Yoga Poses That Boost Fertility and Help Prepare Your Body for Pregnancy

Originally written for SHAPE, I wanted to post this here, hoping this is a place where my community feels free to leave any comments or questions, since this is such a sensitive and personal topic.  Please, please comment below with any of your thoughts, and know that this is a SAFE space.

Got baby on the brain? These yoga poses will help you relax (which boosts fertility) and prepare your body – creating space in all of the right places, as well as an ideal environment – for the baby you desire.

Goddess Pose

Channel your inner goddess with her namesake pose. This one helps build strength and flexibility in the hips and pelvis, which are needed for childbirth. From a standing position, step feet wide and turn toes out. Sink hips and bend knees until they are directly over ankles. Lengthen tailbone down. Frame face with arms, keeping shoulders relaxed away from ears. “Cactus” the arms, bending elbows, making upper arms parallel to the ground and making a 90-degree angle with arms. Breathe here for 5 to 10 deep breaths.

Wide Knees Child’s Pose

Your inner child will feel nurtured in this gentle hip and back opener that allows your belly to relax the way it will need to for a pregnancy. Kneel with knees wide enough apart for your torso to fit between your thighs, and crawl hands forward. Keeping arms long and in front of you, allow forehead to rest on the ground. Breathe here for 10 or more deep breaths.

Garland Pose

This is as introspective as a pose can get, so use this as a chance to take note of anything you don’t want your baby to be living with for 10 months. You’ll also open your hips and relax your back. Begin in a forward fold with feet together. Bend knees, then, with hands on the ground, take knees out wide. Reach hands forward, then out wide, away from one another, and back to your heels, so you wrap your arms around your shins from the inside. Take hold of heels with hands, and if your heels are lifted off the ground, place a rolled-up blanket or towel under them so that you feel grounded. Drop your head toward the ground. Breathe here for 5 to 10 deep breaths.

Wide-Legged Forward Fold

Create space in your hips and relax your mind: two necessary ingredients for fertility. Sit with legs long in front of you. Move legs wide apart. Take hands behind you, lift hips up slightly, and scoot them forward if there’s space. Release hands in front of you to the ground, take a big inhale to lengthen through the spine. On the exhale, start to crawl hands forward, keeping spine long. Come as far forward as your body allows with a long spine, then relax head down toward the ground or prayer your hands. Relax third eye on thumbs (pictured). Breathe here for 5 to 10 deep breaths.

Reclined Hero’s Pose

This pose is great for elongating the abdominal area as well as opening the hip flexors to create space for your future baby. Begin in a kneeling position. Separate feet so that sitz bones can come to the ground between heels. Keeping knees relatively close together, not touching, but not widening, slowly crawl hands back until forearms are on the ground. Walk your elbows down until you are lying down on the mat. Tuck tailbone underneath you to mitigate the arch in back. Reach arms over head and grab opposite elbows. Breathe here for 5 to 10 deep breaths.

Happy Baby

Channel the inner baby you want 10 months from now while opening your hips. Lie on back. Bend knees and hug them in toward chest. Widen knees toward armpits and take the outer edges of feet in hands. Keep whole back on the ground and rock softly from left to right if that feels good. Breathe here for 5 to 10 deep breaths.

Reclining Goddess Pose

This restorative pose is incredible for relaxation—something all experts agree is of top importance when trying to conceive. This pose is also a nice, gentle hip and groin opener. While sitting on the ground, place a medium-height block behind you beneath where shoulder blades will lie. Place another medium-height block behind that one to use as a pillow. Allow body to gently rest on the blocks, adjusting placement until comfortable. Bend knees, take feet together and knees apart, and allow your palms to rest on your lower abdomen, sending all of your loving energy to the home of your future baby. Stay here for at least 10 deep breaths. Start with blocks on medium height and adjust from there. If you have access, do this with a bolster the long way, rather than two blocks, for even deeper, and softer release.

Legs Up the Wall

Here’s another pose perfect for relaxation. It is also recommended by fertility experts post coitus, to make sure you man’s swimmers make it to the right place.  Sit sideways next to a wall, with the wall on your left. Lie down on your right side, facing away from the wall with your butt touching it. Using your arms, lift your legs up the wall as you roll over to the left onto your back. Allow your left hand to rest on your heart, and right hand on belly. Stay here for at least 10 deep breaths.