Prenatal Yoga Poses To Ease Pregnancy Pains
Let’s be real – pregnancy isn’t all rainbows and unicorns. That tiny human growing inside you, the one you’ve loved since before conception, is wreaking havoc on your body. As the baby grows in size, so does your discomfort. Breathing becomes labored, your back hurts, and your feet are swollen and tired. While it’s likely you won’t enjoy every moment of pregnancy (hello, morning sickness and heartburn), we hope these yoga stretches will help ease your aches, discomfort, and stress so you can enjoy the time you have left until you’re holding your precious baby.
For Back Pain: Ankle-to-Knee Pose
How to: Start in a seated position, with feet on the floor, knees bent, and shoulders relaxed. Slide your right flexed foot under the left knee, so the right knee rests on the floor. Place the left shin on top of the right, so your left foot rests on your right knee, and the left knee rests on the right foot. Rest your palms gently on your knee and foot, or bring them together to prayer. For a deeper stretch, hinge forward. Switch leg placement and repeat on the other side.
For Relieving Belly Weight: Wide-Knee Child’s Pose
How to: Kneel on the ground with your butt on your heels, the top of your feet against the floor, big toes touching, and knees wider than hip-width apart. Slowly bring the chest to the mat, allowing your body to come between the legs. Extend your arms overhead, touching your forehead to the mat. Or lay your arms alongside your body with palms facing up if that feels more comfortable.
For Low Back Pain: Seated Side Bend
How to: Start in a comfortable upright seated position, with your legs crossed or folded in a half-lotus pose. Allow the right hand to rest comfortably on the ground. Stretch the left arm straight up, and then bend to the right, focusing on rotating your upper torso and staying open as you gaze up at your left hand. As you bend to the side, lower onto your right forearm for support. Repeat on the other side.
For All-Over Relief: Legs-up-the-Wall Pose
How to: Sit close to a wall. Lie faceup and raise your legs with your flexed feet facing the ceiling. Shimmy your hips until your heels and calves gently rest against the wall. From here, rest both hands on your belly.
You probably already know that staying active while pregnant can have all kinds of great benefits for you and your baby. Unless your doctor has told you otherwise, staying active with prenatal yoga classes in San Antonio can be perfectly healthy.