Kareena Kapoor Khan, expecting her second child with Saif Ali Khan, has been keeping up her fitness routine through her pregnancy. Taking to Instagram, she posted photos of her performing Yoga with her baby bump, writing “A little bit of Yoga. A little bit of calm” in the caption.

Earlier in December, Anushka Sharma also posted a picture of her practising Shirshasana with her husband’s help in her last trimester. Her yoga teacher virtually assisted her while the actress performed the asana by leaning against a wall, head down.

"This exercise is hands-down (and legs up) the most difficult one #Throwback. P.S. — As yoga is a big part of my life, my doctor recommended that I can do all such asanas that I was doing before I was pregnant barring twists & extreme forward bends, but of course with the appropriate and required support." Anushka wrote.

Practising Prenatal Yoga Safely

Yoga during pregnancy, when practised safely and under supervision, can be beneficial to improve sleep, reduce stress and anxiety, increase strength, flexibility and endurance of muscles needed for childbirth, decrease lower back pain, nausea, headaches and shortness of breaths, explains Mayo Clinic.

Some strenuous and relatively harder poses may not be recommended for a pregnant woman. Such poses can either be modified or avoided, based on the woman’s health and capability. It is essential to consult with the instructor and set realistic goals accordingly.

As FIT had explained in an earlier article, the following general things should be kept in mind while performing yoga during pregnancy.

• Avoid lying flat on your back in the 3rd trimester
• Avoid Socks; Wear Loose Clothes
• Use of Props: The centre of gravity of a mother’s body begins to change after the second trimester – till the point of delivery. One will need to adjust practice accordingly. Use of props makes ‘Garbh yoga’ easy and effective. However, the inappropriate use of props might be fatal. Keep these pointers in mind: (i) Use the wall to balance yourself when in a standing position. (ii) Use soft pillows below the baby bump during Balassan. (iii) Use elastic bands or dupattas when stretching.
• Twist With Care: Twisting is a good exercise, but it needs to be done carefully. When practising spinal twisting, make sure that the waist is pushed slightly backwards. Avoid twisting too far back. Props such as a dupatta or a strong ribbon can be used to make things easier.
• Listen to Your Body: During practice, keep listening to the signals your body sends you. Make sure you don’t exceed any limits when your mind tells you to stop.
• Try Relaxing Asanas
• Avoid Jumping

Avoid Practice of Asanas in the Case of

• High fever (above 100 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Vaginal bleeding.
• Vomiting (several times in an hour).
• Severe weakness, extreme dizziness or fainting.
• Uterine contraction within an interval of 10 minutes.
• High BP.

Some More Pointers:

• The extent to which you bend depends upon the stage of pregnancy). Avoid full downward and full backward bending.
• When bending forward, make sure your chin is protruding. This will reduce pressure on the back.
• Avoid lifting the heels of your feet (during 3rd trimester).
• When lying or sitting, avoid pointing your toes as this might create leg cramps).
• The extent to which you bend depends upon the stage of pregnancy). Avoid full downward and full backward bending.
• When bending forward, make sure your chin is protruding. This will reduce pressure on the back.
• Avoid lifting the heels of your feet (during 3rd trimester).
• When lying or sitting, avoid pointing your toes as this might create leg cramps).
• During the last trimester ankles are more prone to spraining. Always wear ankle pads during practice.
• Make sure that the knees are not below the pelvic – but behind it – during cat and dog poses. A practitioner may place a blanket or cushion below the knees to reduce pressure.

While these are general recommendations for pregnant women, what you can and cannot do would depend on your personal health and capabilities. It is best to consult your doctor and instructor to plan your practice.