Yoga Poses for Pregnant Women

Practicing yoga while pregnant is very beneficial for women. Yoga focuses on your core muscles and flexibility to help strengthen your muscles. During pregnancy, women tend to get aches and pains due to carrying the extra weight of an unborn child. Practicing yoga can help alleviate those aches and pains and make your body stronger during pregnancy. The breathing techniques used in yoga can also help the women when she delivers the baby. Yoga is a great way to keep your body strong while you are pregnant to help you care for your unborn child and help prepare you for delivery. Be sure to check with your doctor before you start any yoga poses. You also want to make sure that you avoid any poses were you lie on your stomach or flat on your back.

Here are some great yoga poses for pregnant women.

Easy Pose
This yoga pose is the basic pose that you can do anytime. It will help lengthen your torso and help you with your mind and body connection

1. Sit on the floor and cross your legs over each other, so that your feet are under the opposite knees. Find a comfortable position for you.
2. Sit up tall and rest your arms on your knees.
3. Close your eyes and breath in and out deeply. This yoga pose is used to focus on your breathing and to connect your mind with your body. Hold this pose for as long as you wish, but alternate your feet every so often.

Standing Side Stretch Pose
This yoga poses help to increase flexibility of your spine, arms, and rib cage. It will also aid in the lungs receiving more oxygen into them.

1. Stand straight up with feet together, shoulders relaxed.
2. Inhale and raise your left arm straight up in the air. Place your right hand on your right hip for stability.
3. Exhale and bend your upper body to the right. Do not bend your body forward. Hold for 10 seconds and return to starting pose. Repeat on the other side of your body.

Cat Pose
This is a great yoga pose for opening up your hips and strengthening your lower back. The yoga pose also helps improve circulation throughout your body. If you have trouble with this yoga pose, perform the pose against a wall instead of on your knees on the floor.

1. Start on your hands and knees on the floor. Your hands should be directly above your shoulders and your knees directly above your hips. Your back should be flat.
2. Breathe in deeply and gently pull your abdominals backwards towards your spine, while tucking your tailbone under. Contract your buttocks. Press your back towards the ceiling, rounding your spine upwards. Make sure you are pressing downward with your hands. You should look like a cat when it arches it's back up.
4. Hold this position for 10 seconds and slowly lower yourself back down to starting position.

Standing Spread Leg Forward Pose
For women who are pregnant this yoga pose needs to be adjusted a little bit. You will need to support yourself with your hands on your knees rather than bending down to the ground. This pose helps to stretch your legs and lower back and help calm headaches.

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder length apart and your arms down by your side.
2. Bend your upper body from the hip and place your hands on your knees for support. Pull in your abdominal muscles and stretch out your neck. Look down towards the floor. If you are having trouble bending to your knees, try placing a chair in front of you and lean on that for support.
3. Hold the pose for 10 seconds and return to the starting position