She’s been practicing yoga for 17 years and been teaching for 11, we’ve teamed up with Tara Lee, a mum of two to bring you some top pregnancy yoga exercises.
“Tara Lee’s inspirational approach to yoga during pregnancy helped me to get to know the baby growing inside me and my new pregnant body in a profound and moving way.” – Rosamund Pike
Move your body every day during pregnancy with gentle exercise such as yoga, walking or swimming. It will improve your circulation, make you feel energised, help you sleep well and improve your mood.
Yoga stretches will help you feel more comfortable as your baby gets bigger and give your baby more space.
Lie with your legs up the wall for a few minutes if you are under 28 weeks and still comfortable lying on your back. This will relax you and help with swollen ankles and heavy legs. When you come down, roll to the side before you come back up slowly. If you are over 28 weeks, or uncomfortable on your back, lie with a cushion or pillow between the knees on your left side.
Stand facing the wall and place your hands on the wall, shoulder width apart. Walk the legs back until you make an ‘L’ shape with your body. Lean back through the heels and and draw the hips back while pressing the hands to the wall. Bend the knees and feel the stretch through your back. Feel the stretch down the backs of the legs. After 5 – 10 slow, deep breaths, bend the knees more and gently walk towards the wall to come back up. This is great if you have been sitting down for a long time or just want to stretch your back and can be done anywhere.
Learn some yoga breathing techniques to keep you calm during pregnancy and to help you with your birth. Sit on the floor or a chair. Lengthen upwards as tall as you can, either with cross legs or kneeling (you can use a cushion for support). Close the eyes. Breathing in though the nose and gently out through the mouth. See if you can slow down your breathing and focus on lengthening the exhale. Keep the face relaxed. Notice how the mind calms. Keep the breath soft and fluid, with no strain. Continue for a few minutes. Notice how you feel. This can be useful for labour or any time you are feeling anxious or stressed.
Yoga stretches on the hands and knees can help your baby get into the optimum position for labour. With the knees under the hips and the wrists under the shoulders, circle the hips, making the circles big or small depending on what feels comfortable. Change direction after 10 circles. If your knees feel uncomfortable, use a blanket for support. Practice these during pregnancy and they may be useful during labour.
From all 4s on the hands and knees, open the knees wider (unless you have any pain) and rest with your hips back towards your heels. You can either reach the arms forward or make a pillow with your hands, resting the forehead on the hands (or use a pillow). This position is good for releasing tension and may be helpful for your labour.
Tara Lee has been practicing yoga for over 20 years and has been teaching yoga for 12 years.
She began teaching pregnancy yoga while pregnant with her first child 10 years ago and developed her own dynamic fluid style. Tara has taught thousands of pregnant women, guiding them through their pregnancies and births as well as celebrities including Cat Deeley and model Laura Bailey.
Tara ‘s yoga DVD boxset “Bump, Birth and Beyond” has been a bestseller (over 60,000 copies sold) in the UK and her new Pregnancy Yoga DVD is now available.
Tara currently teaches ‘Pregnancy Yoga’, ‘Mother and Baby Yoga’ and ‘Vinyasa Flow Yoga’ at The Life Centre, Notting Hill Gate in London. She is a mother of two, a trained doula and Shiatsu practitioner. www.taraleeyoga.com