Pregnancy Yoga

Pregnancy should be a positive experience, a natural state when a woman's body is at its full potential, but many women can find this time unsettling due to increased hormone levels, physical changes and external pressures.
Yoga during pregnancy can be a valuable tool, not only as a form of exercise but as way of learning acceptance of change, and maintaining a positive mental outlook as well as a strong and supple body.
It can also minimize the common pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness and constipation, ease labour and delivery, and help restore your body after childbirth.
Pregnancy Yoga offers a positive method of exercise, and will guide you through your pregnancy and prepare your body and mind for your new arrival.

Samantha Magee has has been practicing yoga for over 10 years. She is an experienced Bikram yoga teacher, having trained under Bikram Choudhury in 2003, as well as completing Vinyasa yoga teacher training with Max Strom. She is also an experienced children's yoga teacher and a Reiki Master.

Foreword
Preparing for practice
The importance of alignment
Yoga safety
How to use this book
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF PREGNANCY YOGA
Stages of pregnancy
Nutritional needs
Moving in and out of poses
The importance of good breathing
Full yogic breathing
Pelvic breathing
Yoga props
Modifications
WARM-UP
Basic sun salutation sequence
Extended sequence
FIRST TRIMESTER POSTURES
Butterfly
Hip rolls
Eagle arms
Fingers interlaced
Cat
Cowface
Bridge
Bridge with hip movements
Shoulderstand
Fish pose
Happy baby
Happy baby on side
SECOND TRIMESTER POSTURES
Warrior II
Warrior I
Triangle
Tree pose
Wide-leg squat
Wide-leg forward bend
Arm and leg extension
Bow
Gentle plank
Easy push-up
Pigeon pose
Reclining twist I
Reclining twist II
THIRD TRIMESTER POSTURES
Kneeling forward stretch
Kneeling lion
Deep squat in prayer
Standing hip rolls
Single-leg seated stretch
Pulling the rope
Churning the mill
Stretch will wall support
Stretch facing the wall
Cross-legged twist
POSTNATAL POSTURES
Neck rolls
Shoulder rolls
Gentle flow sequence
Standing flow sequence
Gentle twist
Cat and dog tilt
Gentle side plank
Seated stretches
RELAXATION POSTURES
Child's pose
Legs up the wall
Butterfly up the wall
Supine butterfly
Corpse pose
BREATHING AND MEDITATION
Sun breath
Moon breath
Blowing a feather breath
Candle breath
The golden thread breath
Birthing visualisation
Butterfly meditation
Welcoming the baby meditation
Abundance meditation
Resources
Index