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MATERNAL
MORTALITY

Shari Barkin, M.D., a pediatrician at Wake Forest such as Chair Pose by taking their feet into a wider stance. “This
University/Brenner Children’s Hospital in Winston-Salem, N.C., may be a good time to spend extra breaths in postures that are noted
who practiced yoga during her two pregnancies, supports general for helping during labor, such as baddha-konasana [Bound Angle
guidelines that beginners should practice only prenatal yoga while Pose] and upavistha konasana [Wide-Leg Seated Forward Bend],”
pregnant, while someone with a strong yoga practice prior to preg- Desai writes, as well as sequences that “encourage the baby into an
nancy may be able to continue a fairly strong practice with modifi- optimal position for birth, for example, going on all-fours and cir-
cations after the first trimester. Barkin cautions against beginning cling the hips.”
any new kinds of strenuous activities during pregnancy. Practicing yoga during pregnancy is especially personal and can
The first trimester is an essential time for the baby’s formation as be unspeakably rich and rewarding. It allows a sacred opportunity
the fetus is implanting into the uterine wall and the risk of miscar- for a woman to deepen her relationship to the wisdom of her body,
riage is highest. At this time, experts such as Barkin recommend her baby, and to herself.
doing a gentle physical practice or none at all. As yoga’s popularity has continued to soar in the U.S., so too has
“Do not do inversions, twists, or jumps in your first trimester,” the popularity of yoga practice during pregnancy. The breathing
Barkin says. “Step back; don’t jump back in Sun Salutations. It’s im- techniques used in yoga aids in childbirth and helps to ease the bur-
portant not to jar or threaten implantation of the fetus and pla- den of pain from the body and helps increase flexibility.
centa.” Barkin also recommends practicing Camel Pose or Bridge While the benefits of prenatal yoga are vast, the biggest reward
Pose, which pulls less on the stomach muscles, instead of Full remains the spiritual connection that ties together two bodies and
Wheel. It’s important to listen to the body “especially sensitively two unique souls. These opportunities wait for us all; to know our
during this very important time for your baby,” says Elena Brower, true selves by embracing responsibility and accountability to the
a yoga teacher and mother based in New York City. “No twisting people in our lives. Those who – if we let them – teach us that only
and nothing too vigorous. Maintain with gentleness what you’ve al- when we give up life as a ‘What is in it for me’ exercise do we find
ways done.” true peace, joy, and fulfillment… as well as who we really are.
Breathing techniques such as Ujjayi Pranayama, also known as
victorious breath, in which one breathes in and out through the
nose, and Nadi Shodana, or alternate-nostril breathing, are especially
beneficial practices during pregnancy. Both of these techniques help
balance the body’s energy flows and maintain calm by creating an
even flow of breath in and out the nose. Keach advises against “any
kind of breath retention or hyperventilation that could limit the
baby’s oxygen supply,” such as in breath of fire and kapalabhati.
By the second trimester, nausea typically subsides, and experi-
enced yogis with a strong practice may choose to invert again during
this time. “This is when I felt strongest,” says Brower. “I loved my
practice during this very beautiful and robust time of pregnancy.”
Women should be aware that higher levels of endorphins, the
body’s “feel-good” hormone, are produced as pregnancy progresses,
making it more difficult to feel injury, writes Desai in Yoga Sadhana
for Mothers. She also advises that women should not practice closed
twists or poses that put weight on the abdomen such as Locust Pose.
By the third trimester, balance and breathing become difficult as
the body holds more weight. In the book “Relax and Renew,” Judith
Lasater, Ph.D., P.T., advises women after the first three months of
Hetal Nayak MD, E-RYT200, International Day of Yoga ~ San An-
pregnancy to practice Savasana by lying on the left side with padding tonio Founder / Community Outreach & Development. Webpage: 4th Inter-
between the knees instead of on the back. Also, to avoid compress- national Day of Yoga – San Antonio, Texas. Facebook:
ing the belly, pregnant women frequently modify standing poses www.facebook.com/idoyogasa/

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