As beautiful and joyful that pregnancy is, it's not to go without saying how uncomfortable it can be at times. Your friends try to give you a heads up on what to experience, but until you're experiencing it for yourself it's hard to wrap your head around what it will really be like...at least that's how it was for me.
Thankfully, I was able to come across some gentle pregnancy stretches to help with those painful and aching muscles that are bound to happen towards the end of your pregnancy. So if you're feeling that pain coming on, give these stretches a try for instant relief.
When I look back on my pregnancy, I remember the aches and pains starting to get bad by the end of my second trimester/beginning of my third trimester. Between the aches and the swollen everything, I needed to find some type of relief, and find it FAST!
Try setting aside 20 minutes a day for yourself and baby, clear your mind, relax, and stretch! You won't believe the wonders that, that short period of time each day will do for you.
If you're looking for more exercise videos whether your pregnant or not, check these out:
7 Exercises You Can Do Sitting Down
Exercises to Make Labour Faster and Easier
4 Easy Yoga Poses That Fix Tight Shoulders
Stretches
1. Cat-Cow
While evenly placed on your hands and knees, breath in and arch your back then hold for a few seconds, then breath out and release your arch going into a curved back position, and hold for a few seconds. This will help ease hip, back, and round ligament pain, all while strengthening your lower back.
2. Seated Piriformis Stretch
Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the ground. Cross one foot over the other knee, and as you exhale slowly lean your upper body forward keeping your back flat. Hold for a few seconds, and then repeat with the other foot. This will help with relieving lower back pain, as well as a small muscle deep in the glutes that can cramp during pregnancy.
3. Child's Pose
While evenly placed on your hands and knees, take a deep breath in, and while exhaling lower your bottom to your heels, and at the same time drop your head towards the mat and hold that pose for at least 5 deep breaths. This will help tremendously with aching hip and pelvis pain, and stretch out the spine and lower back.
4. Bridge
Lay on your back with your hand flat on the ground, and your knees bent up. As you inhale gently lift your hips and back off the ground, keeping a neutral spine and hold for a few seconds. As you exhale gently lower yourself back down to the starting position, and then repeat. This will help stretch your hip flexors, and strengthen your lower back, glutes, and abdominals.
5. Bound Angle Pose
Sitting up straight on a mat, bend your knees bringing the soles of your feet together. While holding onto your feet, try to bring your feet in slightly towards your pelvis. Take a deep breath in, and while exhaling gently bring your upper body forward until you reach a point of tension and then drop your chin and hold. This will help stretch out your inner thighs, back, and neck.
6. Lunge
Begin by kneeling on the floor, and taking one foot step out in front of you, ensuring your knee is at a 90-degree angle. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale slowly lean yourself forward transferring your weight to your front foot. Hold this position and then repeat on the other leg. This will help stretch your hip flexors, and all the muscles running along the front of your hip.
7. Forward Fold
Begin by standing on the mat with your feet hip-width apart, and slowly lean forward, lowering your hands to a point of tension and hold. To help increase the stretch, walk yourself over from one side, back to the center, to the other side, back to the center, and up. This will help stretch out your hamstrings, lower back, and calves.
I hope these gentle pregnancy stretches help you as much as they helped me! All the best in your pregnancy!
