This is for you pregnant Mamas out there. I made a series of videos with my friend Briena whilst she was pregnant with her 1st child. This is a 40 minute sequence. You will need to s l o w d o w n , clear some space, roll out a mat and commit to connecting with your baby and your breath. Grab 3/4 blankets and ideally a bolster or rolled up blanket or cushion that will make do for a bolster!
The video offers a centring practice to find neutral spine and feel how your spine is being affected by your pregnancy.
Through this sequence you will
- Gain awareness of spinal primary and secondary curves
- Enquire into healthy alignment for carrying baby
- Practice movements’floss’ the spine by taking it through all it’s possible directions.
It’s good to understand a bit about the Primary and Secondary curves of the spine before doing the video:
Finding healthy alignment and integrating yoga into everyday life will help you respond to and welcome the daily changes that pregnancy creates on all levels.
Primary Curves
- The thoracic spine is girded by the the rib cage
- The sacrum is embedded in the pelvis
- These are the more rigid and stable parts of the spine
Secondary Curves
- The lumbar and cervical, inward curves are more mobile, can lead to instability.
- The lumbar curve goes in to support the rib cage
- The cervical curve goes in to support the weight of the head.
These natural curves allow gravity to move through clearly. When the curves are balanced we call it neutral. It is natural during pregnancy for these curves to deepen.
We do yoga to maintain the health of the spine – especially the intervertebral discs – squeezing , soaking for the discs to absorb the nutrients and fluids.
Many Yoga postures draw on the poses and developmental movements we had to do to get to standing when we were babies.
Now if that all makes sense. Get practicing.