Prenatal Yoga Methods

The Mayo Clinic explains that regular exercise has benefits, which includes improving mood, energy and sleep. There is no reason not to take advantage of these benefits while you're pregnant. In fact, exercise during pregnancy can reduce problems like bloating, constipation and backaches. Yoga is an excellent exercise choice for pregnant women. Different yoga methods are available depending on your tastes and physical needs.

Hatha Yoga

• Hatha yoga is the yoga method most popular in the United States, according to the Matsmatsmats website, which also asserts that this method is the foundation for all other styles. It uses physical poses, meditation and breathing to promote physical strength and relaxation. Exercises from the Hatha tradition recommended for prenatal yoga include poses like Warrior and Exalted Warrior, Cat-Cow Pose and Child's Pose, as shown by the Yoga to Health and ABC of Yoga websites. Although Hatha includes some advanced poses, these aren't recommended for pregnant women because of the way they stress the abdominal region.

Integral Yoga

• Integral prenatal yoga is very similar to Hatha yoga. However, according to the "Yoga Journal" website, it is much more focused on the spiritual aspect of yoga. It uses yoga poses and breathing exercises in combination with chants and prayer. For example, an expectant mother might inhale for three seconds and inhale for six as she prays for a healthy delivery. Integral yoga incorporates the same poses as Hatha yoga, such as Mountain Pose, Triangle pose and Corpse Pose.

Iyengar Yoga

• Iyengar yoga is not much different from Hatha yoga in terms of poses. However, according to the Matsmatsmats website, Iyengar prenatal yoga is distinct in that the pregnant woman is allowed to use props, such as cushions and blocks, for comfort. For example, when practicing side resting positions, the mother-to-be may place a pillow between the knees to reduce tension on her spine. Iyengar yoga also holds positions longer than other forms of yoga do, which reduces the amount of shifting the pregnant woman must do and prepares her for holding positions in labor. Iyengar also is good for women who have delivered via cesarean previously, as the props can decrease the amount of stress the woman must exert.

Restorative Yoga

• Restorative yoga focuses less on physical strength and more on relaxation. According to the Matsmatsmats website, in a prenatal restorative yoga session, a pregnant woman completes activities such as lying on blankets---in other words, she actively rests. As she rests, she meditates in an attempt to clear her mind of negative thoughts and energy, sending positive energy to the baby. This is an excellent choice for women whose pregnancies are high risk and who cannot participate in more strenuous yoga. An example of a Restorative yoga pose is Corpse pose.

Kundalini Yoga

• Kundalini yoga focuses on the idea that energy is concentrated around the base of the spine. All exercises, chants, meditations and breathing techniques attempt to uncoil this energy to help a person become stronger, healthier, more creative and more in tune with her higher power, according to the Kundalini Yoga website. This type of yoga is good for pregnant women because there is so much concentration on the lower torso, the area of the body that receives some of the most strain during pregnancy. It can make a woman very aware of the energy around her baby.