One of the best asana/position to get into during pregnancy...and beyond. The benefits of this position are extremely fundamental and key points throughout pregnancy:
1️⃣ It alleviates discomfort in the lower back
🤰 It takes off the pressure from the front, from the bump
👶 Optimal for your baby's positioning inside, considering the way the pelvis is, and using gravity
👌 It frees your tailbone, coccyx, located at the bottom of the vertebral column. It is composed of three to five bony segments held in place by joints and ligaments.
👍 It frees your neck, head and pelvis
💫 And last but not least... If your baby seems to be back to back or not head down, it helps repositioning (consult me for more details)
How to Practice All 4's
Make sure your knees are under your hips and your hands under shoulders. Hands shoulder distance apart, fingers spread with no gap under the knuckles, keep hip width or a bit wider in late pregnancy, lower legs parallel, tops of feet to the floor.
If you need more padding for your knees, add extra support with a folded blanket or even rolling your mat underneath. If you are experiencing any slight discomfort to your wrists allow breaks from this position, or make fists (for more specific adaptations please consult me).
Back is like a "table top", flat without any lumbar curve. Neck and head should feel free to move as well as free movement for the hips. Soft gaze to the floor.
This is just a neutral position from where to start all sorts of stretching and beneficial movements for both you and your baby incorporating the use of breath, gravity and movement.
Some of the practices in all 4's include pelvic circling, hip release, rolling cat.
The Power of Three Friends
Vanda Scaravelli from her book "Awakening the spine" says:
"We have three friends: gravity, breath and wave. These three companions should be constantly with us"
We can always start with one step at a time and gradually, gently progress. First we gain awareness and clarity, then we add movement creating a body memory so we can flow, to then introduce breath and work deeper with breathing combined with movement.
Then we are ready for anything, for any birth!
Of course it requires time, will, consistency, showing up, compassion, gratitude, understanding, relaxation, self-love and care, trust and much more. YES it is a proper TRANSFORMATION and We as women are capable of this and more!
We start at the bottom of the mountain and we see the top (we might see it from far), so we know where we are going, although we tread only to the present visible ground under our feet.
"I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams." by W.B. Yeats
