyable pregnancy, call or email our experienced team today.
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