Yoga practice during pregnancy

All the standing asanas should be executed with heel-to-heel alignment and all required supports. The abdomen and the uterus should be kept relaxed at all time. Advance poses like Sirsasana (head balance) should be avoided if you have not practice them before pregnancy.

The list of asanas that follows is intended to give a general guideline; however, I recommend practicing them under the guidance of an experienced teacher.

Tadasana (with block between inner thighs)
Adho Mukha Svanasana (with or without head supported)
Buddha Hastha Uttanasana
Utthita Hastha Padangusthasana II (belt at the heel supported on a chair with mat on top)
Trikonasanana
Utthita Parsvakonasana
Virabhadrasana II
Ardha Chandrasana
Parsvottanasana (with concave back)
Parighasana
Presarita Padottanasana (with concave back)
Sirsasana and Parsva Sirsasana (3 to 5 minutes)
Adho Mukha Virasana (knees to the floor)
Virasana with variations (Parsvatasana, Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana, Gomukhasana, Paschima Namaskarasana, Garudasasana)
Supta Virasana (with props)
Vipada Viparita Dandasana (with 2 chairs and head supported)
Baddha Konasana and Upavishta Konasana (with concave back)
Supta Baddha Konasana (with props)
Malasana (with props and feet apart)
Svastikasana
Janu Sirsasana (with concave back)
Paschimottanasana (with concave back)
Ardha Baddha Paschimottanasana (with concave back)
Trianga Mukha Eka Pada Paschimottanasana (with concave back)
Dandasana
Supta Padangustasana II (with belt and bolster)
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (cross bolsters)
Sarvangasana (with or without chair)
Halasana (feet elevated)
Ardha Viparita Karani (with chair)
Utthita Marichasana
Baradvajasana I (with or without chair)
Marichasana I (twist only)
Supta Pavamkthasana-Ardha Sutpa Pavamkthasana
Supta Ardha Padmasana or Matsyasana (with chest and head supported)
Ardha Jathara Parivartanasana
Urdhva Presarita Padasana (legs against the wall)
Savasana (thighs supported to relax the groins)

Pranayama for pregnant women:

Pranayama can be practiced either seated on a chair or lying down in savasana (corpse pose) with head and chest supported. Pranayama sessions should be practiced separate from the asanas. Wait at least 15 minutes if you want to practice pranayama after asanas.

The following types of pranayama are recommended during pregnancy:

a. Viloma I and II
b. Ujjay I and II
c. Surya and Chandra Bhedana
d. Nadi Shodana

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Article written by Michela Franci
Asanas from “Yoga: A Gem for Women” by Geeta Iyengar

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