Pregnancy and new motherhood is often described as the most rapidly transformational time in a woman’s life.  Not only does a woman experience phenomenal changes in her physical body, but she also goes through tremendous change emotionally, mentally, and spiritually as she makes the shift to a new way of being. She becomes a new version of herself: she is born as a mother.  There are numerous pranayama breathing exercises that are safe and effective techniques to aid in a peaceful adjustment.  And when mother is peaceful, baby feels and begins to learn peace as well.

The following pranayama breathing exercises can be done for 3 or 11 minutes when sitting to meditate with the breath.  They are wonderful additions to a yoga practice.  (Ideally, mothers can find Prenatal  or Postnatal Yoga classes locally to attend since there are unique needs and modifications during those times.)  These techniques are also great to sprinkle throughout the day as a brief re-centering and usually can even be done while snuggling a baby.

Long Deep Breathing
The benefits of long deep breathing include relaxation, stress release, stimulation of endorphins that fight depression, expansion of lung capacity and an increase in patience.

Start by closing the eyes, relaxing the breath and smoothly breathe through your nose.  Notice the movement of your belly (which will be significantly less if you are in the later months of pregnancy) and allow your belly to expand.  As you continue your slow, deep inhalation, you will also notice expansion in the rib cage and upper chest.  The breath moves into the body like a glass fills with water  filling from lower to higher. Exhale the breathe out as a glass would empty – pouring it out from the upper chest, then ribcage, and finally drawing the navel in towards the spine.  (Again, this movement will be less in the later months of pregnancy.)

Alternate Nostril Breathing
This breath balances the hemispheres of the brain, creates a sense of harmony and well-being, helps relieve stress related tension headaches, and brings mental and emotional balance.

Close your eyes and begin to slow your breathing (breathe through the nose). Let your left hand rest on your left knee with the palm facing up and your index finger and thumb tips touching in gian mudra.  Curl your right hand into a fist except for the index finger and thumb, which will remain comfortably extended.  Use your right thumb to press your right nostril closed so that you can now inhale through the left nostril.  To exhale, press the left nostril closed with your index finger to allow the breath to release through the right.  On the next inhale, breathe in through the right nostril and  then exhale through the left.   Whichever nostril you exhale out of, that will be the nostril through which you take your next inhale.  Continue directing the breath through the alternate nostrils in this way.

Sitali Pranayam
As a cooling breath, Sitali Pranayam is great for soothing heated emotions such as anger and frustration.  Additionally, it can actually help cool the temperature of the body. It is reported to lower fevers and aid digestion as well as increase alertness.

Round the lips into an “O” formation.  Roll the tongue into a “U”, with just the tip of the tongue sticking out of the rounded lips. (Some people are unable to roll the tongue in this way due to genetic disposition.  If you can’t roll the tongue, do this breath just with the lips rounded.)  Inhale through the mouth, drawing the breath through the tongue (as if the tongue were a straw.)  Exhale smoothly through the nose.  Close your eyes and focus on the breath, continuing the cycle of inhaling through the tongue and exhaling through the nose.

For more pregnancy and postpartum yoga and meditation practices you can do at home, try the book Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful by Gurmukh. It is full of great information, stories, and practices.  And  be sure to check out the sweet songs and sacred mantras of Snatam Kaur’s newly released Divine Birth CD, especially for pregnancy and parenthood.

Bringing peaceful practices into daily life not only makes for a happier mother, it is a practical and conscious way of teaching peace to the next generation.

More details…

Yogic tradition celebrates that woman becomes a mother one hundred-twenty days after conception. The Creative Force grants full incarnation of the soul into the body. Previously, the soul was subtly linked to the growing cells in the womb. The woman is now the vehicle for the soul to fully incarnate; now she is mother.

Before the 120th day, the incarnating soul is still unaffected by the limitations and influences of the earth. After the 120th day of pregnancy until the navel cord is separated from the mother, the subconscious mind of the child is formed. While the child is in the womb, the mother is the vibratory receptor for the child.

“On the 120th day, we give our women a blessing and tell them to meditate more, and look toward God, so that they may have very calm, quiet, intelligent, self-creative children.

One lady told me, “Well, I’m a working mother, I can’t do it.” I said, “Then when your son will be about nine years old, how much will 40 to 80 dollars per hour psychiatrist fee cost you. You better pay now or pay later – it comes to the same thing.” Yogi Bhajan, Women’s Camp 1979

On the 120th day of pregnancy, family and close friends are invited to rejoice. The celebration is to honor the mother and offer her loving support. Everyone gathers to meditate, chant, and reflect on the reality that a soul is entering her womb. This celebration also offers prayers for the woman’s spiritual, mental, and physical well-being so that she may inspire, teach, and guide her child.

The radiance and consciousness of the woman is the magnetic energy that attracts what soul will be granted the gift of the human body. The subtle body of the incarnating soul is attracted to or one could say, electromagnetically “chooses” the vessel. The woman, the father, the longitude and latitude, and time and space, all play into this earth plane attraction.

Her vibratory frequency has a momentous affect on the entering soul. In the most positive manner when she changes her frequency, she can “erase” specific karmic patterns so the new being does NOT need to play out these karmas. How? She consciously can utilize yoga, meditation, prayers, or conscious self-reflection. (link to meditations).

“When a mother is pregnant, the kind of soul she can accept depends on her mental attitude. And then there is another beauty that within the realm of your belly, which is your pregnancy, you can totally transform the soul. The soul is pure and has nothing to do, but the subtle body carries the karma of the previous life. A mother can totally purify the subtle body of the new child.” ~ Yogi Bhajan, Women’s Camp 1976

Source: Kundalini Women

As your belly grows, you become more aware of miracle of pregnancy. Your interests may adjust. Besides arranging the physical environment for your child, include activities which stabilize your inner peace and radiance. Organize time for yoga, meditations, reading inspiring books. Choose your friends wisely. Develop friendships with other spiritually minded pregnant women, perhaps women in your pregnancy yoga class. Spend time with people who can uplift and inspire you.

“The purest thing in the world is the heart of the mother, the heart-chakra, the center of the mother. It is the purest thing in the world. It can move God. It can move the universe. It can cause an effect beyond limitation. The heart of the mother is the greatest power of Infinity ever given to any finite being. There are certain things which can be considered the most superior things: prayer of the mother, prayer of the beloved (I wish it should say wife, but it is not written in the scriptures, so I cannot alter them), prayer of the self, and prayer of the spiritual teacher. These are four prayers which can alter and change the destiny.” ~ Yogi Bhajan, Women’s Camp 1977

Your child first learns from your state of consciousness while in the womb. Everything you consciously experience, your state of mind, your relationship to the world and your rapport to your child, are all transmitted to your child and become the foundation of your child’s subconscious, which is the root of his/her personality.

You remain the primary teacher for your child after birth until the third year. You however are connected with your child throughout life.

You are challenged as your child’s teacher. It is an incredible responsibility to care, inspire, and teach a child 24/7. Remember to also nurture your own self: meditate, practice yoga, exercise, nap, visit with friends, and eat well. The creativity and strength to serve this responsibility can be awakened when you tune into being a woman.

Source: Kundalini Women

From the 120th day before her child is born, all the experiences of the mother form the unconscious foundation of her child. She is the first teacher as she nurses and nurtures her child. Yogi Bhajan spoke about how we educate our self about every subject with limited training for the most important phase of life: parenting!

The journey of birthing a child is an incredible transformational blessing. Discover the wide spectrum of practical yogic wisdom and celebrate your joy with other women.

The ancient wisdom, as taught by Yogi Bhajan pairs Kundalini Yoga and Meditation with inspiring information about conscious conception, 120th Day Celebration, pregnancy, birthing, and the yogic view of child development which will empower your identity as a woman, enrich your relationships and prime you for the experience of motherhood.

Explore the adventure of creating a legacy of a loving family culture. Bring into your life amazing yogic technology, such as a meditation to Dissolve Your Fears, The 40 Day Blessing, Baby Massage & Yoga, and infant foods. Awaken your sensitivity, strength, and joy of nurturing your family… Celebrate the Blessing!

The technology of this yoga brings into balance the glandular system and strengths the nervous systems. This is the first step to aware your capacity for creative potential and vitality so the challenges of life can be met with nobility and strength.

More About Kundalini Yoga