Third Trimester Pregnancy
The extra weight in the pregnancy can cause some discomfort in third trimester of pregnancy. When the big belly puts pressure on internal organs, it results in frequent urination, heartburn, low back pain, difficulty in moving. You could have unstable joints due to relaxin hormone that widens the pelvis, so that you can deliver. Due to hormone progesterone, you may feel dizziness and swelling in feet and hands due to slow circulation.
The pre-natal yoga could be difficult in third trimester. If you have practice yoga in vigor in the second trimester, you must ease up now. Take some cautious measures as your due date approaches near. Practicing yoga asana during this period has reduced insomnia, fatigue and water retention.
Tips For Yoga Practice In Third Trimester
• Accept Your New Shape
Don not exhaust over your disability to do your favorite poses, instead adjust your yoga practice to your new body shape. Ensure that you have an extra support if the pose seems to be difficult.
• Avoid Beckbends, Inversions And Abdominal Works
Performing these poses will be not possible, given your new shape weight and shape. Do not extend your already stressed joints and ligaments in over.
• Focus On Pranayama Rather Than Asana
In this last trimester, you will use the asana to be present with your baby. Intense emphasize is the required skill to cultivate in your practice. Add meditation and much of pranayama in preparation for labor. To connect with your baby, use your breath.
• Try To Lay On Side Than On Back
By lying on back can put pressure on inferior vena cava and decreases flow of blood towards uterus. Use a pillow to raise your upper body when you lay down.
• Consume Diet Rich In Calcium
During the last months of pregnancy, calcium is released from bones for baby; therefore enhance your diet of greens, soy and seaweed. Due to low calcium, muscle cramping can be seen, most commonly in last trimester.
Yoga Poses During Third Trimester (28 Weeks-Till Birth)
1. Poorna Skandh Sanchalana (Full Shoulder Rotation)
In single arm, Place the right fingertips on right shoulder. Now rotate the arm and shoulder joint around, like drawing a big circle with elbow tip. Increase the movement to rotate completely into shoulder joint. On one side, do it five times then reverse the direction for five circles. Repeat on left side.
In double arm, raise both arms up, with fingers on both shoulders. Now slowly rotate the arms together in big circles. Try to stretch the elbows as far towards back as possible, try to touch them together at front. Do it five times in one direction and five times in another. When opening the chest as the elbows go back, inhale. When elbows move towards touching at front, exhale.
Advantages
Enhance the circulation and flexibility in upper back and shoulders. Encourage to breathe better. Its practice in third trimester helps to stimulate efficient working of mammary glands.
2. Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)
Outstretching your legs, sit properly. Now bring the sole of your feet together by bending your knees, keep the heels as close to the body as possible. Relax your inner thighs. Hold your feet properly with both hands. Now bounce your knees up and down gently, using elbows acting as the levers to press legs downwards. Repeat this for 25-30 minutes. Avoid using any force. Erect your legs straightly and then relax.
Advantages
This pose helps to relieve tension from inner thigh muscles and legs. This pose is good for loosening hip joint and increasing blood circulation towards pelvic floor and gives feeling of opening up.
3. Urdhva Hastasana (Hand Raising Pose)
Stand with feet together and resting your arms on side. Extend your arms overhead and breathe in. Stretch up gently. Now release the stretch and breathe out. Breathe in, stretch your right arm longer than left one, breathe out and release the stretch. Keep alternating in left and right arms for five rounds at moderate pace. Bring your arms downwards and then relax.
Advantages
Remove the stiffness from upper back and shoulders. The deep breath enhances breathing capacity. It enhances circulation of blood. The brain receives supply of oxygen.
4. Supta Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)
Come into Baddha Konasana pose. Keep a yoga bolster in vertical position, one end touching tailbone. At the centre of bolster, stack one to two folded blankets. Move the upper body, onto blanket and bolster and keep folded blanket under your thighs. You may put block between your feet to broaden pelvis. Stay for few minutes in this pose with gentle breaths and relax. Roll to one side to release the posture.
Advantages
Enhances the blood circulation in lower abdomen, increases external rotation in hips and creates space around pelvis. It relaxes and calms your anxious mind.
5. Relax With Modified Savasana
Relaxation and breath work are crucial part of pregnancy yoga; also this will be a special time to connect with your baby. Lie on one side of stomach and your fingers interlocked under cheek. Support right cheek over interlocked fingers. Now bend the left leg sideways and bring your left knee closer to your ribs. Your right leg should be in straight position. Turn your arms to left and touch the left elbow on left knee. Relax in the final pose and after some time, change the side. For further comfort, your head and bent knee can be supported on pillow.
Advantages
During third trimester, this pose is ideal for sleeping and relaxing. Moreover, it redistributes excessive weight around the waistline.
6. Hero Pose Bolster Stool (Virasana Blanket Stool)
Sit on a comfortable cushion on the floor, lean back and take support with bend arms. While taking your legs behind and sitting on hip and thighs, slowly incline your back and rest on stool. This pose opens inner thighs and hips and contracts the pelvic floor muscles. For about 6 breaths sit here in this pose, stretch your legs if there is uncomfortable feeling in your knees. Keeping your back straight, relax by stretching your legs out.
Advantages
This pose stretches and strengthens upper back, shoulders and your arms that will help you to hold your baby for long hours.
7. Wide Child Pose Chair (Prasarita Balasana Chair)
Sit on a comfortable cushion or blanket, spread your knees apart and sit in Prasarita Balasana, rest the torso and arms on chair in your front side. Here the forward bend assures an opening to muscles of lower back and give little contraction to them which reduces the stress and back pain. Remain in this pose for about 8 breaths, if you feel comfortable in this pose otherwise you can stretch your legs while resting your head and arms on chair.
Advantages
This pose assures better opening of lower back muscles and lowers back pain. It also aids in flexing the hips.
8. Labour Preparation Squat Chair
Inhale and raise the hips by taking support of the chair, place your right foot on floor by bending right knee and resting left knee on cushion. Remain placing your arms and face on the chair with one leg supporting the cushion and other on floor in this pose. Do not hold your breathe and take it in control. Remain in this pose for about 4 breaths and balance the body with support on chair. The widened thighs help to open pelvic muscles to get ready for childbirth. Ensure the distance between the legs are not too far.
Advantages
This pose helps you during labor and delivery and can assist you to make your pelvis opened and can assist to descent the baby.
Summary
Even more than preparing physically, yoga will also help to prepare mentally for child birth by teaching you to listen to your body. The best method to do is to concentrate on your breath by long inhales and exhales by nose or by mouth.
You could have enrolled in birth education classes. It is good to do. However, there is no better to prepare your mind and body than to do yoga for birth. Yoga cannot guarantee that you will have easy child birth experience, the focus of yoga is on letting the things to go on and deal with non-comfort of pregnancy mentally, spiritually and emotionally.
Caution
See Also: Yoga Poses Avoid During Third Trimester Pregnancy
- Avoid carrying any heavy load, as it can put stress on your back and belly.
- Avoid over-eating; this can result in unwanted weight gain and heartburn.
- Avoid exerting yourself too much and do not forget to keep yourself hydrated.
- Avoid going on air journeys.
- Avoid going outside in dusty weather, it can expose you to bacteria and can cause issues to your foetus.
