How To Do Yoga Pranayama During Pregnancy

Yoga during pregnancy is practiced in various ways such as physical exercises, breathing techniques, meditation, and deep relaxation. Gentle yoga exercises helps in keeping you active and ensures a smooth pregnancy. The chance of natural childbirth is high with yoga during pregnancy. The breathing techniques, when done properly, give abundant oxygen supply to both the mom and the fetus. Meditation helps you overcome the fears and anxiety associated with pregnancy and helps you connect with the unborn child. Deep relaxation or yogic sleep helps your body and mind to relax in preparation of childbirth. Mudras are positions of the hand and fingers that are said to lock and guide the energy flow to the brain. Women who practice yoga during pregnancy have less complication during pregnancy and delivery. Yoga is beneficial for everyone, but yoga during pregnancy is especially important. Women experience great hormonal, biological and anatomical changes during pregnancy that may cause extreme discomfort. They may also feel trapped, insecure and unsure of the outcome of the pregnancy. All of this may cause significant physical and emotional distress.
However, practicing yoga during pregnancy with proper modifications and approval from their health care professional, can help women find much needed relief, not only through reducing stress and instilling calmness, but also in helping to strengthen the body, releasing tension in the hips in preparation for birth, and increasing oxygen and energy. Yoga can increase confidence levels and stimulate the intuitive instincts.
Pranayama during pregnancy is not a good idea from an Ayurvedic point of view.
Because of the following reasons --
1. Pranayama balances Vata Dosha in the body. During pregnancy, no such special efforts are required to be done for balancing vata. This is because of two reasons -- The Vata Dosha of the mother is altered to accustom the growth of uterus and the fetus inside the womb. The Vata inside Fetus will be in an immature but active condition.
2. Pranayama is meant for improving health of body and mind, to improve concentration etc. This is not so needed during pregnancy as all the mother's concentration will be on her womb. Pranayama can be taken up after 3 -- 4 months after delivery by when the Vata is settled down in the mother.
3. While doing Pranayama, while holding the breath, there is a direct pressure on the abdomen, which is not good during pregnancy.
4. A pregnant woman at the later stages, will be at unease during normal breathing due to the bulk of the womb. It is not a good idea to take up pranayama when the breathing is difficult.
5. Pranayama is a sort of exertion over the body & abdomen. So it is not recommended during pregnancy.
6. Erect posture while sitting is difficult to maintain during pregnancy.