Expert Guidelines: Which Pranayama is Beneficial During Pregnancy ?

As we know pranayama practice can have many benefits to the body and mind, but when it comes to pregnancy, we should follow some extra precautions. There is no doubt that pranayama reduces both mental and physical stress, which is good for both pregnant women and upcoming a new baby. Before practicing any pranayama during pregnancy, it is necessary to consult a yoga advisor or teacher, as there are some pranayams such as Bhastrika and Kapalbhati which should not be doing pregnancy time.

What Is Pranayama?

Pranayama is a Sanskrit word that is optionally translated as “expansion of prana” (breath control or life force). The word is made up of two Sanskrit words: prana means “Breath or Lifeforce” and yam means to control prana.

Breathing at a slow speed, stopping, and exhaling comes in the practicing of pranayama.

With breathing, feel that (oxygen) the life force, superiority is being drawn in by the breath, while exhaling feels that (carbon dioxide) our bad, vicious feelings, bad thoughts are coming out with exasperation.

Benefits of Pranayama in Pregnancy

There is nothing better than a pranayam to deliver enough oxygen to the baby in the womb because the child depends on the mother’s body for oxygen and nutrients. Breathing consciously and exhaling during pregnancy supplies oxygen and removes carbon dioxide from the bloodstream. In this way, you can increase the amount of oxygen in your body by doing pranayama during pregnancy.

Doing Pranayama in Pregnancy Provides the Following Benefits, let’s know;

• Especially in pregnancy time, Pranayama helps you to breathe and relax.
• Pranayama calms the mind and body, It relieving the physical and mental stress that your body needs during pregnancy.
• Mother and child get more energy.
• By doing pranayama in pregnancy, positive hormones are produced in the body.
• Adequate oxygen access to the baby in the womb helps in its cognitive and physical development.
• Pranayama always helps to improve mental concentration. By practicing this, the brain becomes sharp as well as boosts cognitive functioning. It is better to do pranayama in pregnancy to increase the brain concentration of both a mother and an upcoming new child.
• Pranayama is beneficial to get relief from morning sickness during pregnancy.
• In last, doing Pranayama during pregnancy helps to strengthen your body’s immune system and keep it with many disease-free.

Some Effective Pranayama for A Pregnant Lady

It is completely safe for both women and unborn children to do the following pranayam during pregnancy. By practicing following pranayamas, there is good development and growth of the new child.

Let us know the best Pranayama for a pregnant lady-

Ujjayi Pranayama

Ujjayi Pranayama is a type of pranayama. The Ujjayi word comes from the Sanskrit root that means the “victorious breath”.

This pranayama is an activity in which it helps you to calm your mind by focusing on your “breath”. Provided that the said Pranayama always should be regularized by learning from a qualified Yoga studio or advisor.

• First of all, sit on the yoga mat in any comfortable position like Sukhasana.
• After this, close the eyes and keep the spine straight.
• Take long, deep breaths in slowly through both nostrils.
• Now hold the breaths.
• At last, close the right nostrils and exhale from the left nostril.

Brahmari Pranayam

Bhramari Pranayama is the best pranayama for calming the mind and cooling the mind. Bhramari Pranayama is also known as the best pranayam for cooling and calming the mind and body. This pranayama is very useful for removing the depression, stress, and frustration of the mind during Pregnancy time.

• First of all, sit in any posture Padmasana or Sukhasana. Calm the mind and make your breath normal.
• Close both the ears with help the thumbs of the hands.
• Place the first finger of the hands above the eyebrows slightly. And put the remaining three fingers on your eyes.
• Make a slight pressure on the nose with three fingers on both sides around the nose.
• Close your mouth and breathe in through your nose. Then breath out through the nose making a honey-bee-like sound.

Anulom Vilom Pranayama

In Pregnancy, excellent breathing is very important to feel healthy. For this, practicing Anulom Vilom is a very good pranayam for a pregnant lady.

• Sit down in Sukhasana, Padmasana, or any comfortable position.
• Now raise your right hand and take a long breath from the left nostril by closing the right nostril with the thumb and now exhale through the right nostril by closing the left nostril with the ring finger of your right hand.
• At this time, the left hand upon the knee.

Pranav Pranayama

Pranav Pranayama is a very simple breathing exercise. Which is known as a type of meditation.

• To do this asana, sit properly in Padmasana, Vajrasana, Sukhasana.
• Keep the breathe normally and notice your mind on going in and out.

Is Pranav Pranayama safe to practice pranayama during pregnancy?

Regardless of whether you are pregnant or not, doing pranayama improves your lifestyle and improves your overall healthy life. Even though it is good to do pranayam during pregnancy, women should not do it too much because at this time there are many changes in the body of the pregnant woman.

Follow these guidelines while contemplating and practicing pranayam during pregnancy.

• During pregnancy, you should do Pranayam only under the direction of a doctor or gynecologist, who has complete information about it. because every woman’s body is different types.
• The rule to pay attention to while doing pranayama and yoga in pregnancy time is to always listen to your body, and stop immediately when feeling any discomfort.
• Doing pranayam always should be avoided in the first trimester of pregnancy time. However, it is safe to do this before and after this time.
• Bhastrika and Kapalbhati, and Surya Nadi Pranayama should not be done during pregnancy

Pranayam during pregnancy has many benefits for the mother and child, including reduced stress, treats depression, increase blood circulation, controlled estrogen in the body, adequate production of hormones, and release of dirty toxins from the body.

Know More: First Trimesters Pregnancy Tips