Pregnancy is a period of anticipation for parents, albeit more so for women, and it is a time frame which is marked with trepidation till the time of delivery when the little bundle of joy is finally out into the world. Much of the fear is attributed to the number of possible risks and complications which the expecting mother is vulnerable to all through her pregnancy and some of the common health problems which are known to occur during pregnancy are high blood pressure, extreme weight gain, nausea, mood swings and an overwhelming feeling of fatigue. It is with the intention of overcoming these health problems that the concept of yoga and pregnancy evolved so that the women who indulged in this form of exercise not only enjoyed good health and focus through their tenure but also reverted back into their original shape soon after the delivery.

The course of yoga and pregnancy features a number of techniques which should be performed regularly through all the three trimesters and some of these yogic techniques are mentioned as follows:

• Tadasana or the mountain pose which is a standing yoga posture and is so named because it is strongly reminiscent of the immovable stability of the mountains. On practicing this asana regularly, the practitioner is likely to experience the peace of mind associated with stillness, strength and relaxed power all of which relieve the anxiety to a considerable extent.
• Trikonasana or the triangle pose which symbolizes the divine principle and hence is practiced for meditation at the end of every basic session.
• The warrior pose entails the stretching of arms and legs due to which its regular practices enhances the stamina and improves the balance and concentration of the practitioner. However, pregnancies which are fraught with high blood pressure and severe neck problems must restrain from practicing this posture.
• The standing side stretch pose entails the formation of a simple stretching posture in which one line of energy reaches upwards from the belly and outward through the arm and the second line travels downwards through the legs.
• Virasana or the hero pose is one of the most fundamental sitting postures which strengthens the arches of the feet, stretches the ankles and improves the overall posture.
• The fish yoga pose is recommended to pregnant women since it improves the flexibility of the spine apart from relieving the stiffness of neck and shoulder muscles.
• Bidalasana or the cat pose assists in building the co-ordination of movement and breathing both of which form the basis of yoga for pregnant women.
• The tree yoga pose strengthens the thigh, calves, ankles and back of the practitioner and also helps to improve the overall balance and concentration.
• Marichyasana or the sage twist yoga pose is a slightly complex asana to be performed during pregnancy and although it greatly benefits the spine or the abdominal organs, it should be performed only in the presence of an experienced instructor.
• Shavasana or the corpse pose is a classic relaxation pose in which one needs to lie down on one’s back and learn the ultimate relaxation technique.