Yoga has always been considered to be the best exercise when it comes to fitness. But if we talk about yoga during pregnancy, everyone still doubts whether it would be safe and favorable for the expectant mother and her baby in the womb?
Efficacy and uses of Prenatal yoga is something which very few people are aware of. But it is one of the best ways for pregnant woman to prepare well for the childbirth under the guidance of an expert. Fitness and yoga professionals also consider prenatal yoga good for the pregnant woman for a smooth labor and healthy baby.
Nowadays, it’s a popular myth that pregnancy is a complicated process. In fact, pregnancy is one of the most ethereal and joyful phases of a woman’s life. It is advisable not to pick heavy load and act foolish but it doesn’t mean that pregnant women should lay in bed all day. Exercise is very important during pregnancy. It is advisable to practice yoga under an expert guidance during pregnancy.
Mountaineer Bhawna Dehariya Mishra from Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh who is living the most beautiful phase of her life-pregnancy, is not only enjoying it but also making the best possible endeavors to make it healthy and safe through yoga.
Bhawna who also holds a degree of post graduate diploma in Naturopathy and Yogic Science and knows the well rewards of yoga for human body and believes that adopting prenatal yoga practices could lead her to healthy pregnancy.
She says “Yoga helps in reducing mental and physical stress and assists in staying fit and relaxed during the period of pregnancy. Yoga can have a positive effect on my pregnancy and on the health of the baby. Besides, as it can also help in having easy labor with low risk of complications. Being a mountaineer and yogic science student, I have prominently focused on health and fitness. And when it comes to my pregnancy, I believe yoga is the best and active way of promoting healthy pregnancy and healthy baby.”
Bhawna who scaled the highest mountain peak of the world Mountain Everest on May 22, 2019 and become first women of her state Madhya Pradesh and is receiving training of yoga under the yoga experts with utmost care and safety.
Notably, mountaineer Bhawna who has dreamt of climbing all the highest peaks of seven continents has so far completed summits of the tallest peaks in three other continents of the world. In 2019 itself, Bhawna promoted two of the most prominent Indian festivals by showcasing Indian culture around the world including Diwali which she celebrated at Mount Kilimanjaro of the African continent and on occasion of colorful festival Holi in same year, she spread beautiful colors at the highest peak of Mount Kosciuszko in the continent of Australia.
She elaborates “My fourth summit to Mount Elbrus, the highest peak of Europe was affected due to covid-19 when the international travel was suspended and countrywide lockdown was enforced in India. Thus, giving priority to my family goals I headed for planning a baby as in the meantime of my ambitions I also wanted to have an amazing experience of becoming a mother someday. But this doesn’t mean I have taken a back seat. I don’t believe that once a woman gets pregnant, she has to compromise with her ambitions taking a halt. Instead I would be fulfilling my goal of completion of all the seven peaks’ summits And this goal has only kept me encouraged during my pregnancy. I will continue my expedition in post pregnancy with the same zeal.”
Bhawna’s yoga trainer Garima Gupta says “Prenatal yoga is a multifaceted approach to exercise and is considered beneficial during pregnancy. It encourages stretching, mental centering and focused breathing. There are various proven benefits of practicing yoga during this sensitive period like it helps in the post natal recovery in women. During pregnancy yoga makes the body flexible. It makes the pregnant woman ready for child bearing and helps in natural birth.”
Thus, today many pregnant women are adopting prenatal yoga practice to have strong, healthy and safe pregnancy without any major pregnancy-related issues. The exercises framed especially for the pregnant women helps in strengthening of the pelvic muscles and releases tension.
Another yoga trainer who is mentoring Bhawna for prenatal yoga, Nidhi Vaidhya opines “Yoga in pregnancy is something valuable one could really ask for to have natural delivery. But this should be practiced under the supervision of an expert. It not only helps pregnant woman to have painless delivery but also gives good health to the newly born. Yoga and breathing exercises help in deep breathing and relaxation. It reduces fluid retention and imbalances in the body during pregnancy. It works as an emotional and physical stress booster during the pregnancy period for a woman.”
“Yoga practice helps me to develop the body and mind bringing a lot of health benefits. I am practicing yoga postures under the supervision of trained experts to avoid any kind of mishap. There are some yoga postures which I have been performing on regular basis during my pregnancy, adds Bhawna.
Let us see which yoga practices are being performed by pregnant mountaineer Bhawna and are beneficial during pregnancy, and how they help in making the pregnancy strong, healthy and safe.
Badhakonasana (The Butterfly Pose)
Bhawna performs the Baddha Konasana which is also called as the Cobbler Pose. It is also called the Butterfly Pose as the open hips joined by the feet and the up and down movements resemble the stance of a butterfly in motion.
Benefits:
- It improves the flexibility in the pelvic region.
- Stretches and strengthen the thighs and knees, helps in relieving pain.
- It Alleviates fatigue.
- Helps facilitate smooth and natural delivery if it is practiced until completion of third trimester of pregnancy.
Parighasana (Sideways Swing)
Parighasana gives a passage route to the oxygen to enter our body and achieve those parts that are ordinarily ignored. Bhawna believes that it helps her to remove stress, calm the mind, improve circulation and other advantages are:
- Strengthens and tones muscles along the sides of the body.
- Aids digestion and alleviates constipation.
- Increases flexibility of the spine.
Sukhasana (Easy Pose Meditation)
Sukhasana is a meditative pose and is done with the crossing of the legs in the most simplest form unlike other meditative poses. Bhawna mentions it as the easy pose of the meditation. The healthy advantages which you can avail from this pose are –
- Relaxes the muscles
- Helps in reducing anxiety, lowers down the blood pressure and heart rate.
- Improves physical and emotional well being.
Padmasana (Lotus pose)
Padmasana is a cross-legged yoga posture which helps deepen meditation by calming the mind and alleviating various physical ailments. The posture strengthens the pelvic region and enhances the strength and stability of the pelvic muscles. Bhawna says that this way the pain and contraction during childbirth are comparatively very less and is smooth.
It also gives other benefits that includes:
- Stretches the ankles and knees that help in strengthening muscles.
- Activates the muscles in pelvis, spine, abdomen and bladder.
- Pregnant ladies would do this daily for a smooth birthing.
- Helps in health and peace of mind and natural birth.
Thus, these poses can be practiced by a woman during her pregnancy under the guidance of health or yoga expert for having healthy and safe pregnancy.