The “breath of fire” is a great pregnancy yoga exercise to help prepare you for your labor. What you do is stand with your legs shoulder width apart. Slowly bring your arms up then back down at your sides (like a jumping jack). Inhale as you bring your arms up, exhale as they come down. Gradually increase the pace of your breath and the movement of your arms. Repeat for as long as you can…and even beyond what you think is possible. It is a good analogy for how it feels when you give labor…meaning when it gets tough, you use your breath and go just a little farther. You can find this exercise on my Prenatal Yoga DVD: Third Trimester.
