“Nothing quite explains the feeling of having a life growing inside you,” says Payal Gidwani Tiwari, yoga teacher to Bollywood A-listers like Rani Mukerji, the Kapoor sisters, the late Sridevi, Boney Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, and Farhan Akhtar, among others.
In her latest book, Own the Bump: A Complete Guide on Yoga for Pregnancy, she shares how yoga helped her through her pregnancy and beyond.
Extracts from an interview:
Own the Bump lists many asanas from pre-pregnancy preparation and pregnancy to post-pregnancy, accompanied by descriptive photographs. Did you take a medical opinion from a gynaecologist while working on the book?
My gynaecologist Dr Hemant Brahme was my source of medical knowledge and all the asanas listed are from my personal experiences during pregnancy. These are the most basic asanas which can be done by anyone.
The light stretching promotes flexibility, and improves physical and mental strength.
What role did yoga play in your pregnancy?
Yoga helped me from day one, both physically and mentally. You don’t want to run a marathon without any preparation. Then why would you go into labour without preparing for it? Yoga can be beneficial during pregnancy, as long as you take certain precautions. It helps you breathe and relax, which in turn can help you adjust to the physical demands of pregnancy, labour, childbirth, and motherhood. It calms both mind and body, providing the physical and emotional stress relief your body needs. The physical poses also build stamina and improve circulation. I went through a 20-hour labour and then a C-Section as the baby had breeched. But I know that my yoga gave me the patience and strength to get past the ordeal and enjoy my most precious experience: my baby’s birth.
What are the asanas a pregnant woman could try during the various trimesters?
Every pregnancy is unique and one size does not fit all. A doctor’s advice and guidance from a yoga expert are a must before introducing yourself to any form of yoga. Yoga strengthens the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles.
Some of the recommended asanas for the first trimester are kati chakrasana or crocodile series (six variations), sukhasana and yoga nidra that help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and control anxiety. For the second trimester, the side leg kick, forward leg kick and backward leg kick and saral santolasana control fluid retention and cramping. For the third trimester, virabhadrasana , calf stretch and supported squat improve blood circulation to calves, reduce pain and swelling, and ease out pressure on lower abdomen during labour.
How is the Yin Yang Yoga helpful to a couple expecting their baby?
One chapter in the book is dedicated to Yin Yang yoga, also called couple yoga. With nuclear families and with both partners working, pregnancy and a baby can change the balance.
Both parents have to be involved in the pregnancy. Couple yoga, through some simple asanas, helps fine-tune your connection with your partner.
What is the role of breathing exercises in pregnancy, especially during labour?
Breathing exercises are extremely beneficial from the very onset of pregnancy and help you get into the habit of breathing right.
This can help ease the tedious nine months and hours of ‘back-breaking’ labour. Remember, you’ll need lot of deep breathing during the stressful days that will follow!
You have trained several celebrity super moms. Who is the most fit and healthy in Bollywood?
Stars such as Sridevi and Malaika Arora Khan followed a holistic lifestyle during their pregnancy. This ensured better sleep, improved circulation, less stress, and easier labour and delivery.
The most fit mom who trained with me and has a special mention in the beginning of my book is Malaika Arora Khan. She follows a strict health regimen and is an inspiration to many.
