Yoga for Pregnant Women

Breathing is an activity which is essential to every living being because it is the only indication that the being is alive. Explained in simple terms, breathing involves inhalation of oxygen which is referred to as breathing in and exhalation of carbon dioxide which is referred to as breathing out. Being an activity which is basic to life, breathing forms the basis of many asanas in beginner’s yoga for pregnant women in the sense that much of the benefits derived from the particular asana depends on the efficiency with which the breathing technique is performed.

Breathing in beginner’s yoga for pregnant women is referred to as pranayama, a Sanskrit word comprising of two parts, prana meaning life and ayama meaning control. It is the pranayama on which many of the yogic asanas and chakras are based and there are seven such breathing techniques which should be regularly followed by beginners as well as expecting mothers so as to benefit the most. Yogic breathing is characterized by three phases namely inhalation or puraka, exhalation or rechaka and retention of breath or kumbhaka. While the actual ratio of the three aspects is 1:4:2, it need not be adhered to strictly by the beginners as well as the expecting mothers, the latter being advised to completely avoid holding of breath.

For performing these breathing techniques, one must either sit erect on a mat or alternatively sit in a comfortable chair which cushions and props all around. The seven breathing techniques are named as sukha pranayama, bhramari or bee breathing, sitkari or teeth pressing, bhastrika or vigorous breathing, kapalabhati or cleansing breathing, sitali or tongue breathing and anuloma-viloma or alternate nostril breathing. The practitioner might well keep the fact in mind that none of these breathing techniques will come naturally and that the only way of mastering them is to practice regularly with dedication.

The practice of sukha pranayama in the beginner’s yoga for pregnant women requires the practitioner to concentrate on his breathing for a few minutes at a stretch, give a gap and then concentrate again due to which this exercise causes a significant improvement in the concentration of the practitioner and also relieves hypertension. Bhramari pranayama entails emission of the bee sound and is practiced with the intention of strengthening one’s heart, lungs as well as vocal cords. Regular practice of this pranayama along with the anuloma-viloma pranayama is particularly recommended to pregnant women since they have a number of health benefits. Some asanas like sitali pranayama for tongue breathing and sitkari pranayama or teeth pressing should be performed by the expecting mother only after consultation of the doctor and under expert guidance.