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Much has been said about Prenatal Yoga.

You either believe that if you're fit, healthy and toned you'll have an easier birth or you don't. But should you be on the sidelines, then hopefully you'll reconsider in favor of a prenatal yoga regime!

Don't know whether I totally agree with the 'ghee and butter' bit, but I'm willing to keep an open mind in this regard and consider all possibilities!

I've taken on board some of the suggestions ... such as the comments on exercises and breathing, meditation and deep relaxation.

I thought they were interesting ... there are however some great books and DVD's should you not be able to get to a pregnancy or prenatal yoga class.

I much prefer the classes as you're constantly under the watchful eye of the teacher!

Yoga for Pregnant Woman - Journal, Exercise and Position - Control of the Body, Part 1

Contributed by: Jasdeep Singh

If you eat ghee and butter, you become fat, but in yoga the more ghee and butter you take, the thinner you become.

Yoga is a course of related exercises and postures intended to promote control of the body and mind and to attain physical and spiritual well being.

Yoga's preserving effect of body is so profound that daily yogic routine can make a huge difference to one's ageing process. In case of time constraints you should try and practice Maha Bandha and Vipareeta Karani Mudra daily. (See below for what you should do)

A smooth pregnancy and near-painless delivery just about begin to describe the benefits of yoga.

Yoga can help relieve stress and tension and give you the peace you need while waiting for your baby to be born.

(The prenatal yoga classes and prenatal yoga dvd's and video's aim to make you supple and fit, strengthening and toning the muscles so that when you come to delivery your pelvic muscles are toned and ready to stretch. If this was the only benefit, it would be worth doing the yoga poses and exercises...author's insert)

Yoga and your baby!

Having a healthy baby is every woman's primary concern, and yoga begins working its magic when the baby is only a foetus. Obviously, the benefits only multiply as the months advance. An expecting mother who practices yoga has already started making constructive contributions to her baby's physical and mental development. The philosophy of yoga enables you to accept all the discomforts associated with pregnancy and deliver gracefully and without any fuss. During pregnancy, you can do all exercises except ones that require you to lie on your stomach. But it's best to tread safe. Don't ever start yoga ( or any other exercise regimen), unless you get a green signal from your obgyn. Also, never do yoga sans supervision.

Five steps to Fitness

Yoga advocates a five step approach to pregnancy. When you practice all five together, your mind and body start working in sync and you soon learn to enjoy your pregnancy, unfettered by worries and health problems.

Breathing exercises or Pranayama

Yoga has some powerful breathing techniques, which will ensure that your baby receives an abundant supply of oxygen and a better life force. Breathing exercises also increases your fitness levels and prepare your body for childbirth. Pranayama increases the amount of oxygen that enters your body and hence your baby's. Deep breathing enables a woman to cope with the process of delivery, even breast feed her baby correctly, and overall, be a fit and happy mom. It also helps to cope with labor pain. Contractions deprive the baby of oxygen temporarily, but by simply breathing right during delivery, a woman can saturate the uterus with oxygen, which will immensely benefit the baby."

Exercises

Yoga exercises gently strengthen your reproductive organs, and pelvis which helps in preparing for a relatively easy childbirth. "Yoga exercises will definitely help an expectant mother to have smooth labor, provided everything else is okay. If you have a normal delivery, you can restart yoga after two weeks, but if you have a C-section, you can resume practicing it only after six weeks. Practicing yoga post partum helps prevent post pregnancy backaches and tones the pelvic muscles.

(Random Fact: Madonna's Fitness Mantra -

. Practice ashtanga yoga for four days a week.
. Goes for a twice-weekly pilates session. Gets hooked to Gyrotonics machine, which helps to strengthen and stretch the muscles.
. For burning calories, runs with her minders and cycles around town, which keeps her bottom and thighs trim.
. Uses a Stairmaster and a powerplate.
. Active lifestyle.
. Eats healthy- whole grains, seasonal foods, non bioengineered food.
Must Read: : Top ten benefits of exercises which every woman should know at http://www.weightloss-health.com/benefits%20of%20exercise.htm)

Mudras and bandhas

These are gestures and locks that stimulate the body and the psyche. They are said to positively affect your reproductive organs.

Meditation

Who doesn't want peace of mind? Meditation enables you to stay calm and get in touch with your deep, inner self. It has a therapeutic effect and helps you eliminate phobias, doubts and discordant thoughts, which tend to proliferate during pregnancy. Meditation increases your awareness, which helps you forge a lasting bond with your baby.
 

Deep Relaxation

Yogic sleep relaxes your body and mind, and prepares you totally for childbirth.

Maha Bandha

Sit in padmasana : place your palms on your knees. (This is the Lotus pose. It's a cross-legged position, ideally with your ankles and feet resting on your thighs. If you can't get your feet up onto your thighs because of discomfort ... then don't. Just sit as comfortably as you can ... author's insert)

Bend your head forward till your chin presses against your chest.

Straighten your arms, lifting and locking your shoulders. (As if you're shrugging your shoulders or perhaps better described by pulling your shoulders up towards your ears ... author's insert)

Contract the perineum. (Think pelvic floor muscles ...author's insert)

Pull in your stomach.

Hold the posture.

Release the perineum, then the stomach and finally the shoulder lock.

Lift your head and inhale.

Relax and repeat the procedure 5-9 times.

(Great exercise to do. Strengthens the pelvic floor muscles ... which is a great help each time your baby is lying just on the wrong spot and you constantly have to go to the toilet .... author's insert)

Vipareeta Karani Mudra  (inverted psychic attitude)

Lie down on your back .

Supporting the trunk with your hands, throw your body upwards.

Straighten your legs to a vertical position.

The body should be at an angle of 45 degrees.

Breathing normally, hold the posture as long as comfortable.

Slowly lower your body to the floor.

(Just remember if any move or position gives you more than slight discomfort stop it immediately! ... author's insert)

(Random Tip- Benefits of Exercise!

a) Prevents Osteoporosis: Exercise builds strong bones. Running and walking helps lower the odds of getting osteoporosis as you grow older.

b) Lower High Blood Pressure: Exercise is good for your blood pressure, no matter what your age or weight is. And it really doesn't matter whether you get exercise from a brisk walk or a swim.

Must Read - Exercise Schedules to combat different health problems of woman at http://www.weightloss-health.com/health%20exercise.htm)

Mudras and bandhas are very powerful and should be attempted after a year of practicing asanas and pranayama. Asanas are the yogic postures and pranayama refers to the proper breathing technique.

The delicate tissues of the lungs can be damaged due to undue strain of these are practiced in advance. When you are used to the internal and external retention of breath for extended periods only then should these practices (mudra and bandhas) be taken up. The correct sequence asanas, pranayama, mudra and bandha must also be followed. Asanas clear the energy pathways, pranayama generates energy, while mudras channelize it and the bandhas lock it in. The affect of stress on ageing is well known. So practice yoga nidra and keep stress at bay.

(Random Tip- Yoga Exercises- Headache Cures - Yoga is probably the most ancient science that deals with every kind of mental, physical and physiological ailment while keeping one fit and supple.)

The best thing to do when encountering a headache due to excessive heat is practicing the two pranayamas- Shitali and Sheetkari.

Shitali- Roll the tongue into a tube (as best as you can) and stick the tip out of the mouth. Inhale through the tongue and hold the breath in for 4-5 seconds with the chin pressed against the chest. Exhale using Ujjayi Pranayama through the nose. Repeat 5-10 times.

Sheetkari: Curl the tongue touching the roof of the mouth as far back as you can to the soft pallet. As you inhale clench the teeth together and slightly part the lips making a hissing "ssss" sound. Exhale through both nostrils. Repeat 5-10 times.

Must Read: Weight Training and Workouts for Woman at http://www.weightloss-health.com/woman%20muscle%20exercise.htm
About the Author:
Ashley Green: for http://www.weightloss-health.com/muscle_building.html your complete and most comprehensive guide on Muscle Building.
Look out for highly effective women muscle building programs at Weight Training for Women- Workouts and Tips
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jasdeep_Singh

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