prenatal tt for pure

Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training

Pure Yoga August 2011

Sujata Cowlagi

• To get a basic understanding on prenatal anatomy in order to offer prenatal students in class maximum comfort and support.

• Ability to generate an environment of nurturing and comfort in class.

• Ability to answer basic questions that yoginis might have regarding pregnancy. Precautions and what to avoid during asana practice.

• To be able to guide them to a safe and enjoyable yoga practice through different trimesters

• To be able to understand and modify practice for common conditions arising during pregnancy.

• Specific techniques to offer students support with changing physical, mental, emotional needs during the course of pregnancy.

• Practice :Master class – teaching technique and putting theory into practice!

• Q and A

Objectives for this TT

• Specifically addresses the hormonal changes and shifting in needs of the pregnant woman

• Regular practice may reduces the need for pain medication

• Regulates blood pressure, heart conditions, • Improves circulation• Increases stability , flexibility and awareness.• Proper breathing techniques may reduce labor and

pushing time• Helps to bring awareness to female reproductive health

for post natal time• Reduces medical interventions• Saves money spent in extra trips to the doctors. • Offers immense support during a time of physical and

emotional vulnerability• Honors the woman about to bring a new life : connecting

the mother-to-be with her baby. • Helps to connect with other women who are in a similar

phase of life

Benefits of prenatal yoga

• Dizziness• Excessive nausea• Vaginal Bleeding• Excessive shortness of breath• Swelling in the calf region• Chest pain or palpitation• Leakage of amniotic fluid• Uterine contraction/ preterm labor

Warning Signs to stop practice

• Female anatomy• Pelvis :• Muscles

Anatomy

Female pelvis

Muscles of the female pelvis

• Skeletal and muscular: Center of gravity shifts and therefore the spine is affected. Lordosis or kyphosis can cause back pain. Widening of hips and pelvis can result in sciatica or pain in the sacro illiac joint. Fluid changes in the body cause edema, fluctuations in blood pressure. Sometimes women compare pre-pregnancy fitness goals to those during pregnancy. Movements are often akward or difficult.

How each system of the body is affected

• Proper alignment and regular practice increases stability • It takes the pressure off the back and lateral expansion in

the side body provides more support to the abdomen region.

• Proper blood circulation is maintained and chances of cramps, joint pains and swelling reduce considerably.

How yoga can help here

• Due to the growing baby in the organs of this area are often quite tight.

• Constipation, bloating and morning sickness are common• Breathing deeply becomes difficult.

Gastro intestinal

• Asanas such as vajrasana or virasana helps in the proper digestion of food and elimination.

• Relaxation asana, pranayaama and meditation helps with adequate rest and quality sleep.

• This in turn keeps psychosomatic conditions at bay.

How yoga can help

• Pregnant women experience high swings in moods and emotions due to the hormonal changes in progesterone and estrogen levels.

• They often do not tolerate certain foods • May be over sensitive to external environment.

Hormonal and emotional changes

• Continued prenatal yoga practice during all trimesters helps to deal with changes in moods.

• Relaxation, cultivating a positive focus to childbirth and guided meditation are very useful

• Pranayaama like anuloma-viloma, brahmari and shitali and shitakari are effective and soothe the nervous system.

How yoga can help

• First trimester 0-16 weeks• Second trimester 16 weeks• Third trimester

Pregnancy

• Breathing /pranayaam: BP• No jumping : increased heart beat• Quick vinyasa style classes: joint and ligaments• Twists: transverse abdominus• Pelvic floor asana: injury to internal organs• Squats : abdominal muscles• Inversions• No lying on the abdomen/prone poses• Holding asana for long periods• Transition between postures• No abdominal crunches

Caution with

• Tone up and strengthen the pelvic floor • Help to make labor and post partum recovery easier. • Quicker healing from episiotomy and hemorrhoids. • Keeps the urinary tract healthy • Prevents prolapsed uterus and other problems during

menopause.

Kegels

• Generally entire uterus tightens and pressure may be felt in the abdomen.

• Duration becomes progressively longer, stronger and closer together. ( upto 60 seconds)

• Usually become a regular pattern. • Changing positions or activity does not make them stop. • Walking makes them stronger.

Signs of labor

• Stage 1 Early labor or prelaborEstablished laborAdvanced laborStage 2: Pushing stage: baby is bornStage 3: Delivering the placenta

Stages of labor

• Cervix starts to dilate: • Early labor 0-4 cm• Established labor 4-7 cm• Transition/advanced labor 7- 10 cm• Full dilation is at 10cm.

STAGE 1

• Position in which the baby is in : • Posterior: baby’s face is in the direction of the mother’s

spine. The head is facing down. Ideal position for birth• Anterior: The baby’s face is towards the mother’s

abdomen• Frank breech: head up and feet down

Presentation of baby

• Asanas that allow working with gravity, opening the cervix or are supported seated postures ( For normal presentation)

• Supported squat: Malasana with support ( PIC) • Upavista konasana• Baddha konasana

Positions for labor

• Dialation: measured in cms 0-10• Position: of the head of the baby in the the birth canal

( measured from -2 to +2) • Effacement: : how much the cervix is open : measured in

percentage

Three terms to know

• Ask the right questions. Take note of new students in class and spend sometime with them.

• Offer props and prepare the classroom• If you choose to work with music pick carefully babies can

hear after six months! • Do a proper warm up. • Offer modifications for each trimester• Do a slow practice build awareness and keep it simple. • Build intensity and relax between postures.• Change your lesson plan depending on the level of class. • Monitor every student and if necessary give verbal, visual

and sometimes manual adjustments. • Set aside time for pranayama and proper shavasana.

Supporting yoginis during practice

• Be conservative • Challenge but do not overdo• Encourage listening to the body• Take feedback from participants • Keep the classes relaxed and comfortable for all sorts of

pregnant women to attend.

• Use the wall for many postures- particularly standing postures and balance postures.

• For seated postures use blocks or bolsters. • Keep blankets or towels for “cushioning” the baby bump.

Proper to prop?

• Carpal tunnel syndrome: tingling, pain, swelling and or water retention.

WHAT TO DO?Interlace the fingers and arm extention. make a fist and roll the fist aroundhold out the arms and extend the base of the palmsclench the hands and unclench them. Extend the fingers of the left hand draw the left thumb to the left hand.

Common conditions

• Particularly common in the legs and calf region: • Keep feet apart and flex and point • Adhomukha shwanasana, vajrasana ( unless suffering

from varicose veins), virasana.

Muscle cramps

• Is a burning sort of sensation in the middle of the chest sometimes accompanied by a sour taste in the mouth.

Tadasana, with baddha namaskarTadasana with urdhva hastasanaUtthita trikonasanaOther balance and seated postures. Avoid postures bending forward or where the head is below the heart level.

Heartburn

• Difficulty in bowel movement. Increased pressure in the abdomen area.

• Supported squats ( avoid for breech baby presentation) • Standing postures: trikonasana, parshwakonasana,

vrikshasana, ardha chandraasna with block support. • Uttanasana with wall support.

Constipation

• Increased progesterone in the body causes the tendons and ligaments around the pelvic area to loosen. This affects the spine region causing it more pain.

• Forward bends to be avoided• Do supported squats, chest and shoulder opening

asanas, bidalasana ( cat-cow) • Baddhakonasana• Standing baby back bends may be helpful.

Backpain

• Disrupted sleep, or erratic sleep patterns• Asana: Uttanasana with support• Padottanasana• Adhomukha shwanasana• Adhomukha virasana• Janu shirshasana• Avoid back bends

Insomnia

• Caused by extra mobility of joints and ligaments in this region.

• Sciatica is pain shooting down the legs from one side of the lower back

• Tadasana

SI joint and Sciatica

• Standing postures to be avoided – asanas lying down on the side can be done.

• Strengthen the quadriceps • Asanas like supported vajrasana or virasana can be

helpful

Varicose veins

• Oedema or water retention occurs due to a rise in estrogen levels. This is common in the extremities and can be checked by:

• Rotation of the wrists and ankles.• And flexion and pointing of feet and hands• Asana practice : upavista konasana• Baddhakonasana.

swelling

• Aromatherapy• Homepathy• Proper diet• Water birth• Use of music/ sound• Lights • Partner practice

To support

• Lochia : Vaginal bleeding for first few weeks. • Milk: breasts might be swollen• Uterus: shrinks back to size• Sex: six weeks after • Exercise: six weeks after

Postpartum