Yoga Poses for the Third Trimester
You’re almost there; you’ve almost reached the finish line! Congratulations! You’re in your third trimester and this one can be just a huge cocktail of emotions – happiness at finally meeting your baby, fear in case you’re a first time parent, the ending of the pregnancy itself. You need to be grounded particularly at this time and yoga can help you do that. Let’s take a look at some of the poses that can help you during the final stages of your pregnancy.
Shoulder Rotation – Place the fingertips of your right hand on to your right shoulder. Then rotate your shoulder so it looks like your elbow is inscribing a circle in the air. Rotate your shoulder clockwise five times and anti-clockwise five times. Inhale when your arm is in front of you and breathe out when it is behind you. Repeat with the other arm.
Ankle Rotation – Bend your right leg and place it on the left knee so that your right foot hangs over the left knee. Use your right hand to hold the ankle and the left hand to hold the toes. Now, very gently, rotate the ankle ten times in a clockwise direction and ten times in an anti-clockwise direction. Straighten out your right leg and repeat with your left leg.
Abdominal Stretch – Lie down with your fingers laced behind your head. Keep your soles flat on the ground and your knees bent. Turn your neck so that you are facing left. At the same time rotate your legs from your hips towards the right. You will feel the stretch in your spine. Hold this position for five seconds and then return to your original position. Switch and repeat on the other side.
Butterfly – Sit with your legs spread out. Now bend both knees so that the soles of your feet are touching each other while as close to the body as possible. Move your knees up and down gently as a butterfly flutters its wings. You can use your elbows to make your knees reach the ground but don’t push too hard. Repeat it around 30 times and then stop.
Half-Butterfly – Start with sitting with your legs spread out. Bend your right knee so that the sole of your right foot rests as close to the body as possible. Keep the left leg stretched out. Hold the toes of your left foot with your left hand and rest your right hand on your right knee. Now, use the right hand to move the right knee up and down gently. Breathe in when you raise the knee, hold for one second and then breathe out as you release the knee. Repeat it ten times with the right knee and then switch to repeat ten times with the left knee.
Practicing yoga in the third trimester can offer you tons of benefits. You can improve blood circulation, get relief from cramping, reduce issues such as indigestion or constipation and overall strengthen your body for the birth. Be sure to consult with your gynecologist to ensure it is safe for you to do these exercises.