Yoga on a Plane: Asanas for Pregnant Women

Yoga workout during flight

Can pregnant women travel? Yes, and perhaps they even should! Pleasant emotions and new experiences are extremely important for the expectant mother. However, the question of whether flights are permissible should be resolved with your doctor, as pregnancies vary for each woman. Generally, during the second trimester, with a normal pregnancy, gynecologists permit their patients to travel on flights without concerns. And, by the way, they don’t consider flying a reason to change the usual exerciseroutine, you just need to choose specific exercises for yoga practice during the flight. So, what should you know about the rules of flying and how to compensate for the lack of full daily practice?

Safe Flight Rules for Expecting Mothers

• When packing, don’t forget to buy special stockings or socks to prevent blood clots in the legs.

• Stress is unnecessary for expecting mothers: to avoid nerves from hustle and bustle, it’s important to plan your packing carefully and leave for the airport in advance.

• Don’t worry about scanner radiation (many are afraid it will harm the baby). The manual inspection method is still available, and pregnant women have the inviolable right to choose it.

• There’s no need to be shy about asking for help. For example, when picking up luggage, it’s reasonable to ask the men nearby to take the suitcase off the conveyor belt. In practice, most people are very courteous with pregnant women and are happy to help.

• On the plane, it’s better to take a seat by the aisle to have the freedom to go to the toilet and simply stand up and move around more easily.

• Following the previous guidelines will make it easier to follow the recommendation to drink more water to prevent dehydration.

Flying is no excuse to skip a workout: a list of yoga exercises for the plane

Experts recommend a short list of Hatha yoga exercises during flights that don’t require much space:

• neck rotations;

• a modification of the “cat-cow” sequence (Marjaryasana – Bitilasana);

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• the “ankle-to-knee” pose while seated;

• ankle rotations;

• exercises for the pelvic floor muscles.

The first exercise is designed to relieve tension in the neck and stiffness in the shoulder muscles. When performing it, you should straighten your spine, spread and lower your shoulders, and place your hands on your thighs. From this position, close your eyes, relax, and slowly make several head rotations: first to the right, then to the left. It’s important to move very smoothly and be attentive to sensations: discomfort at any point is a reason to pause in that position and take a few breaths. Of course, this does not involve overcoming painful sensations.

To perform the second asana, sit on the edge of the seat and take a pose similar to the starting position of the previous exercise. The spine should be straightened, shoulders spread out, and hands placed on the thighs. After taking a deep breath, round your spine on the exhale. On the inhale, return to the starting position, and round the spine again on the next exhale. Breathe slowly, and the exercise can be repeated for 10-15 breaths.

The third exercise is necessary for stretching the hip joint and looks like this. Sitting on the edge of the seat, bend your right knee and place the ankle on the top of the left knee. Hold this position for five breathing cycles, then repeat everything on the other side. It’s important to monitor your breathing: it should be calm and steady. A common mistake in the exercise is slouching: it’s important to keep your back straight.

In the penultimate exercise aimed at improving blood circulation, the feet are placed shoulder-width apart and the ankles are rotated five times in one direction, five times in the other. You can also rise onto your toes several times, then slowly lower onto your heels.

Finally, the pelvic floor muscle exercise, which helps with incontinence issues and teaches the correct functioning of muscles during childbirth. You can feel the pelvic floor muscles by coughing a little. The exercise itself involves alternately contracting and relaxing them. It’s important to ensure that the abdomen does not tense during the exercise. In the first stage, contract the muscles on inhalation and release them on exhalation. In the second stage, the movements are sped up without coordinating with breathing. In the third stage, the process is reversed and slowed down: each part is performed over five to seven counts. In the final stage, the exercise is slightly intensified: contract the muscles on inhalation, hold them on exhalation, contract further on the next inhalation, and relax on the exhalation. When performing slowly, it’s crucial to monitor the relaxation process carefully: avoid releasing abruptly and let the muscles go very smoothly.

Practicing yoga on a plane is recommended and very beneficial with the right approach.