Trying butterfly exercise during pregnancy can help you stay fit and healthy. It helps to increase your blood circulation and keeps your body strong. Practicing this exercise daily as a part of your prenatal workout regime will help you stay flexible and loosen your hip joint, supporting easy and smooth delivery (1) (2). However, since everyone’s body is different, speak to your doctor to ensure that the exercise is safe for you. Read the post further to understand how butterfly exercises are beneficial for an expecting mother and the correct way to practice them.
Why Should I Do The Butterfly Exercise During Pregnancy?
The butterfly exercises are a part of yoga that has been considered extremely beneficial for mothers and their unborn babies.
Image: Shutterstock
These exercises help in (1) (2):
- Improving blood circulation
- Increasing flexibility in the hip and groin region
- Relieving tension and soreness in the inner thighs and legs
Practicing these exercises and other pregnancy-friendly yoga poses during pregnancy could also help release “happy hormones” that can help fight anxiety and alleviate stress (3). In addition, these exercises will keep you fit and energetic during pregnancy and aid in childbirth preparation.
The reports of a meta-analysis by multiple institutions revealed that women who practiced yoga during pregnancy experienced up to two hours of shorter labor and were 2.5 times more likely to have a vaginal birth. These women also had comparatively higher comfort levels.
While the study did not cover the effects of yoga in the postpartum phase, exhaustive research shows that butterfly exercises after childbirth can work as effective relaxation techniques that can help reduce chronic pain and the effects of postpartum depression.
Things to knowHow Does Doing The Butterfly Exercise During Pregnancy Help?
There are two types of butterfly exercises for pregnancy that you can try under a trained professional’s guidance
. The First is the Poorna Title Asana (full butterfly exercise), and the second is the Ardha Titli Asana (half-butterfly exercise).
These asanas or exercises are done as part of your warm-up exercise before you move on with other forms of exercise. You may also do these exercises as standalone if you are not doing any other exercises.
As with most yoga asanas, butterfly exercises can also improve blood circulation, support lower back strengthening, and aid digestion. Thus, these exercises may also help alleviate several pregnancy-related digestive concerns, such as indigestion and bloating (4).
How To Do The Half Butterfly (Ardha Title Asana) Exercise?
Image: Shutterstock
You can first start out with the half butterfly exercise before moving on to the full butterfly exercise (5).
1. Sit down on the floor or an exercise mat and stretch out your legs in front of you.
2. Keep your back and legs as straight as possible.
3. Breathing normally, slowly bend the left knee and place your left foot on your right thigh as close to your groin area as possible such that the sole faces up.
4. If positioning the leg like this is difficult, place the left foot on the floor close to your right thigh such that the sole faces the thigh.
5. Grab the toe of your left foot with your right hand, and with gentle pressure, move the left foot up and down.
6. Do the exercise as many times as suggested by your healthcare practitioner.
7. Return to the starting position and repeat the exercise with the right leg.
You can do the steps a few times as long as you are comfortable. Stop if you feel any pain or discomfort.
Be watchfulHow To Do The Full Butterfly (Poorna Title Asana) Exercise?
Follow these steps to do the full butterfly exercise (1) (2):
1. Sit down on the floor on an exercise mat. Make sure you keep your back and spine straight and your legs stretched out in front of you.
2. Bend your knees gently in such a way that your feet come back towards your pelvic bone, stretching your pelvic floor muscles.
3.Bring the soles of your feet together and join them. Try to bring them close to your groin, as much as you can comfortably do.
4. Do not over stress yourself.
5. With gentle pressure, move both of your feet up and down, using the elbows as support that presses the legs down.
6. Repeat the exercise as many times as suggested by the instructor. Finally, straighten your legs and relax.
You can do the steps a few times as long as comfortable. Stop if you feel any pain or discomfort.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When can I start doing butterfly exercises during pregnancy?
Butterfly exercises can be a part of your prenatal care regimen from around the second or third trimester (2). Besides stretching and strengthening hip muscles, butterfly exercises can help in core strengthening and posture improvement, which may also indirectly help strengthen abdominal muscles.
2. Can I practice the butterfly pose daily?
Yes, you may practice butterfly pose and other yoga poses daily if you have been practicing before your conception. However, if you want to start it during your pregnancy, it is good to take your doctor’s consent. You may practice the pose as long as you are comfortable and do not overstress yourself (6)
The butterfly exercise during pregnancy can help benefit fetal and maternal health as it helps improve blood circulation, enhance the hips’ flexibility, and relieve tension and stress in the inner thighs. In addition, doing it regularly will prepare you for smooth delivery. Butterfly exercises are of two types: the half-butterfly exercise and the full-butterfly exercise. You can choose the one that suits your body. Remember that each person’s body is different and may react differently to exercises, so talk to your doctor before proceeding. Most importantly, listen to your body and choose exercises based on your health.
3. What should pregnant women do if they experience pain or discomfort while doing the Butterfly Exercise?
Butterfly exercise is a safe exercise during pregnancy, however if you feel discomfort during the exercise you may discontinue doing it or inform your instructor and doctor about the same for better advice.
Madeleine, a mother, and a blogger, shares how she felt uncomfortable doing the butterfly exercise during her pregnancy, “Listening to my intuition and what feels right to me helped me a lot to have a happy and healthy pregnancy. So, I decided that I would again tune out the outside noise and listen to what my body tells me is the right thing to do. This means going really easy into the poses and not pushing myself past my limits. I also stop when something feels uncomfortable. In the butterfly pose, for example, I always feel a very uncomfortable pull in my vagina. I’ve always been a very pushy person, so this definitely took some adjustment on my side. But I have to admit, stretching my body feels better than ever! Because it’s not about reaching some crazy flexible goal anymore but more about doing something good for myself (ⅰ).’’
Doing the butterfly exercise during pregnancy is beneficial because it helps in improving your blood circulation, enhancing the flexibility of the hips, and relieving tension and stress in the inner thighs. In addition, doing it regularly will prepare you for smooth child delivery. Butterfly exercises are of two types: the half-butterfly exercise and the full-butterfly exercise. You can choose the one that suits your body. Remember that each person’s body is different and may react differently to exercises, so talk to your doctor before going ahead. Most importantly, listen to your body and choose exercises based on your overall health.
Infographic: How To Do The Full Butterfly Exercise
The butterfly exercise is a stretching and strengthening exercise that helps improve flexibility in the lower body and ease back discomfort during pregnancy. Here is an infographic illustrating a step-wise guide to perform this exercise; however, it is ideal to consult with your doctor before starting an exercise routine during pregnancy.
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Key Pointers
- Butterfly pose and other yoga poses are recommended for expectant mothers and their unborn children.
- Butterfly exercises improve blood flow and flexibility in the hip and groin area. These exercises reduce tension and discomfort in the inner thighs and legs.
- They may stimulate the release of “happy hormones,” alleviate chronic pain, and provide relief from postpartum depression.
- Yoga poses like the butterfly can enhance digestion and alleviate issues such as indigestion and bloating.
- The exercises can be performed as part of a warm-up or on their own under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.
Image: Dalle E/MomJunction Design Team
Embark on a journey of well-being during pregnancy as this video introduces the Butterfly Stretch. It is a simple yet beneficial exercise aimed at enhancing flexibility and minimizing discomfort for expecting mothers.
Personal Experience: Source
MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.
ⅰ. Prenatal Morning Stretch + Meditation.https://madeleinestanev.com/2021/03/10/prenatal-morning-stretch-meditation/
References
- Yoga in Pregnancy.
https://pjn.sbvjournals.com/doi/PJN/pdf/10.5005/jp-journals-10084-12158 - Pregnancy Yoga: Poses for the Third Trimester
https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/yoga/pregnancy-yoga-poses-for-the-third-trimester - Yoga and pregnancy: A safe effective fitness option for moms-to-be.
https://utswmed.org/medblog/yoga-and-pregnancy/ - Yoga asanas for good digestion.
https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/health-and-wellness/yoga-for-digestion - Half Butterfly.
https://www.yogaindailylife.org/system/en/level-1/sarva-hita-asanas-part-1/half-butterfly - Exercise During Pregnancy.
https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/pregnancy/exercise-during-pregnancy - Butterfly Pose (Badhakonasana).
https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/yoga/yoga-poses/butterfly-pose-badhakonasana
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