The postnatal period, often called the "fourth trimester," is a time of immense change and adjustment for new mothers. Your body has undergone the incredible feat of pregnancy and childbirth, and now it needs time to recover and rebuild strength. One area that deserves special attention during this time is the pelvic floor.
The pelvic floor plays a crucial role in supporting your pelvic organs and maintaining bowel and bladder control. However, the physical stresses of pregnancy and childbirth can weaken these muscles, leading to issues like pelvic instability. This instability can manifest as pelvic pain, urinary incontinence, and even pelvic organ prolapse.
Yoga offers a gentle yet powerful approach to addressing pelvic floor issues. By incorporating specific pelvic yoga pos es and practices into your postnatal routine, you can strengthen and stabilize the pelvic floor, improve circulation to the pelvic area, and promote overall healing and well-being. In this blog, we will explore five postnatal pelvic yoga poses specifically designed to help improve pelvic stability, along with other tips and practices to support your postpartum recovery journey. In pelvic muscles yoga can play a great role.
Understanding Pelvic Floor Health
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and tissues that support the pelvic organs, including the bladder, uterus, and rectum. These muscles undergo significant changes during pregnancy and childbirth, often resulting in weakness or dysfunction. Pelvic instability can lead to urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, and other discomforts. Strengthening the pelvic floor is essential for restoring stability and function. In strengthening and stabilizing pelvic muscles yoga can play a great role.
How Can Yoga Enhance Pelvic Stability After Pregnancy?
Yoga offers a multifaceted approach to postnatal recovery, particularly concerning pelvic stability. The practice not only strengthens the physical body but also nurtures mental and emotional well-being. Through a combination of gentle poses, controlled breathing, and mindfulness, yoga can effectively target the pelvic floor muscles, which play a crucial role in postnatal recovery.
● Strengthening the Pelvic Floor Muscles: Pregnancy and childbirth can weaken the pelvic floor muscles, leading to issues like pelvic instability. Yoga poses such as Supta Bhadrasana (Reclining Butterfly Pose) with Pillows and Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose) specifically target these muscles, helping to rebuild strength and stability.
● Improving Circulation to the Pelvic Area: The practice of yoga involves controlled breathing and mindful movements, which can improve blood flow to the pelvic region. This increased circulation not only promotes healing but also enhances the overall health of the pelvic organs.
● Promoting Relaxation: The postnatal period can be stressful and overwhelming for new mothers. Yoga's focus on relaxation and mindfulness can help alleviate stress and tension, which can contribute to pelvic instability.
● Enhancing Body Awareness: Yoga encourages practitioners to be mindful of their bodies and sensations. This heightened awareness can help new mothers identify areas of tension or weakness in the pelvic region, allowing them to address these issues more effectively.
5 Postnatal Yoga Poses to Help Improve Pelvic Instability
1. Yogendra Supta Bhadrasana (Reclining Butterfly Pose) with Pillows: This pose gently stretches the inner thighs and groin, while the pillows provide support to the back and hips, reducing strain on the pelvis.
Steps:
1. Lying down on your back, bend both your legs inwards at the knees and join the soles of the feet together.
2. Once in this position, interlock your fingers and put your hands on the stomach and practice normal breathing.
3.
2. Yogendra Vajrasana (Adamant Posture): This seated posture helps improve blood flow to the pelvic region, strengthening the pelvic floor muscles and improving stability.
Steps:
1. Assume a kneeling position on a mat with your knees touching each other. Let your toes touch each other and the heels remain apart.
2. Lower your body and sit comfortably on the hollow formed by your toes and heels. If you are a beginner use your hands to lower yourself down. You may use a soft mat initially.
3. Hold your body erect and your head, neck and body in a natural line, the abdomen held in normal contour.
4. Place your hands upon your knees with your palms facing downwards.
5. Close your eyes and passively observe your breath or keep your gaze fixed at one point. Sit for around 5 to 10 minutes.
Posture Release
6. Slowly open your eyes and gently assume the starting position, unwind your legs and gently stretch your legs forward as in a sitting position.
3. Yogendra Gaumukhasana (The Cow Head Posture): This seated pose stretches the hips and thighs, helping to release tension in the pelvic area and improve flexibility.
Steps:
1. Sit with your legs fully outstretched.
2. Bend your left leg, bring it from under your right knee and place your heel near your right hip.
3. Bend your right leg, bring it over your left knee and place your heel near the left hip.
4. Raise your right hand straight up above your head, bend it at the elbow towards the back.
5. Take your other hand backwards from below, bend it at the elbow to grasp the right hand, interlocking your fingers as shown in the picture.
6. The head must remain straight and facing front.
7. Stay in this position as long as you are comfortable but not more than a minute is necessary.
8. Unclasp your fingers and come to the starting position.
9. Repeat with the opposite leg and hand.
4. Yogendra Matsyasana (Fish Pose): This gentle pose is one of the best yoga asanas for women. It opens the chest and stretches the neck, shoulders, and abdomen. It can help relieve tension in the pelvic area and improve circulation.
Steps:
1. Sit in Padmasana or Sukhasana.
2. Inhaling, recline backwards, supporting your body with your arms and elbows and lie down.
3. Cradle your head with your hands.
4. Close your eyes.
5. Maintain the pose for six seconds retaining the breath or stay in the position breathing normally or practice abdominal breathing.
Posture Release:
6. Unclasp your hands, exhaling and taking support of your hands come back to the sitting position.
5. Yogendra Sthitaprarthanasana (Standing Prayer Pose): This standing meditative pose involves standing erect with hands in a prayer position, gently engaging the muscles of back, hips, and thighs. It promotes relaxation and relieves tension in the pelvic area.
Sequence of steps:
1. Stand erect with hands at their respective sides and feet as close together as possible.
2. Keep the knees straight but not stiff.
3. Place the body weight (equally distributed) from the heels to the ball of the feet.)
4. Hold the neck straight, abdomen in normal contour (deflated at its lower end but not necessarily drawn inwards), and chin drawn in.
5. The pelvis tilted at a subtle angle so as to prevent any exaggeration of the lumbar curve.
6. Focus your eyes at any one point straight ahead, keeping the mind calm and body relaxed.
7. Fold both the hands in Namaskar mudra and place them in front of the chest.
8. Keep the shoulders and elbows relaxed.
9. Close the eyes (or fix the gaze at any one point) and passively observe the breath (final position).
Posture release:
10. Slowly open the eyes and gently lower your hands to assume the starting position.
Benefits of Yoga Post-Delivery
● Promotes healing and recovery
● Reduces stress and anxiety
● Improves flexibility and strength
● Enhances overall well-being
Postnatal Nourishment and Wellness Tips:
● Stay hydrated and eat a balanced diet rich in nutrients.
● Get plenty of rest and sleep when the baby sleeps.
● Practice gentle exercises like walking and yoga.
● Seek support from family and friends.
● Practice mindfulness and self-care.
In conclusion, embracing pelvic yoga poses as part of your postnatal routine offers a holistic approach to enhancing pelvic stability and overall well-being. These gentle yet effective poses, combined with a balanced diet and mindful lifestyle choices, can significantly support your recovery journey during the postpartum period. By prioritizing self-care and incorporating these practices into your daily life, you not only promote physical healing but also nurture your mental and emotional health. Remember, every step you take towards caring for yourself is a step towards a healthier, happier you, allowing you to navigate the joys and challenges of new motherhood with strength and grace.