Fertility Friendly Yoga Poses

Trying to conceive isn’t just physical, it is mental too! Practicing yoga can help prepare your body and your mind in a variety of ways. 

Gentle yoga helps to reduce stress, improve circulation, increase flexibility, balance hormones and provides a perfect opportunity to focus and ground your thoughts. For men specifically, yoga can boost sperm production. All these things are wonderful fertility boosters, and as an added benefit can lead to a more comfortable pregnancy and easy delivery. One study even found that couples who practiced yoga while undergoing assisted reproductive technology (like IVF) had better success rates!

Yoga is a very general term. There are different types of yoga practices. Each can have a different sequence of poses, focus, goal, or environment. Some forms of yoga are more conducive to conception.  

These yoga flows are generally safe for couples trying to get pregnant:

• Restorative 
• Iyengar
• Hatha

These yoga practices can be more challenging and vigorous:  

• Vinyasa
• Hot Yoga (Bikram)
• Ashtanga

While physically challenging yoga may not be unsafe for those who are TTC, it may not be as beneficial as other forms of yoga. Gentle yoga practices are awesome for beginners and are typically safe to start during conception and even pregnancy. Your doctor and/or an experienced yoga instructor should be able to help guide you.

Whether you are looking for a gentle flow that is stimulating, restorative, or challenging to your flexibility, these moves are excellent for those preparing to get pregnant.

Promote blood flow to your hips, heart, and reproductive system with this beginner-friendly inversion.  

• Place the short side of your mat against the wall and lie flat on your back with your toes pointed toward the wall.  
• Scoot down your mat so that your buttocks are against the wall. 
• Raise your legs into the air, toes pointed upwards, and use the wall for support. 
• With your forearms at your sides, support your low back, bending your elbows to 90 degrees. Keep your shoulders and upper body pressed firmly against the floor. 
• You can leave your legs extended, bend them, or let them hang freely above your hips.

Release tension in your hips and focus your energy on your pelvic area with this flexibility move. 

• Lie on your back with your knees bent. 
• Slowly let your legs fall open to the sides, placing the soles of your feet together.
• Let your shoulders relax and gently place your open hands, palms down, on your lower abdomen
• Hold for a few minutes, breathing deeply and connecting with your reproductive system

Energize and bring awareness to your body with Sufi rolls, sometimes known as Sufi grinding. 

• Begin sitting cross-legged on the floor with your hands resting palms down on your knees
• Breathe out and gently curve your spine, pulling in your stomach, as you lean to the right. 
• Lengthen your torso as you move through center and inhale, then repeat curving your spine and pulling in your stomach as you lean to the left, exhaling. 
• Continue to move in these circles, alternating between clockwise and counterclockwise rotations.

Open your pelvis and release tension in your hips and lower back with this pose that is great for both fertility and pregnancy. 

• Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart, toes pointed slightly outward.
• Bend your knees as if you were squatting until your knees are at 90 degrees.
• Raise your arms until they are parallel with the floor, then bend 90 degrees at the elbows with your hands pointed towards the sky.
• Breathe deeply and hold for 30 seconds to one minute.

Release negative energy in your lower body while building strength in your legs, hips, and abdominals with Warrior II. 

• Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width, about 3 to 4 feet apart. 
• Raise your arms so that they are parallel to the ground, palms facing down.
• While keeping your heels aligned, turn your left foot 90 degrees to the left and turn your right foot slightly inward.
• Slowly bend your left knee until your shin is perpendicular to the ground while keeping your knee over your ankle.
• Breathe deeply, pulling in your abdomen, and hold for 30 seconds to a minute before repeating on the other side.

Relax, ease tension in your shoulders, and promote circulation by bringing your hips over your heart with Puppy Pose. 

• Begin in tabletop, or on all fours with your hips over your knees and your shoulders over your wrists. 
• Slide your hands out a few inches in front of you as you curl your toes under. 
• Press your palms firmly into the ground and sit back, bringing your buttocks towards your heels.
• Rest your forehead on the ground and focus on relaxing into the pose.
• Hold for 30 seconds to a minute.

Choose a fertility mantra to repeat to yourself as you practice this final meditation, calming your mind, restoring your body, and bringing balance to your being. 

• Lie flat on your back, supporting your body with rolled towels or pillows where necessary; such as under your knees or behind your neck. 
• Lay your arms out at your sides, palms facing up, and let your feet naturally fall outwards to the side. 
• While repeating your mantra and taking slow, steady breaths, consciously release tension in each area of your body from the top of your head to your toes. 
• Aim for at least five minutes in this position, staying longer if you want. 

We all know that “just relaxing” doesn’t magically make a baby. However, these calming and restorative yoga poses can help soothe your soul, refocus your energy, and decrease stress. They can have physical advantages too, like increasing circulation, releasing muscle tension, and promoting flexibility. All of these things are wonderful benefits for those who are trying to conceive.