A. Warm-up Stretch

Stand in a good posture, with your feet parallel and a hip-width apart.

1. Your weight should be evenly distributed between your heels and toes.

2. Draw in your navel and lengthen your spine, imagining that your breastbone is being lifted toward the ceiling

3. Make your shoulders as wide as you can.

4. Now lengthen your neck, imagining that your skull is being pulled up to the ceiling.

5. You should feel as though the weight is being lifted off your spine and is being supported by your abdominal muscles.Practice this throughout the day, and it should ease any proneness to a backache.

Warm up by walking in place, then lift your knees a little higher. Vary the direction by stepping backwards and forward and from side to side. Keep going for about five minutes, until you are out of breath, but not completely breathless, and not too hot. If you experience any discomfort, stop until you feel better. If it persists, stop altogether, and if you are worried, consult your doctor.Now that you are warm, start a gentle stretch. Remember that because of the hormonal changes in your body, all stretching needs to be gentle and controlled while you are pregnant, so always take care right from the start.

B. Chest Stretch

Stand in a good posture, as described as previously, then raise your arms to shoulder level, with your hands facing forward. Now try to reach behind you just enough that you feel a stretch in your chest and the front of your shoulders.If you are tight in this area (and it is a vulnerability for some women), vary the stretch by altering the angle of your arm at the shoulder until you feel that all is released.

C. Cat Stretch

1. Kneel on the floor. Make sure that your knees are directly below your hips, and that your hands are below your shoulders. Relax your spine into neutral so that your head and neck are in line and your lower back has its usual curve.

2. Relax your back even farther so that the curve of the lower back increases and your spine is pushing toward the floor. Then breathe and push your spine the other way, rounding it toward the ceiling.Hold this position, feeling the stretch then reverse again. Repeat a couple of times until you feel freer.