Savasana sounds like a no-brainer—it's just lying on your back. But staying in that position for too long when more than 20 weeks pregnant can make you feel dizzy, nauseous, sweaty, even panicky—all symptoms of supine hypotension, or vena cava syndrome. When a pregnant woman lies on her back, the weight of the baby and uterus compresses the major veins that return blood to the heart. Rolling over to the left side will restore adequate blood flow.
Modification: You will be lying on either side for a few months, so it is worth learning how to prop yourself well in side-lying relaxation pose. Gather up pillows, blankets and bolsters; lie on one side, make sure your head is in line with the spine, supported with pillows or blankets. Make sure the top leg is well supported, keeping the hips stacked and the knee, ankle and foot in line with the top hip. A few blankets underneath the torso below the bottom arm create more space. When properly supported, side-lying pose can be incredibly relaxing.
Beth Donnelly Cabán is a Registered Nurse and childbirth educator who has been teaching prenatal yoga for 20 years. She directs the Prenatal Teacher Training Program at Integral Yoga Institute in NYC and is the consulting expert on The Essential Prenatal Yoga Video series.
