Exercising throughout pregnancy is extremely necessary for the health of the mother and the child. It definitely has a whole deal of positives; prepares you well for the labor phase and helps to address the physical challenges post-delivery. However, when you are pregnant you would like to pay special attention to your workout regimen since not all exercises are safe through all trimesters of pregnancy.
Benefits of Yoga During Pregnancy
- Yoga minimizes the discomforts and complications face during different stages of pregnancy and improves blood circulation.
- It stretches the body and makes it flexible to deal with increasing weight
- Pranayama helps in union of body and mind by proper functioning of the endocrine system
Benefits of Yoga during Child delivery
- Yoga ensures comfortable and easy delivery since the muscles, especially the pelvic muscles are well toned and strong ( Refer to birthing ball technique video here)
- Yoga stretches all ligaments throughout the pelvic , hips and legs , resulting in easier positioning and pushing during labour.
- In delivery, breathing plays the most vital role, and is an important part of normal delivery. Regular practice of pranayama keeps one in sync with their breath and prepares them well for power breathing through various stages of labour pains (Often referred to as Lamaze)
Benefits of Yoga post pregnancy
- Helps to get back in shape much faster. it massages the internal organs gently which have gone through lot of stress during the pregnancy and re-tones them . It helps in overcoming problems such as stretch marks, piles, excessive bleeding, urinary incontinence, insomnia etc, and helps with post partum depression.
- It also brings back the strength of the body in all areas
Exercises for first trimester
During the primary trimester, you’re overly tired, unpredictably nauseous, and scared that every move you undergo will harm the baby. However, exercising during the initial three months can help increase your energy levels and reduce many pregnancy-induced discomforts. Some of the relevant exercises you can try are as folows
- Baddha Konasana
- Marajari Asana
- Bhujanga Asana
- Tadasana
Asanas which should be completely avoided are
- Sun Salutations ( Click here for Hatha variation of Sun salutations )
- Plough Pose
- Boat Pose..essentially anything that puts pressure on the abdomen .
Exercises for second trimester
Working out during the second trimester of pregnancy generally feels great! Here are a few exercises you can opt for during the second trimester:
- Side raise
- Kegel exercise
- Squats with help of a chair
- Vajrasana
- Baalasana
Exercises for third trimester
This phase may feel boring as your body might feel heavy and you may be too tired with all that weight you have put on. Choose these following exercises during the third trimester:
1. Marjariasana(Cat Stretch Pose)
2. Konasana (Standing, sideways bending, one arm)
3. Veerbhadrasana (Warrior pose)
4. Badhakonasana (Butterfly pose)
5. Shvanasana (Corpse pose)
6. Malasana 
While these are safe exercises that you simply can do during your pregnancy, you should keep basic precautions in mind.
- Let your doctor know about your workout plan.
- Don’t lie on your stomach.
- Don’t do any jumping exercises.
- Listen to your body
Common Issues during Pregnancy and its remedies
Leg Cramps
Leg cramps may be a very common discomfort related to pregnancy, and while they last for very less duration, the pain is really acute and sometimes unbearable. Because the baby size increases, the pressure of holding up and carrying the baby is commonly felt by the legs and they are often under a lot of pressure. For these, you can try Toe bending, ankle bending, and Ankle rotation. You’ll be able to perform these while lying down or while sitting with/without support at the rear.
Constipation
This complication affects almost 70% of pregnant women, during the later part of the pregnancy. It can be prevented with some yogic postures and modification of diet. The most common cause here is that the hormonal changes, which tend to increase the relaxation of intestinal walls and cause food to remain longer within the digestive tract. The pressure of the enlarged uterus on the lower portion of the intestine also aggravates the case. For this swaying lotus pose, Vajrasana, Shankhasana is highly recommended.
Heartburn /Gastric problems
Many ladies experience the sensation of fullness or heartburn, especially within the first trimester. Though it’s generally harmless, it’s uncomfortable. It’s more sort of a burning sensation, that extends from the bottom of the breastbone to lower part of the throat. It’s also caused by a number of hormonal changes and gastrointestinal changes within the body of the mother.
Recommended asanas for this issue are Ashwatthasana, Hastothanasana, Supta Padmasana, Singhasana.
In conclusion, Yoga asanas help keep the body supple. Relieving tension around the cervix, by opening up the pelvic region. This prepares to-be-mothers for labor and delivery. Yoga and pranayama can train you to breathe deeply and relax consciously. It helps reduce the effect of common symptoms like nausea, painful leg cramps, swollen ankles, and constipation. Yoga asanas also help pregnant women recover faster post-delivery. You will be up and about in no time!
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