The Mindful Mom-to-Be: A Modern Doula’s Guide to Building a Healthy Foundation from Pregnancy Through Birth ($23, Rodale). Here are three gentle poses to try:
To De-Stress
Forward Bend
Sit on the floor in a simple cross-legged position with a chair facing you. Place a pillow on the seat of the chair. Bend your upper body forward and rest your arms on the pillow. Relax your head on your arms and hold for a few minutes. Close your eyes and breathe through your nose deep into your belly. Exhale while allowing your belly to relax and soften.
To Ease Aches and Pains
Reclining Hero Pose
Stack two pillows behind you and kneel with your knees hip-distance apart. Slowly lower your bottom to the floor between your heels. Lower your upper body back onto the pillows and bring your arms overhead. Stay in this pose for 1 to 3 minutes. Then, using your arms to push yourself up, fold forward into child’s pose.
To Relieve Nausea
Reclining Bound-Angle Pose
Place a yoga block lengthwise under the end of a bolster to create an incline. Sit with your back against the low end of it. Bend your knees with your feet together and slowly let your legs fall open, pressing your feet together. Let your arms fall out to the sides as your chest opens.
