Pregnancy Made Comfortable

Binay Srivastava January 11, 2008

Book Extract: Pregnancy made comfortable
ISBN: 9788122309997
Author: Nishtha Saraswat
Publisher: Pustak Mahal (www.pustakmahal.com)

Benefits of yoga during pregnancy

Find in this profusely illustrated book simple solutions to all pregnancy related problems Modified yogic exercises and special menu plans for pregnant women Complete reference book covering all the stages from pre-pregnancy to post-pregnancy

The science of yoga can be safely and effectively applied during all stages of life for enlightened and problem-free living and pregnancy is no exception to this. Yoga, if practiced regularly under restraint and guidance, is known to have an immensely positive impact during all phases of pregnancy.
The process of pregnancy will never be the same again if yogic techniques are applied and practiced correctly. The entire experience of pregnancy will then be as pleasant as the outcome itself. The most significant advantage of making yoga a daily ingredient of one’s life during pregnancy is that if followed correctly there are only positive effects that are seen.
Unlike any other mode of modern treatment or medication, there are no harmful side-effects of practicing yoga.

Benefits of yoga during pregnancy

• Yoga minimises the discomforts and complications faced during different stages of pregnancy. Yoga improves the circulation of blood, which really helps in dealing with different functional changes occurring in the body.
• Yoga stretches the body, and therefore makes it flexible to deal with the increasing weight. It also helps in maintaining the balance between body weight and body mass index.
• Yoga uses breathing exercises called pranayama to calm the body and the mind by proper functioning of endocrine system of the body.

Benefits of yoga during child delivery

• Yoga ensures a comfortable and easy delivery. With regular practice of yoga throughout the pregnancy, the body parts which play an active role during the process of delivery become flexible, toned and strong. Many women who practise yoga regularly have found delivery to be much easier.
• Yoga stretches all ligaments in the pelvic, hip, and legs, resulting in easier positioning and pushing during labour.
• In the birth process, breathing plays an important role and is an important part of a successful delivery. Regular practice of pranayama keeps the pregnant ladies more in-synch with their breath, which prepares them well for power-breathing in different stages of labour pains.

Benefits of yoga post-pregnancy

• Yoga plays an important role in getting you back in shape post-delivery. It massages the internal organs gently which have gone through a lot of stress in past nine months and re-tones them. Yoga helps in overcoming post-pregnancy discomforts and problems such as stretch marks, piles, excessive bleeding, loss of bladder control, insomnia etc.
• Yoga stretches and strengthens the body in all directions and areas. This helps to get the whole body back in shape quickly after pregnancy and delivery.

Dietetics

A branch of the vast yet recent subject of health and nutrition sciences, dietetics deals with the study of diets in health and disease. The relevance of nutrition in one’s diet cannot be overemphasised as it is extremely important to receive continuous and optimum nutrition to remain healthy.
Dietetics in today’s context assumes importance owing to the fact that a large number of newer food products, convenience and fast foods, fad diet foods etc are being introduced every day. The changing lifestyles and fast pace of life today leaves little time with individuals to be able to assess their nutritive and dietary needs and requirements.
It becomes even more significant to introduce dietetics as a part of daily life as there is a need to be sensitive about nutrition, health, hygiene and sanitation aspects of the food. More so when most of the available food products are made to suit the palate rather than keep the above mentioned aspects of nutrition in mind. The use of diets in treatment and prevention of diseases and maintenance of health is referred to as Diet Therapy, Therapeutic nutrition or Dietotherapy.
Diet therapy is generally used as a supplement to medical or surgical treatment. However, it will not be an exaggeration to state that in certain cases diet itself becomes the most important aspect in a patient’s treatment. The immediate examples that come to mind are that of the treatment of diabetes mellitus, obesity, gastro-intestinal ailments etc. Dietetics and diet therapy play an even greater role during various stages of pregnancy.
The nutritional requirements undergo a great deal of change during various phases of pregnancy due to the additional burden of nourishing the foetus, which depends totally on the primary diet of the carrying woman for all its nutritional requirements. A lot of problems and complications that occur during different phases of pregnancy can be prevented, treated or reduced with application of diet therapy.
It is thus essential to include the recommended diet and dietary allowances to the women during pregnancy irrespective of their age, class, creed, education, occupation, socio-economic status and social or political placement.