Sometimes it is hard to stay fit while pregnant. Yoga for pregnant women offers moms-to-be a great workout that is healthy for you and your unborn baby. Here is a guide on safe, basic yoga exercises and stretches to utilize during pregnancy.

Prenatal yoga provides both mental and physical benefits during pregnancy. For one, it is useful because it teaches you how to use breathing to calm your body and mind, factors which will definitely come in handy during childbirth. Learning how to master the postures taught in prenatal yoga will prime you for labor and childbirth and it facilitates this by training your body to stay calm.

Still the benefits of yoga for pregnant women are not only determined by your physical well-being, as the main principle of yoga is to vitalize not only the body, but the mind and the spirit too. Not only that, but simply spending time in a positive and nurturing environment with others who are in the same situation as you will help to give you an emotional boost right when you need it most.

There are numerous yoga poses in particular that are specifically for exercise while pregnant, such as the Cobbler or Tailor pose. This is a sitting pose that helps to open up the pelvis. To do this pose, you sit yourself up straight against a wall with the soles of your feet touching one another, and then gently press your knees down and away from one another. Then try to stay in this pose for as long as you are comfortable.

Another good prenatal yoga position is the pelvic tilt, which is a posture that helps to relieve back pain. Get down on your hands and knees with your arms shoulder-width apart and your knees hip-width apart. Make sure to keep your arms straight; then tighten in your abdominal muscles and tuck your buttocks under and round your back, breathing in while you do this.

Now, relax your back into its relaxed position, and breathe out, repeating at your own pace.

Finally, another beneficial posture is the squatting position, which helps to open up the pelvis and to strengthen the upper legs. As you start to fill out during pregnancy there are certain support props that you may use to support your body in this position, such as yoga blocks or a pile of books.

Commence by standing facing the back of a chair with your feet spread slightly apart, with your toes pointed outward.Bring your tailbone towards the floor as though you were going to sit down on a chair, but rather than sitting you hold the position there. Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, push your legs up and rise to a standing position, and then repeat as you feel comfortable.

So if you are wondering how you will possibly exercise while pregnant, consider trying yoga for pregnant women. Not only will you feel great, you'll be accumulating lifelong benefits for you and your child. This natural exercise program will relieve tension and increase your flexibility. Yoga poses are a helpful way to increase your sense of health and well-being, and a practice that you can always manage to adapt into a mother's busy schedule.