| > | | | | breathing in deeply. |
| Now that you have learnt how to keep your spine | | | | * Stretch your arms out to the sides and lower them, |
| aligned, and know how good that feels, you can | | | | breathing out. Repeat steps 1 to 4 several times. |
| maintain the alignment as you move gracefully through | | | | * For a stronger version of this exercise, place one |
| these sequences. They develop strength and | | | | foot on a low chair and bend the other knee.Change |
| suppleness, helping you to protect and nourish your | | | | legs after a few breaths and repeat with the other |
| growing baby as well as yourself. They also help to | | | | foot on the chair. |
| keep your feet firmly on the ground and remain steady | | | | Standing stretches |
| as your body changes.Now that you have learnt how | | | | By stretching up from the hips and through the waist, |
| to keep your spine aligned, and know how good that | | | | these stretches create space for the diaphragm to |
| feels, you can maintain the alignment as you move | | | | contract downwards to a greater extent, so that you |
| gracefully through these sequences. They develop | | | | breathe more deeply. Twist and sway rhythmically as |
| strength and suppleness, helping you to protect and | | | | it you are dancing. |
| nourish your growing baby as well as yourself. Now | | | | * Stand with knees loosely bent and stretch your arms |
| that you have learnt how to keep your spine aligned, | | | | overhead, first one side and then the other. Feel your |
| and know how good that feels, you can maintain the | | | | ribs and waist opening and releasing |
| alignment as you move gracefully through these | | | | * Bring your arms out at shoulder level and swing |
| sequences. They develop strength and suppleness, | | | | round from the waist, first to one side and then the |
| helping you to protect and nourish your growing baby | | | | other, without changing your leg or arm position. Now |
| as well as yourself. They also help to keep your feet | | | | repeat both movements. |
| firmly on the ground and remain steady as your body | | | | Adapted easy triangle sequence |
| changes. | | | | This sequence works out your oblique abdominal |
| Grounding | | | | muscles and your lumbar spine. Strong obliques help to |
| The joints and muscles around your hips, legs and feet | | | | prevent backache, hold your developing baby firmly |
| take the weight of your whole body, and the muscles | | | | and trim your figure. |
| of the pelvis and pelvic floor carry the weight of your | | | | * Stand tall with feet wide and knees well bent. Place |
| upper body and trunk. These important muscle groups | | | | your hands on your hips and sway from side to side, |
| can be strengthened and toned by the following | | | | tipping your pelvis up to the right as you sway to the |
| grounding exercise, which allows your weight to pass | | | | right and up to the left as you sway to the left in a |
| smoothly through your legs and feet into the ground | | | | rhythmical movement. Keep your spine erect, coccyx |
| beneath you. It becomes ever more important to work | | | | tucked under and chest lifted. Repeat the sequence |
| with gravity rather than against it as your baby | | | | several times to loosen the hips and pelvis. |
| becomes heavier. | | | | * Bend to your right side without tipping forward. Place |
| * Stand with your feet apart and loosely bend your | | | | your right hand along your leg and bring your left elbow |
| knees, making sure you maintain your upright posture | | | | back to open the left side of the waist and chest as |
| through the spine. | | | | you look upwards. |
| * Bring your hands into Namaste, the prayer position, | | | | * Now stretch your left arm right up and back to open |
| and press your palms firmly together with elbows out | | | | the left side of your body. Repeat the movement while |
| to the sides. | | | | bending to your left side. Repeat several times on |
| * Spread your hands wide, so that you keep your | | | | each side. |
| elbows bent and open up your chest area, all the time | | | | |