A pregnant woman is not fragile. The differences experienced are not
only in her shape and weight but she also undergoes subtle changes in
her hormone and cardiac output. Regular exercise (at least 3 times per
week) is preferable to intermittent activity.
Jerky, bouncy movements
are to be avoided. Exercise should be done on wooden floor or tightly
carpeted surface to reduce shock and provide sure footing. The body
needs to adapt to make the delivery possible. The pelvic region must
widen for birth. Bones cannot stretch, therefore a pregnant hormone,
namely relaxin, loosens the joints. It is advisable to do some
stretching exercises for the inner thigh muscles.
You must avoid the following:
• All ballistic stretching • Cross body movements • Forward bending movements • Deep squats. • Hyperextending any flex joints
Following exercises are recommended:
Neck exercises
In order to mobilize and strengthen the neck and shoulder muscles,
do these neck exercises. Rotate your neck to side, back & front. To
further increase the stretch in your neck muscles, open your mouth
& tilt the head backwards. Now close your mouth. You will feel a
great stretch in your neck muscles. This will help to relieve any
stiffness in your neck muscles and get rid of extra flesh in the form
of double chin.
Shoulder rotation
Sit cross-legged & raise your shoulders towards your ears. Pull
the shoulders back so that the chest is expanded. This will help you to
strengthen your upper back muscle called trapezius. This will also help
you to relieve pain in the upper back and the neck region. This will
help to prevent rounded shoulders and humped back. Also rotate your
shoulders in circular motions. The exercise also provides support and
uplift to the breasts, maintaining their form in the long run.
Cows pose or Gomukh Asana
This yoga posture helps a lot to get rid of the cervical pain, which
becomes a common complaint during pregnancy. Take your one hand back
with elbow bent overhead. With the other hand, press the bent elbow
further down. This not only stretches the arms but also works on stiff
cervical muscles. Hold this position for a minute and repeat it on the
other hand.
Adductors stretch
Sit cross-legged and bring the soles of your feet together in front
of you. Hold them with your hands and pull them closer to yourself. You
will be feeling the stretch in your adductors or inner thigh muscles.
This will help you to relax and stabilize the pelvis. Hold this stretch
for a minute.
Pelvic raise
Lie down flat on your back on the mat. Bend your knees and place the
feet flat on the floor. Now slowly exhaling, raise your pelvis off from
the floor. Stay in this position for 20 seconds and slowly lower the
pelvis down to floor. You can repeat it 2-3 times. This will strengthen
the back muscles and relieve lower backache or feeling of congestion in
the groin.
Bend forward in box position
Your spine stays upright all day against gravity and takes the whole
load of your body. In pregnancy, due to lumbar lardodic curvature,
women have lower back pain.
Come on all fours in a box position. Your hands should be directly
under your shoulders and your knees should be directly under your hips.
Have a neutral back. It should neither arch up nor scoop inside. Lower
the elbows down, shifting a lot of your weight forward on your hands.
When you do this exercise, the weight of the pregnant uterus is shifted
away from the pelvic floor and spine. This will help you to take care
of the backache, pain in hips and legs.
Side lying leg abduction
In pregnancy there is tendency towards varicose veins in the legs.
Varicose veins are dark and protruding veins that appear as a result of
pressure of the head on the pelvis. This exercise helps to relief legs
by assisting the blood to flow backwards towards the heart and gives
soothing effect to the legs.
Lie on your side with your head placed on one stretched out arm.
Raise the upper leg as high as possible for 10 times and the hold it
their for 10 seconds. Repeat it on the other side.
Meditation, breathing exercises
Meditation is relaxing both for the mother and the baby. Sit
cross-legged and bring the arms in front of you. Join the thumb and the
index finger together. This is called chin mudra. Close your eyes and
slowly inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Let your
mind and body relax. Focus your attention within you. This will
reenergize you. You will feel the mind relaxing just as calm waters of
the lake. Once the water is not moving, only then is it possible to see
your reflection in it. In turbulent waves it is not possible. Hence ask
your mind to relax and you will be able to introspect within.
Ankle rotation
This exercise is for the ankles. Many pregnant women complain of
swelling in the feet. There is strain of extra weight of pregnancy.
Hence doing this feels good.
Sit with one leg outstretched in front. Place your other foot on the
thigh of this leg. Hold the ankle with your hands and start rotating
them clockwise and then anti clockwise. Do it 10 times in each
direction and repeat on the other leg.
