- Breathing exercises are a great way to help combat stress and anxiety during pregnancy.
- Yoga teacher Grace Sisto recommends focusing on simple practices.
- Bhramari pranayama (bee breath), for example, involves sitting comfortably with the eyes closed and making a buzzing or humming sound while breathing through the nose.
Breathing exercises can benefit anyone struggling with stress or anxiety, but those techniques could also be very useful for pregnant women.
According to Cover Media, yoga teacher Grace Sisto recommends researching mantras that can help pregnant women relax and prepare for birth to maintain a sense of calm.
Creating your own mantras or asking a yoga teacher for help is possible. And when it comes to breathing techniques, Grace suggests focusing on simple practices that can be undertaken anytime during the day.
READ MORE | Yoga: Modern research shows a variety of benefits to both body and mind from the ancient practice
"Within the yoga teachings, there are many pranayamas (breathing techniques) that can benefit women during pregnancy. These should be practised with the safe guidance of a teacher," said Grace.
Bhramari pranayama (bee breath) is a particularly good option as it involves sitting in a comfortable position with the eyes closed and making a buzzing or humming sound while inhaling and exhaling through the nose.
"Pregnancy is a process of growth for the woman as well as the baby, and many feel vulnerable at times," Grace added.
"They have never experienced those sensations before, and all of a sudden, they feel responsible for the little life growing inside of them."
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