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Is Downward Facing Dog Yoga Pose Safe During Pregnancy?

Most of the pregnant women experience a lot of back pain and leg pain, especially in the end of second trimester and third trimester. Down facing dog yoga pose or Adho Mukha Svanasana can be very helpful during pregnancy as it can help to relieve your legs and back pain. Down facing dog yoga pose is one of the most essential pose in yoga practice. This is because it helps to rejuvenate and stretch the entire body from your feet, all the way up to your hips, waist and down to your hands and wrist. As the head is lower than the pelvis in this pose, it is often classified as inversion posture. This pose works well as a warm up posture for all the muscles and can be practiced at the beginning of the yoga practice. This yoga posture helps to stretch your shoulders, shoulder blades, hands, arms, hamstrings, lower back, Achilles tendons and calves. It also helps to strengthen your entire back and thus alleviate any lower back pain. It eases stiff neck and increases circulation, especially to the brain; expands the chest and rejuvenates the whole body. However some experts avoid suggesting this posture in late term pregnancy. So it is always best to check with your specialist before starting any yoga pose as he/she may know your case history the best.

How To Perform The Downward Facing Dog Yoga Pose

To perform this pose come on your hands and knees in such a way that your knees are directly under your hips and your wrist is slightly forward your shoulder. Spread your palms and toes so as there are at least 12 inch gap between them. Exhale and try to lift your knees away from the floor. In the beginning keep your knees slightly bent and your heels lifted from the floor. Try to lengthen your tailbone and press it lightly towards the pubis and away from the back of your pelvis. Thus lift the sitting bone towards the ceiling against this resistance and draw your inner legs up in the groin from your inner ankles. Exhale stretching your heels towards the floor and putting your inner thighs back. Press the base of your index finger firming your outer arms on the floor. Lift your inner arms to the top of your shoulders from the wrists from these two points. Firm your shoulder blades against your back and widen them; draw them towards the tail bone. Don’t let your head hang; place it between your upper arms. You can stay in this pose anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes. To end, exhale and bend your knees to the floor and rest in child’s pose.

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