Yoga Poses for Labor
Britton Taylor Chaves
As I am writing this, I am nine months pregnant and feverishly prepping for the arrival of my little one.
As a certified prenatal yoga teacher, I thought my pregnancy would be filled with a daily yoga and meditation practice. While that hasn’t been the case, lately I have been adding these 3 yoga poses to my morning routine to help prepare my body for labor and quiet the mind. Not pregnant, not to worry! These moves are beneficial for anyone to try.
Cat/Cow Pose
This is one of the very first poses you do in a beginning yoga class. Almost every yoga class begins with it as a part of warm up. For prenatal students, this stretch allows you to activate the transverse abdominals, a safe way to work on your core strength. It also gives you a nice stretch through your upper back. If you feel any tension or pulling on your stomach, make your cow pose less exaggerated. To do the move, start on all fours with your shoulders stacked over your wrists and hips stacked over your knees. Inhale, drop the belly and lift the gaze looking up at the ceiling. Exhale, round your spine and lift your back up to the sky. Repeat while moving with your breath 5-10 times.
Photo courtesy of PureWow.com.
Crescent Lunge (Low-Lunge)
This pose is a great way to open up your hip flexors and allow your shoulders and heart to open. It’s also a great way to work on your balance without testing yourself too much, as your center of gravity may be different given your growing belly. To get into this post, start in tabletop position and slowly swing one of your legs around to the front. Keeping your hands on your knees for support (or a block), gently rise up and begin to shift your weight into your front foot coming into the lunge. Take a look at the foot in front and make sure your knee is stacked on top of your ankle which will prevent you from “sinking in” to the pose. Work to get your hips in alignment, squaring them off to the front of the room. Hands can rest comfortably on the belly, your knee or reach your fingertips up to the sky. The further along you are in your pregnancy, the more flexible your hips may be, so be careful not to overextend. While you stay in this pose, make sure to breath and come out slowly the same way you came into the pose.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.
Malasana (Yogi Squat)
Squats during pregnancy help you open up your hips, groin and lengthen your pelvic floor. It is helpful to think of how you are making room for your baby as you are in this position. Some prenatal teachers recommend doing Malasana every day for all pregnant women! To come into this pose, stand with your feet a bit wider than your hips with your toes turned out. On an exhale, bend your knees out to the side and lower yourself down into your squat. Bring your hands into a prayer position and place your elbow inside your legs. Lift your chest up and spread through your collar bones. Using your elbows as leverage, gently press into your knees/thighs so your knees go wider apart and toward the wall behind you. You should feel a nice stretch in your inner thighs. If you feel like you need more support, you can sit on a block directly underneath your tailbone, supporting your sits bones.
Photo courtesy of Citizen Yoga.
Other important poses.
It is also important that you practice proper breathing and learn how to connect to your pelvic floor. Check out our article on Bringing Awareness to Your Pelvic Floor which includes exercises to do. Want to add more to your routine? Try these poses:
Supported wall squat
Butterfly pose
Savasana (on your side)
Downward dog at the wall (with your hands on the wall to support you)
Hip circles on a birthing ball
How are you prepping for labor? Share with us in the comments!
Britton Taylor Chaves is a Certified Yoga and Prenatal Yoga Teacher as well as a Social Media Content Manager specializing in wellness and supporting women entrepreneurs. Follow her @makespaceforlove on Instagram.