Archive for category Prenatal Exercise
Why is yoga considered as the perfect exercise?
Posted by Maya in Prenatal Exercise on November 4, 2012
What is the exact meaning of a perfect exercise? A perfect exercise is the one which not only makes its effect felt externally but also internally. It helps in the circulation of the blood, it helps in enhancing the muscles so that it can help the lymphatic system in disposing the waste effectively, it will help in boosting the immune system, it will keep you in good shape and it will also keep your mind fresh, agile, sharp and above all very calm. All the above mentioned benefits and much more can be achieved by doing yoga regularly and the best thing about yoga is that it doesn’t require any equipment. The only thing required is the will to do and the perseverance to continue this healthy beneficial regime.
Yoga’s origin can be traced to India. In ancient days this form of art was mastered by the saints and the rishis, they hold testimony of yoga’s positive impact on health; these people enjoyed very healthy life devoid of any kind of ailments. They used to practice yoga of various disciplines; in fact one could say they had mastered it. There are various poses, postures and position in yoga, some are very difficult to perform and people take ages to acquire the skill of performing these difficult asanas (exercises are referred by this name). Some of the exercises are very simple and doesn’t require a lot of skill to perform but breathing technique is given utmost importance and it has to be done in an appropriate manner. This breathing is the one which helps in enhancing our circulatory system thus saving us from a whole lot of ailments by improving the immunity system.
Though over the generation it has evolved a lot, different styles have been introduced so as to suit that particular region, but the core belief and value remains the same. You should do the various poses of yoga according to your capacity, each one’s body is different, yoga recognizes this and according to your body type asanas (exercise) are customized for you by your trainer or yoga guru (teacher). The degree of difficulty varies, for example in stretching exercise certain people are able to touch their feet with both their hands by bending forward but certain others are not able to do so. Gradually with regular practice you will be able to achieve it but dedication and sincerity is of paramount importance as far as mastering these exercises are concerned.
Yoga is a low impact exercise and hence it is recommended for expecting mothers. The pregnant ladies will be highly benefitted by these exercises and it will not only help them to cope with their pregnancy and labour pain, but will also help in the post delivery stage too. These exercises do wonders with their emotional and mental state of mind. It brings about calmness and peace; you are able to cope with any amount of stress. A lot can be achieved by this low impact, simple to follow, equipment less, breathing exercises. It will ensure that you truly have a healthy mind in a healthy body.
All you need to know about Pre-Natal yoga
Posted by Maya in Prenatal Exercise on August 14, 2012

When you conceive, the elders around you are more than willing to give you advice, share their experiences with you so as to enlighten you and give you all the knowledge pertaining to pregnancy. Especially when you are pregnant for the first time you are so naive and ignorant you tend to listen very intently to all the information handed to you by the more than willing people who care for you. But it is for you to decide what advice to consider and what not to. You should not get perturbed by all the suggestion that is given by these more than enthusiastic people. One of the suggestions that you should always follow is the Pre natal yoga which according to the doctors is mandatory to be followed by the going to be mother. Though most of the pregnant women are very apprehensive about doing exercises because they think that it might do some harm to the child, more over they are a little anxious of the body changes occurring in their body with each passing day. So in this particular article we will discuss about the most frequently asked questions pertaining to Pre Natal Yoga.
Question one: What is the need to do yoga during pregnancy?
Yoga ensures you’re over all development spiritually, mentally, physically and emotionally and it will enable you to cope with the labour, delivery and the post delivery phase in a more positive manner. Yoga soothes your senses and helps you to be calm even in very stressful situation.
Question two: Hope it is safe doing yoga during the period of pregnancy?
During pregnancy it is safe to do yoga in fact it is very beneficial provided you do it under a trained pre natal yoga trainer. They have designed exercises which are meant for the expecting mothers. It is better to commence with these exercises after the first trimester because that is the period when the foetus grows and develops, after the first trimester the baby grows in size only so it is imperative for the mother to do certain specific exercises so as she is able to sail through her pregnancy with ease. But before the onset of these yoga exercises it is better to consult with your yoga instructor because in case you have certain peculiarity in your pregnancy, for instance if you are carrying twins, then they will formulate such kind of exercises which will suit your condition.
Question Three: Will I be benefitted by yoga physically?
If you do yoga then your blood circulation will improve and all the nutrients and oxygen will be transported through your body effectively ensuring that the baby is benefitted. This will enable you to have a smooth delivery by strengthening your pelvic muscles. Your labour time will also be shortened to a considerable amount and you’re vaginal passage will also recover very quickly. Another great advantage by this increased blood circulation is that it will avoid or help in removal of stretch marks.
Question Four: Should I continue with the yoga exercises after delivery?
There is absolutely no doubt about the benefits attached to yoga. After delivery it might not be possible to resume immediately since a new born child can be very demanding. After the child has become a couple of months old you can always commence with the regular yoga which is very different from the pre natal yoga. You can do yoga in the comfort of your home because it doesn’t require any equipment and reap all the benefits.
Bikram Yoga for Pregnant Women? Definitely Not!
Posted by Maya in Prenatal Exercise on June 30, 2010
Bikram yoga is one of the many types of yoga which is based on the usage of heat and humidity to make 26 postures promoting flexibility and muscular strength. The credit of having devised this form of yoga lies with an Indian guru named Bikram Choudury who in turn studied it from a great Indian yogic named Bishnu Ghosh. True to is synonym of heat yoga, the 26 asanas which constitute this form of yoga are performed twice in a room whose temperature lies between 95-105 degrees centigrade. This is one of the reasons as to why this form of yoga is not recommended for pregnant women as performing yoga in such high temperatures is only likely to bring physical as well as mental discomfort to the expecting mother.
Still in its nascent stages as compared to the other more prevalent forms of yoga, Bikram yoga is fast gaining popularity all over the world because its yoga asanas which entail standing poses, backward bends, forward bends and twists are known to be extremely beneficial to one’s lymphatic, nervous and endocrine systems. However, since these postures cause the practitioner to stretch in all directions and entail twisting of muscles, they should not be included in yoga for pregnant women since attempts at achieving these postures might cause the abdominal muscles to over stretch, harming the unborn baby in the process.

The reason as to why Bikram yoga is performed in a heated room is because heat is known to promote flexibility and therefore, even though the high temperatures might pose a challenge for some people regular practice leads to the accomplishment of a deeper level of physical atonement. In this way, the muscles, joints and ligaments are strengthened and stretched and subsequently accrue a number of benefits to the practitioner. On the other hand, pregnancy itself is known to raise the body temperature to an uncomfortable level due to which almost all expecting mothers try their hand at various remedies which would cool them down. Under such circumstances, practicing Bikram yoga would be grossly inadvisable and even though it has a number of physical benefits, may be its practice could be undertaken by the woman at a later stage in life after her pregnancy is over.
There are two basic fundamentals which are associated with pregnancy namely the expansion of the body and its hormonal changes and secondly the responsibility of the tiny life growing within the woman. This apart from the belief in the philosophy that everything in life occurs at its designated time, it is far more advisable for the expecting mother to be stretching herself in a relaxed manner in a calm, quite and cool environment when she can not only enjoy her movements but her baby’s movements as well.
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Hi I am Maya and I always found yoga to be a great way to support my body. While I was pregnant I learned that Yoga is not only a great way to support my body but also the newly forming body of my child. Yoga made me feel so good that I want to share my experience with you all.