Buddhabellies: Yoga & pregnancy
pose of the month - May

“Many experienced Yoga practitioners complain of the gentle nature of pregnancy Yoga. Used to inverted postures, dramatic twists and more complicated balances, they often find it difficult to focus solely on more simple poses. Yet the beauty of Yoga is that even the simplest of poses bring great benefit to the body and mind. The advice of many a Buddhist monk is to adopt a 'beginner’s mind' in one's practice and, for pregnancy Yoga, this would be an equally useful tool. As Yoga is something that is best explored from the inside out, the pose itself matters less than the mind of the person practising it. Even the simplest of poses bring strength and vitality to the body. Something does not need to hurt or to be challenging for it to be of benefit. The more gentle mindset that prenatal Yoga can bring about is often one of the lasting legacies of Yoga in pregnancy.
  This month we will explore 'Sitting with legs out wide' and some poses that use this posture as their base. Before coming to sitting with legs out wide, it is useful to find your base in Dandasana (Staff pose), or sitting with legs outstretched.
  Sit on the edge of a cushion allowing it to tilt your pelvis slightly forward. Check that your sitting bones are evenly planted and that your back is lovely and long. Stretch your legs out in front of you, bringing the feet together. If it feels more comfortable to allow your feet to be a little apart, then work like this. Take several breaths before taking your legs out as wide as is comfortable. Remember not to over-stretch in this position and those with pelvic pain should either avoid it altogether or work with legs closer together...”

The article continues with a series of gentle exercises generally suitable for use in pregnancy. Written by Nicole Croft, founder of Buddhabellies.