5 YOGA EXERCISES WHICH HELP WITH SCOLIOSIS

Scoliosis Awareness: 5 Yoga Exercises That Help With Scoliosis

Scoliosis comes from the Greek word skol, which means turn or twist and it’s a type of condition that gives to the spine an S or C shape. The cause can be genetic or environmental and when not taken care of provokes muscles soreness, stiffness and in severe cases can interfere with breathing. Yoga has a variety of exercises that can help to improve scoliosis and body posture while at the same time will strengthen the core muscles. Below you will find 5 yoga exercises that will help you treat the scoliosis pain.

1. Universal Spinal Twist.

This is the position where you lie on the floor while twisting right / left leg and core to the opposite sides. Arms are extended to the side of the body with the palms facing down at shoulder level. This position mainly helps to release the tightness especially in the lower back, while tones up the abdominal organs and pelvic. I would definitely recommend this asana to be performed after prolonged hours of sitting.

2. Cat stretch pose.

This is also a very common Pilates exercise. Starting from cat position with the legs bent, shoulder width apart and arms in line with the shoulders. Raise the head up and depress the spine while expanding the abdomen and the back becomes concave. Then, lower the head and stretch the spine upward. This asana is great for the neck, spine and shoulders, as it stretches all the muscles. It can also help to tone up the reproductive system and gives relief to menstrual cramps.

3. Palm Tree Pose.

Keep the body steady in a standing position with the feet together. Raise the arms over the head and stretch your body as much as possible – keep the feet up and stay on the toes. The spine is completely stretched and this position helps in loosening the spinal nerves. It also helps to increase the height, as it stretches the ligaments and muscles at the back and front of the body. It could be useful during the first six months of pregnancy as it stretches the abdominal muscles.

4. Mountain pose.

This is one of the main positions in Hatha Yoga as it belongs to the sun salutation asana series. Legs and arms are straightened on the floor with the buttocks facing up to the seal. You need to push the head and shoulders towards your knees, without straining. This position has a variety of benefits as it strengthens the muscles and nerves at the back. It increases the circulation on the upper back as well as the height by supporting the growing bones to grow longer.

5. Half Spinal Twist.

It is considered one of the best exercises that stretch the back and abdomen muscles while contracting the opposite side. This position is a bit more complicated – starting from sitting position you need to bend the right leg over the left and keep the foot facing forward. Using the left arm you need to push the right leg towards the opposite direction and lengthen the core as much as possible. This asana relieves muscular spams and lumbago, tones up the nerves of the spine and massages the abdominal organs. It also helps the vertebrae to not develop inflammatory problems and calcium deposits.

Give a try to these five asanas and enjoy the benefits they can offer to your whole body and specifically to your spine. They will help in relieving the scoliosis pain while your core will become stronger and you will manage to improve your body posture.

Knowing your Ayurvedic body tYPE

Ayurveda is a science that takes care of your every realm – mental, physical and spiritual. What is good for one person isn’t good always good for everyone.

Ayurvedic philosophy says that we are each born with some of the characteristics of all three types, but in different proportions.

Healing in Ayurveda is carried out by first identifying your unique dosha (skin/body type). Each dosha combines in a special way the five elements of the universe (air, fire, water, earth, space).

• Vata
• Pitta
• Kapha

We are “in balance” when we are healthy, happy, and radiantly beautiful, expressing the ration of Kapha, Pitta and Vata elements set in us at birth.

Vata
Vata is considered the leader of the three Ayurvedic Principles in the body. Vata governs all movement in the mind and body. It controls blood flow, elimination of wastes, breathing and the movement of thoughts across the mind. It’s very important to keep Vata in good balance. The related elements are Air and Ether

Creativity ~ Enthusiasm ~ Freedom ~ Generosity ~ Joy ~ Vitality

Here are some of the common characteristics of people who have a predominantly Vata constitution.

• Creativity, mental quickness
• Highly imaginative
• Quick to learn and grasp new knowledge, but also quick to forget
• Sexually easily excitable but quickly satiated
• Slenderness; lightest of the three body types
• Talk and walk quickly
• Tendency toward cold hands and feet, discomfort in cold climates
• Excitable, lively, fun personality
• Changeable moods
• Irregular daily routine
• Variable appetite and digestive efficiency
• High energy in short bursts; tendency to tire easily and to overexert
• Full of joy and enthusiasm when in balance
• Respond to stress with fear, worry, and anxiety, especially when out of balance
• Tendency to act on impulse
• Often have racing, disjointed thoughts
• Generally have dry skin and dry hair and don’t perspire much
• Typical health problems include headaches, hypertension, dry coughs, sore throats, earaches, anxiety, irregular heart rhythms, muscle spasms,lower back pain, constipation, abdominal gas, diarrhea, nervous stomach, menstrual cramps, premature ejaculation and other sexual dys-functions,arthritis. Most neurological disorders are related to Vata imbalance.

Physical Features

People of vata constitution are generally physically underdeveloped. Their chests are flat and their veins and muscle tendons are visible. The complexion is brown, the skin is cold, rough, dry and cracked.

Vata people generally are either too tall or too short, with thin frames which reveal prominent joints and bone-ends because of poor muscle development. The hair is curly and scanty, the eyelashes are thin and the eyes lusterless. The eyes may be sunken, small, dry, and active. The nails are rough and brittle. The shape of the nose is bent and turned-up.

Physiologically, the appetite and digestion are variable. Vata people loves sweet, sour and salty tastes and like hot drinks. The production of urine is scanty and the feces are dry, hard and small in quantity. They have a tendency to perspire less than other constitutional types. Their sleep may be disturbed and they will sleep less than the other types. Their hands and feet are often cold.

Psychologically, they are characterized by short memory but quick mental understanding. They will understand something immediately, but will soon forget it. They have little willpower, tend toward mental instability and possess little tolerance, confidence or boldness. Their reasoning power is weak and these people are nervous, fearful and afflicted by much anxiety.

Vata people tend to earn money quickly and also to spend it quickly. Thus, they tend to remain poor.

Pitta

Pitta is a force created by the dynamic interplay of water and fire. These forces represent transformation.

Pitta governs digestion, absorption, assimilation,nutrition, metabolism, body temperature, skin coloration, the luster of the eyes, intelligence, and understanding. Psychologically, pitta arouses anger, hate, and jealousy. The small intestine, stomach, sweat glands, blood, fat, eyes, and skin are the seats of Pitta.

Ambition ~ Concentration ~ Confidence ~ Courage ~ Enthusiasm for knowledge ~ Happiness ~ Intelligence

Here are some of the common characteristics of people who have a predominantly Pitta body type.

• Medium physique, strong, well-built
• Sharp mind, good concentration powers
• Orderly, focused
• Assertive, self-confident, and entrepreneurial at their best; aggressive, demanding, pushy when out of balance
• Competitive, enjoy challenges
• Passionate and romantic; sexually have more vigor and endurance than Vatas, but less than Kaphas
• Strong digestion, strong appetite; get irritated if they have to miss or wait for a meal
• Like to be in command
• When under stress, Pittas become irritated and angry
• Skin fair or reddish, often with freckles; sunburns easily
• Hair usually fine and straight, tending toward blond or red, typically turns gray early; tendency toward baldness or thinning hair
• Uncomfortable in sun or hot weather; heat makes them very tired
• Perspire a lot
• Others may find them stubborn, pushy, opinionated
• Good public speakers; also capable of sharp, sarcastic, cutting speech
• Generally good management and leadership ability, but can become authoritarian
• Like to spend money, surround themselves with beautiful objects
• Subject to temper tantrums, impatience, and anger
• Typical physical problems include rashes or inflammations of the skin,acne, boils, skin cancer, ulcers, heartburn, acid stomach, hot sensations in the stomach or intestines, insomnia, bloodshot or burning eyes and othervision problems, anemia, jaundice.

Physical Features

These people are of medium height, are slender and body frame may be delicate. Their chests are not as flat as those of vata people and they show a medium prominence of veins and muscle tendons. The bones are not as prominent as in the vata individual. Muscle development is moderate.

The pitta complexion may be coppery, yellowish, reddish or fair. The skin is soft, warm and less wrinkled than vata skin. The hair is thin, silky, red or brownish and there is a tendency toward premature graying of hair and hair loss. The eyes may be gray, green or cooper-brown and sharp: the eyeballs will be of medium prominence. The nails are soft. The shape of the nose is sharp and the tip tends to be reddish.

Physiologically, these people have a strong metabolism, good digestion and resulting strong appetites. The person of pitta constitution usually takes large quantities of food and liquid. Pitta types have a natural craving for sweet, bitter and astringent tastes and enjoy cold drinks. Their sleep is of medium duration but uninterrupted. They produce a large volume of urine and the feces are yellowish, liquid, soft and plentiful. There is a tendency toward excessive perspiring. The body temperature may run slightly high and hands and feet will tend to be warm. Pitta people do not tolerate sunlight, heat or hard work well.

Psychologically, pitta people have a good power of comprehension; they are very intelligent and sharp and tend to be good orators. They have emotional tendencies toward hate, anger and jealousy.

They are ambitious people who generally like to be leaders. Pitta people appreciate material prosperity and they tend to be moderately well-off financially. They enjoy exhibiting their wealth and luxurious possession

Kapha

Kapha is the conceptual equilibrium of water and earth. Kapha is structure and lubrication. One can visualize the Kapha force as the stirring force to keep the water and earth from separating. This dosha maintains body resistance. Water is the main constituent of kapha, and this bodily water is responsible physiologically for biological strength and natural tissue resistance in the body. Kapha lubricates the joints; provides moisture to the skin; helps to heal wounds; fills the spaces in the body; gives biological strength, vigor and stability; supports memory retention; gives energy to the heart and lungs, and maintains immunity. Kapha is present in the chest, throat, head, sinuses, nose, mouth, stomach, joints, cytoplasm, plasma, and in the liquid secretions of the body such as mucus. Psychologically, kapha is responsible for the emotions of attachment, greed, and long-standing envy. It is also expressed in tendencies toward calmness, forgiveness, and love. The chest is the seat of kapha.

Caring ~ Centeredness ~ Compassion ~ Contentment ~ Faith ~ Fulfillment ~ Groundedness ~ Patience ~ Sense of being nourished ~ Stability ~ Support ~ Tenderness

Here are some of the common characteristics of people who have a predominantly Kapha constitution.

• Easygoing, relaxed, slow-paced
• Affectionate and loving
• Forgiving, compassionate, nonjudgmental nature Stable and reliable; faithful
• Physically strong and with a sturdy, heavier build
• Have the most energy of all constitutions, but it is steady and enduring, not explosive
• Slow moving and graceful
• Slow speech, reflecting a deliberate thought process
• Slower to learn, but never forgets; outstanding long-term memory
• Soft hair and skin; tendency to have large “soft” eyes and a low, soft voice
• Tend toward being overweight; may also suffer from sluggish digestion
• Prone to heavy, oppressive depressions
• More self-sufficient, need less outward stimulation than do the other types A mild, gentle, and essentially undemanding approach to life
• Sexually Kaphas are the slowest to be aroused, but they also have the most endurance
• Excellent health, strong resistance to disease
• Slow to anger; strive to maintain harmony and peace in their surroundings
• Not easily upset and can be a point of stability for others
• Tend to be possessive and hold on to things, people, money; good savers. Don’t like cold, damp weather
• Physical problems include colds and congestion, sinus headaches, respiratory problems including asthma and wheezing, hay fever, allergies, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Physical Features

People of kapha constitution have well-developed bodies. There is, however, a strong tendency for these individuals to carry excess weight

. Their chests are expanded and broad. The veins and tendons of kapha people are not obvious because of their thick skin and their muscle development is good. The bones are not prominent.

Their complexions are fair and bright. The skin is soft, lustrous and oily, it is also cold and pale. The hair is thick, dark, soft and wavy. The eyes are dense and black or blue: the white of the eye is generally very white, large and attractive.

Physiologically, kapha people have regular appetites. Due to slow digestion, they tend to consume less food. They crave pungent, bitter and astringent foods. Stools are soft and may be pale in color: evacuation is slow. Their perspiration is moderate. Sleep is sound and prolonged. There is a strong vital capacity evidenced by good stamina, and kapha people are generally healthy, happy and peacefulL

Do’s and Don’t 

REMEDIES	VATA	PITTA	KAPHA
Food	Warm, well cooked food. Sweet, sour and salty tastes	Warm to cool rather than steaming hot. Sweet, bitter and astringent tastes.	Decreased quantities of warm food. Pungent, bitter and astringent tastes. To be taken earlier than 10 am and not later than 6 pm. Healthy Kapha types should observe fast one day per week.
Oil Massage	With calming and warming oils such as Mahanarayan Oil.	With cooling oils such as chandanbala Laxadi oil	With stimulating oils such as punarnavadi oil and srigopal oil.
Exercise	Moderate exercise such as yoga, walking and light weights	Moderate exercise which may include jogging, swimming, Yoga, cycling and weight lifting	Regular and vigorous.
Herbal Dietary supplements	Ashwagandha, shatavari, haritaki, Guggul, Trikatu, Vata tea, Calming Tea.	Haritaki, Bhumiamla, Chyavanprash, surakta, sitopladi churan, pitta Tea.	Guggul, sitopladi churan, trikatu, chyavanprash, Kapha Tea.

Factors that increase vata

Exposure to cold, no routine in your life, eating to much dry, frozen or leftover food, or food with bitter, pungent or astringents taste. Fasting, too much traveling, too much or inappropriate exercise, suppressing natural urges, abdominal surgery.

Not oiling the skin.

Factors that increase pitta

Exposure to heat, eating too much red meat, salt, spicy or sour foods. Indigestion and irregularity of meals. Exercising at midday, Drugs especially antibiotics. Too much intellectual work/thinking. Alcohol, Fatigue. Anger, Hate fear, emotion.

Factors that increase kapha

Exposure to cold, eating too much sweet, meat, fats, cheese, milk, ice cream, yogurt, fried food, excessive use of salt. Excessive intake of water, taking naps after meals. Doing nothing. Sedative and tranquilizers. Doubts, greed, and possessiveness. Lack of compassion

10 YOGA POSES TO CONTROL MENORRHAGIA

Top 10 Yoga Asanas to Manage Menorrhagia

 September 8, 2017  By Namita Nayyar (WF Team)

If your period seems to be lasting longer than seven days, you pass large clots, or you routinely start soaking through a maxi pad or a super tampon in an hour, you have menorrhagia, the medical term for heavy menstrual bleeding.

Menorrhagia can develop in any woman of childbearing age. Young adolescent or pre-menopausal women tend to be affected more by menorrhagia. Other factors that may place you at risk of developing menorrhagia includes being overweight, using certain medications such as blood thinners and having a hereditary bleeding disorder.

If the degree of bleeding is mild, all that may be sought by the woman is the reassurance that there is no sinister underlying cause. If anemia occurs then iron tablets may be used to help restore normal haemoglobin levels. Treatment may be given for a fixed period of time to replenish the body stores. Alternatively therapy may be continued long-term, in the form of yoga practices, herbal supplement, acupuncture etc.

Uttanasana :

• Stand in Tadanasana. Separate your legs to a distance of 30cm (1ft). Keep your feet parallel to each other, with the toes pointing forward. Pull up your kneecaps.
• Inhale and raise your arms toward the ceiling, your palms facing forward. Push your spine up.
• Bend from the waist toward the floor. To increase the stretch of your spine, vital for correct practice, press your heels down on the floor.
• Rest the crown of your head on the blocks in front of you, and place your palms on the blocks beside your feet. Pull in your kneecaps. Extend your hamstringsand pull your inner legs upward. Feel one single stretch from the crown of your head to your heels. Hold the pose for 1 minute.

Ardha Chandrasana

• Stand in Tadasana. lace a block on its short side against the wall. Inhale, spread your feet 1m (3.5 ft) apart. Raise your arms to shoulder-level.
• Turn your right foot out to the right, parallel to the wall, and turn your left foot in, slightly to the right. Bend your right knee, and place the right palm on the block. Raise your left arm. Straighten your right leg. Raise your left leg, until it is parallel to the floor. Keep your left arm stretched up, in line with the right arm. The back of your left hand should touch the wall. Look up at your left thumb. Keep your weight on the right foot, thigh, and hip, not on your right palm. Hold the pose for 20 seconds. Repeat the pose on the other side.
  
  

Adhomukha Svanasana :

• Stand in Tadasana facing a wall, about 1m (3.5 ft) away from it. Place 2 of the blocks on their broad sides, shoulder- width apart, against the wall. Place the third block on its long side, 45cm (18in) away from the wall. Separate your feet to a distance of 45cm(18in). Kneel, and place your palms on the two blocks against the wall.
• Press your palms down on the blocks and walk your feet back, until they are 1.2m (4ft) away from your hands. Make sure that your feet are in line with your hands and the same distance apart. Raise both heels, stretch your legs, then lower your heels to the floor. Stretch your arms fully.
• Consciously stretch each leg from heel to buttock, and from the front of the ankle to the top of the thigh. Raise your buttocks, stretch your chest, and push your sternum toward your hands. Exhale, then rest your head on the third block. Press your hands down on the blocks, extending your arms fully. Stretch your spine and expand your chest. Keep your throat soft and elongated. Relax your eyes and keep your brain passive.
  

Sirsasana (Headstand)

• Interlace fingers to form a cup with palms. Place forearms and wrists on a folded blanket.
• Place crown of head on floor with slight emphasis of weight towards forehead.
• Walk feet towards head and lift knees gently upward. Straight legs extended.
• Lengthen both sides of ribcage. Navel-point in.
• Tailbone extends towards heels.
• Shoulder blades wide and floating towards kidneys to decompress neck.
• Follow with Shoulder-stand or Child’s pose.
  Always maintain a calm and even breath.

Sarvangasana

• Lie down flat on the floor, on your back, palms by your side facing down.
• Exhale and lift your legs up 30, then 60, then 90 and then around 130 degrees so they are extended behind your head.
• Stay in this position, breathing normally, for a few seconds.
• Now, gradually, exhale again, and straighten your legs up to 90 degrees, lifting your buttocks as well. Support the back of your trunk with your palms, keeping elbows on the floor. Gradually, walk your hands towards your shoulder blades, as you lift your body higher.

Halasana

• Lie down with your back on a Mat.
• Your shoulders should lie on the edge and your head rests on the mat. Your legs are drawn in and still stand on the mat.
• Lift your hips off the floor and bring your legs up, over and beyond your head.
• At this point, lift your back and move your legs further beyond your head.
• Straighten your spine and keep your back straight. Move your hands toward your back.
• Place your arms against your upper back and try to place your hands as near as possible to the shoulder blades. Try to place your elbows at shoulder-width. If you cannot do this, put them at a somewhat wider distance from each other.

Virasana:

• Place 2 bolsters parallel to each other on the floor. Kneel on the bolsters, keeping your knees together. Place the rolled blanket on your shins, and the folded blanket under your buttocks. Sit with your back upright.
• Keep your chest stretched out. Imagine you are squeezing your kidneys and drawing them into the body. Place your palms on your knees. Look straight ahead. Stay in the pose for 30 – 60 seconds.

Baddhakonasana: 

• Sit on a bolster placed at right angles to your body. Place a side of your hips. Sit in Dandasana.Bend your knees and join both soles together. Pull your heels closer to the bolster. Beginners may find it easier to use a bolster positioned parallel to the hips.
• Push your knees away from each other and lower them gradually onto the blocks. Open out your chest and draw in the abdomen. Initially, hold the pose for 1 minute. Gradually increase the duration of the asana to 5 minutes.

Savasana (Corpse pose):

• Spread the mat on the floor. Place a bolster on the mat, with its long sides parallel to the long sides of the mat. Sit in Dandasana (Staff pose) with the short end of the bolster against your buttocks, and place the folded blanket on the far end. If you have osteoarthritis of the knees or if your legs are feeling tired, place a bolster under your knees.
• Wrap the bandage around your forehead, following the instructions for Ujjayi Pranayama. Now place your elbows and forearms on the mat. Lower your back, vertebra by vertebra, onto the bolster until your head rests comfortably on the folded blanket. Position your buttocks evenly on the centre of the mat. Spread out your arms to the sides, palms facing up, and rest them on the floor.
• Straighten your legs and stretch them evenly away from each other, without disturbing the extension of your waist. Exhale, focusing on your breathing, then lift and stretch your diaphragm, keeping it free of tension. Keep your arms at a comfortable distance from your body. If they are placed too near or too far away, your shoulders will lift off the bolster.
• Stretch your shoulders away from your neck. The centre of your back should be on the centre of the bolster, keep your abdomen soft and relaxed. Expand your chest and relax your throat. Until you feel a soothing sensation in the neck. Ensure that your head does not tilt back. Relax your facial muscles and your jaw. Do not clench your teeth.
• Keep your breathing smooth and free of tension, but do not breathe deeply. Let your eyeballs relax into their sockets, and allow external surroundings to recede. Feel the energy flow from your brain to your body body as the physical, physiological, mental, intellectual, and spiritual lanes come together. Stay in the pose for 5 – 10 minutes.

Ujjayi Pranayam

• Sit comfortably so that your spine is raised along with the chest, floating ribs and navel. The most appropriate postures are Padmasana or Siddhasana. Keeping the spine erect, lower the head to the trunk. Rest the chin in the notch between the collarbones just above the breastbone. This is called Jalandhara Bandha. Stretch the arms out straight and rest the back of the wrists on the knees. Join the tips of the index fingers to the tips of the thumbs, keeping the other fingers extended. (The index finger symbolizes the individual soul and the thumb is the universal soul. The union of the two symbolizes knowledge.) Extend the upper eyelids towards the lower eyelids to close the eyes and look within. Exhale completely.
• Take a slow, deep steady breath through both the nostrils. The passage of the incoming air is felt on the roof of the palate. Fill the lungs up to the brim. Care must be taken to see that the abdomen does not bloat in the process of inhalation. This filling up of the lungs is called puraka. The entire abdominal area from the pubis up to the breastbone should be pulled back towards the spine.
• Hold the breath for a second or two. Exhale slowly until the lungs are completely empty. As you begin to exhale, keep a grip on the abdomen. After two or three seconds of exhalation, relax the diaphragm gradually and slowly. While exhaling the passage of the outgoing air should be felt on the roof of the palate. This exhalation is called rechaka. Wait for a second before drawing a fresh breath. This waiting period is called bahya kumbhaka. The process described above completes one cycle of Ujjayi Pranayama.

• Repeat the cycles for five to 10 minutes keeping the eyes closed. Lie on the floor for Savasana.

AQUA YOGA FOR PREGNANCY

Aqua Yoga For Labor

Yoga is a centuries’ old practice that promotes balance,energy, deep breathing and relaxation. The therapeutic and buoyant effect of water is combined with energizing and harmonizing effects of yoga provide the optimum workout for you and your baby.

Aqua Yoga begins with yoga poses and swimming techniques for pregnancy designed to open the pelvis, deep breathing and ease aches and pains. If you aim to have a water birth, Aqua Yoga suggests exercises to help reduce the pain of labor, to ease the birth and open your pelvis in preparation for delivery.

When you labor in water, you escape to a peaceful protected world where you can be at one with the rhythm of the contractions and your breathing. The water massages, supports and envelops you in a way that is far removed from being watched in a labor ward. It gives you total privacy and comfort, in your own world with your baby.

Experience gathered from thousands of women by midwives and doctors who attended the first International Water birth Conference at Wembley, London, in 1995 showed that the more the body of a laboring woman is immersed in water, the more effective is the pain relief. Most women did not go underwater during labor, but it helped some to concentrate during painful uterine contractions.

Laboring while in warm water has the advantage of  maximizing the supply of rich oxygenated blood to the hard-working uterus in several ways: the muscles that maintain your posture against gravity are supported; major veins and arteries are not obstructed in any position; temperature is even and less blood is diverted to the periphery of the body.

Exercises recommended in birthing pool

Exercises in the swimming pool or the birthing pool in early labor can help greatly to open the cervix. Short active periods can be alternated with quieter restful ones, during which you can practice visualization techniques or just relax and breathe through your contractions as they come and go.

Pelvic rolls and swings in the birthing pool

Rolls and swings increase the pressure or the baby’s head in a rhythmical way and involve you actively in the process of making space for your baby to come down into the birth passage.

• Get into a low squatting position, holding on to the edge of the birthing pool.
• Swing your pelvis forward and back: this will make you bend and stretch your legs in a broad movement. Breathe in as you stretch back, out as you bend forward.

Knee-bent variations

These are useful movements which can get a baby “unstuck” from an awkward presentation and help promote stronger labour when contractions become weak during the first stage, as this is usually because the head of the baby is not pressing on the cervix at the best angle.

• Kneel in the birthing pool, holding the edge in front of you, and straighten one knee and then the other, extending the leg sideways at the bottom of the pool. Breathe deeply, exhaling as you extend either leg to the side, and take your time to feel intuitively which position “opens” you the most.
• The same leg movement can be practiced facing the pool in a squat, with the back against the side of the pool, or in a sitting position. Breathe in the same way.
• In an all-fours position, with the hands resting on the bottom of the pool, the same movement can be done as a wide swing of the hips to one side and then to the other, soothing the whole back and giving you a feeling of space.
• With the arms stretching sideways holding on to the opposite edges of the pool, the same alternating leg movement becomes more active and has all the advantages of a deep squat without putting undue pressure on the pubic bones or the perineum. A simultaneous opening of one knee and closing of the other is a very effective way of changing sides. Turn the head in the direction of the raised knee, as in a low-lying Archer Pose in classical yoga.
• Between these movements, take rests in a kneeling position, in which you can also do comforting pelvic rolls now and again. In the early phase of labor, when your contractions are just getting established, you may not mind being visited by your older children if you are having a home birth. Seeing you in the birthing pool involves them in the journey that their little brother or sister has initiated to join their family.