Yoga exercises during pregnancy 

You have three different yoga exercises for during your pregnancy. The most popular ones are the breathing exercises. Breathing exercises can help with breathing throughout giving birth. They can also be helpful for during your pregnancy, especially if you’re trying to relax. Breathing exercises are easy to combine with different yoga positions. With certain positions, like laying on your side, the breathing can create more room in the belly so that you can make a connection with the baby. You feel each other’s presence better when you’re laying on your side. To be able to lay comfortably on your side, we recommend using a knee pillow. Breathing exercises help keeping the abdominal pressure low. A low abdominal pressure decreases the pressure on the pelvic floor. The pelvic floor muscles are less taxed and will be less quick to weaken or be overexerted. This prevents issues around the pelvic floor and improves the recovery after giving birth.  

 

What are yoga exercises during pregnancy helpful for? 

The yoga exercises during pregnancy help in different ways. Pregnancy yoga helps you to relax and helps you prepare for childbirth. You can perform the yoga exercises before and after your pregnancy. Yoga helps your body become stronger and more flexible. You also learn different breathing techniques. These techniques help with puffing. You won’t experience any pain during the yoga exercises, and you will be able to give the pregnancy stress a place. 

 

Yoga and pelvic instability 

It’s only recommended to do yoga when you don’t experience pain during yoga when you have pelvic instability during or after pregnancy. Now that your pelvis is unstable, different parts of your pelvis will shift. This can be quite painful. The muscles in around the pelvis are also at their limit. This can cause you to experience a lot of tension in or around the pelvis. Yoga can help you to relax these muscles, but also to stretch and strengthen them. But don’t forget to listen to your body. Pain is a boundary, and feeling pain means that you’re going too far. Try to do the more simple yoga exercises first and discover what it does to your body. 

 

Benefits of pregnancy yoga 

Doing pregnancy yoga has a few benefits. You become more fit, more flexible, and you get more control over your abdominal pressure by doing breathing exercises. The abdominal pressure increases a lot during pregnancy. It’s important that you don’t let it increase too much for when you have to give birth. The increased abdominal pressure pushes on the pelvic floor, and the pelvic floor will become overtaxed when it’s under too much pressure. This can cause you to develop urinary incontinence or it can prolong your recovery from giving vaginal birth. Prevent an overtaxed pelvic floor by keeping the abdominal pressure low.  

 

Disadvantages of pregnancy yoga 

Pregnancy yoga can have a few disadvantages as well. Performing the yoga exercises can start to feel differently every week. Your body changes which causes your load capacity to change as well. The pelvis becomes unstable and the belly becomes heavy. You can do certain exercises in the first few weeks, but they will be impossible to do the further you are into your pregnancy. That’s also why it’s pretty difficult to keep track of your boundaries. Pain, exhaustion and dizziness are boundaries. Keep an eye on these signs. It’s important that you don’t do certain exercises, like advanced abdominal yoga exercises, or exercises that causes your heartrate to skyrocket. Read more about the heartrate and the abs during pregnancy in my sport related blogs. 

 

What kind of yoga exercises are there? 

You have the breathing exercises, the pelvic floor exercises and the relaxation exercises.  

 

1. 1. Breathing exercises during pregnancy  
      The breathing exercises exist to teach you how to breathe when you get into yoga positions, during the pregnancy, or during childbirth. You will exactly know when you need to breathe in and out when you’re pushing your baby out. You keep the abdominal pressure lowered which decreases the pressure on your head, pelvic floor and abdomen. 

 

2. 2. Pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy 
      The pelvic floor exercises help you become more aware of the pelvic floor and it strengthens the pelvic floor to such an extent that your recovery time will be shortened. 

 

3. 3. Relaxation exercises during pregnancy 
      The relaxation exercises help you relax after a tiring yoga session. Your body is also working overtime during pregnancy. Relaxation exercises help your body to relax so that your racing thoughts and the stress will leave. 

Which breathing exercises are there? 

 

1. 1. The Nadi Shodhana breathing exercise 
      The Nadi Shodhana breathing exercise is a good yoga technique to free your mind from worries and it helps you remain your cool. It’s recommended to do this breathing exercise once a day to decrease your stress levels. It’s ideal to decrease the physical tension during pregnancy yoga. 
      How to do the Nadi Shodhana breathing exercise during pregnancy 
      The Nadi Shodhana breathing exercise is being performed by sitting in a lotus position on the floor, with a straight back and a relaxed face. Place your hands on your knees anda calmly breathe in and out while your eyes are closed. Breathe towards your lower abdomen. 

 

2. 2. Abdominal breathing exercise 
      Abdominal breathing helps your baby to feel and for your body to tense up less. You can perform this exercise when you notice your body is becoming sensitive or when you’re getting exhausted. 
      How to do the abdominal breathing exercise during pregnancy 
      You breathe through your abdomen by laying or sitting in a comfortable position. Loosely place your hands on your lower abdomen and relax your abs by slowly breathing in through your nose and breathing out through your mouth. You will also start to feel a connection with your baby. This way you can rest and meditate with your little one. 

 

3. 3. The Ujjayi breathing exercise 
      The Ujjayi breathing exercise is a known breathing exercise that helps you adjust your movements to sounds. This makes your yoga exercises more rhythmic and it’s recommended to start with this exercise before you start doing yoga. 
      How to do the Ujjayi breathing exercise 
      The Ujjayi breathing exercise goes like this: You close your lips and breathe in and out through your nose. The best way is to sit, but you can also do it while standing. You breathe in deeper through your nose compared to what you normally do. Slowly breathe out while you give the muscles in your throat the opportunity to make noises (it may sound like moaning, but it helps relieve stress). You will have more motivation and strength to do the yoga exercises. 

Which pelvic floor exercises can you do during pregnancy? 

 

1. 1. Upper back stretches 
      The best moment to do the upper back stretches are when you feel a bit tired or when your back is hurting. This helps making your muscles more flexible and takes the edge off the tension. 
      How to do the upper back stretches 
      The best way to do these stretches are to stand up straight against the counter or a wall, with a straight back and your legs on hip-width. Slightly separate your legs and lean forward. Using a counter is better because you can hold on to it if necessary. A wall is also acceptable if you don’t have a counter nearby. Place your hands against the wall and close your eyes for a moment to recover. 

 

2. 2. Rotating your pelvis 
      The best moment to rotate your pelvis around is when you become a bit stiff throughout the day. This activates the muscles around the pelvis and your upper legs become active again. Rotating your pelvis also helps you feel more comfortable in your skin. 
      How to rotate your pelvis 
      Lay down on your back on the bed with your legs pulled towards your face. Keep your hands and knees in the air and make rotating movements with your legs. This helps loosen up the pelvic floor and it also prepares you for giving birth.  

 

3. 3. Pelvic floor exercises 
      Next to the previously mentioned exercises, you can also try out the pelvic floor exercises. This also helps relieve pelvic issues during pregnancy. Click here to check out the strengthening and relaxing pelvic floor muscles. 

Which relaxation exercises can you do during pregnancy? 

 

1. 1. Butterfly exercise 
      The butterfly exercise or the ‘hip opener’ helps you prepare for childbirth. You gently stretch the pelvic floor by making movements with your knees. The best moment to do the butterfly is right before you go to bed, because it does tire you out and helps you fall asleep easier. 
      How to do the butterfly exercise 
      Sit with your legs forward and bring your feet together. Be sure to sit on a pillow so that you don’t hurt your buttocks (unless you’re experiencing pelvic instability or have a painful tailbone, then a solid surface is better). Slowly lean forward with a rounded back and keep a hold of your feet. Stay in this position for two minutes and then lay down for 3 minutes to take a break. 

 

2. 2. Cat/cow exercise 
      The cat/cow exercise are helpful for in the mornings and you woke up a bit stiff. This helps to relax the body and it decreases stress. It also helps feeling your body less tensed up throughout the day. 
      How to do the cat/cow exercise 
      Get on your hands and knees, your hands directly placed underneath your shoulders and you knees directly placed underneath your hips. Pull your imaginary tail between the legs and forward so that your pelvis tilt. Push up the rest of your back, the area between your shoulder blades as well. Let your head hang, you now have a rounded back (cat position). Leave everything the way it is for a moment. Then start with the tail, let this point backwards and move it up. Let your belly hang, move your chest bone between your arms by leaning slightly forward, and tilt your head up (don’t look up, avoid ‘cracking your neck’). Now you have a hollow back (cow position). Switch up between these positions in a calm and conscious manner. As if there’s a wave movement in the back. Beginning with the tail and ending with the head!  

 

3. 3. Laying on your side 
      Laying on your side when you’re done with the yoga exercises helps your body to recover. This prevents your blood vessels from being compressed and it’s also very comfortable for when you want to take a nap. It’s recommended to use a knee pillow if you want to be comfortable on your side. 
      How to lay on your side during pregnancy 
      It’s already in the words. It’s important to lay on a soft surface (like a tested yoga mat) with a pillow in between your legs. Your body will recover from the yoga exercises. You will feel your baby’s presence even better when you place your hand on your belly. You two can connect better with each other and now you can also take a nap together! That’s why you should stay in this position for at least 30 minutes. 

Of course you can also combine a few exercises, like the cat/cow exercise. This helps you to relax, but it also helps relieve your pelvis. 

 

And lastly, are you looking for more information? 

Hopefully this information was useful to you! If you’re still looking for some more information, feel free to take another look around on the website. It’s filled with in-depth information, tips, a web shop and also exercises. I still have a lot of articles with lots of information about other symptoms and issues. Feel free to click on the blue words to take you straight to the right page.