These props help you enhance your prenatal yoga practice and provide extra support and comfort.
I don't know about you, but I'm terrible at asking for help.
Before I became a mother, I believed myself to be a tough cookie, taking any challenge and overcoming it in the best possible way. On my own. It did not feel good or natural to me that I wasn't supposed to achieve everything by myself. I realized it the hard way when suddenly I was facing burnout at 27 years old. I say "suddenly", but of course in hindsight, the symptoms were very obvious: I didn't sleep well, my mind was racing, I couldn't take breaks easily. I was tense all the time, had trouble enjoying myself. And then boom! I got sick, and my body found stronger, louder ways of telling me that I was wearing myself out. I was forced to take a step back, let go of things, and allow help.
I believe that many women, and especially mothers, are like I was back then. I believe that motherhood is a "pressure cooker" of your qualities, allowing your strengths and weaknesses to impact you stronger. And what can I say, yoga helps to balance that out and take off the pressure.
Yoga is one of the tools that I use to check in with myself and see where and when I could benefit from support. On the mat, I practice using tools that elevate the true experience of my practice. Because (you know it, but I'll say it anyway):
It's not about how far you can stretch your limit, but about how attentive and mindful you stretch it. Pressure creates counterpressure, not a shifting of the boundary. And if you do it in a loving and gentle way, you might be surprised about what your body and mind are capable of.
Embracing support: The Right Yoga Props
We all know that yoga, with its focus on gentle movements, breathwork, and mindfulness, can be a valuable tool for expectant mothers to stay healthy, reduce stress, and prepare for childbirth. Incorporating yoga props into your practice can provide even more support, and nurture the feeling of comfort and stability. This helps you not only gain strength and flexibility for pregnancy and birth experience, but also might teach you a thing or two about allowing support in general - like it taught me. 🤗
So let's explore how to use yoga props during pregnancy:
Yoga Blocks
Yoga blocks are versatile props that can be used to modify poses and accommodate your growing belly. Here's how you can incorporate them:
- Modify Standing Poses: Use yoga blocks to bring the ground closer to your hands in standing poses like Triangle Pose or Warrior II, allowing for better alignment and balance.
- Support in Seated Poses: Sit on a yoga block to elevate your hips in seated poses such as Seated Forward Fold or Cobbler's Pose, relieving pressure on the lower back and pelvis. I also love using them under the knees to fully release the legs.
- Restorative Support: During relaxation poses like Savasana or Embryo Pose, place a yoga block under your head or knees to support your spine.
Tip: Sometimes you require even more space than a block can give you. Try and play with chairs, a pillow staple, a gym ball or the wall. Instead of yoga blocks, you can use books.
Yoga Straps
Yoga straps are excellent tools for enhancing flexibility and providing gentle support during stretches. Here are some ways to use them:
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- Gentle Stretching: Use a yoga strap to extend your reach in seated or reclined stretches, allowing for a deeper stretch without straining.
- Modified Forward Folds: Loop a yoga strap around your feet in forward folds to maintain length in the spine and avoid compressing the belly.
- Hip Opener Support: In poses like Pigeon Pose or Cow Face Pose, use a yoga strap to support the extended leg or bind the arms, providing stability and preventing overexertion.
Tip: No need to buy a yoga strap (if you don't want to). A scarf or the belt of a bathrobe does just a fine job.
Yoga Bolsters
Yoga bolsters are the hidden champions of prenatal yoga! They offer firm support and cushioning, making them ideal for restorative poses and relaxation. Here's how you can incorporate bolsters into your prenatal yoga practice:
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- Supported Backbends: Place a bolster lengthwise along your spine in supported backbends like Supported Bridge Pose or Supported Fish Pose, allowing for a gentle opening of the chest and shoulders.
- Relaxation and Comfort: Use a bolster under your knees in reclined positions like Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose or Supported Reclining Bound Angle Pose to alleviate pressure on the lower back and promote circulation.
- Side-Lying Relaxation: During relaxation on your side, hug a bolster to your chest for added support and comfort, allowing for deeper relaxation and stress relief.
Yoga Blankets
Who doesn't love the warmth, padding, and support that a blanket can give you? Yoga blankets are soft, versatile props that can provide just that. Here's how you can use them:
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- Knee Support: Due to the weight gain and the softening of ligaments and tendons during pregnancy, you might experience knee complaints. Fold a yoga blanket and place it under your knees in kneeling poses like Cat-Cow or Child's Pose, providing cushioning and relieving pressure.
- Comfort in Restorative Poses: Use blankets to support the body in restorative poses like Supported Child's Pose or Reclining Bound Angle Pose by placing it between the folded limbs. This gives you extra softness and promotes relaxation.
- Additional Comfort: Fold a blanket and place it under your hips or head for added support and comfort during relaxation or meditation practices. I also really enjoy placing it around my hips and belly in Seated Poses to give me an extra grounding feeling.
Tip: Yoga blankets are a little heavier than usual blankets. If you enjoy this heavy quality, there's no harm in using two blankets!
In Summary
Incorporating props like blocks, straps, bolsters, and blankets can be a powerful enhancement of your yoga practice, helping you realize when you intuitively need some extra support. They teach you to listen to your body, honor its needs, and eventually nurture yourself and your growing baby.