Yoga For Pregnancy Trimester 1 (1-13 weeks)
How To Teach Butterfly Pose For Pregnancy

Pregnancy Yoga Lesson Plan Kit™

Butterfly pose is only one of 100+ pregnancy yoga poses within the Pregnancy Yoga Lesson Plan Kit™.

Butterfly

Teaching steps

• Sit with legs outstretched.
• Bend knees, bring soles of feet together (keep heels as close to body as possible).
• Fully relax the inner thighs.
• Clasp the feet with both hands.
• Gently bounce knees up and down, using elbows as levers to press legs down.
• Repeat 20 to 30 times.
• Straighten legs and relax.

Benefits

• Relieve tension from inner thigh muscles.
• Removes tiredness from legs.
• Opens hips.

Precautions 

• Do not strain.
• Groin or knee injury

Modifications 

• Blanket support under outer thighs.

Butterfly Pose Variations 

Half Butterfly 

Teaching Steps

• Sit with legs outstretched.
• Bend right leg, place right foot as far up on left thigh as possible. Place right hand on top of the bent right knee.
• Hold toes of right foot with left hand.
• While breathing in, gently move right knee up towards chest.
• Breathing out, gently push knee down and try to touch floor.  Trunk should not move.
• Repeat with left leg.
• Slowly practice about 10 up and down movements with each leg.

Half Butterfly Variation 1

Teaching Steps

• Sit with legs outstretched.
• Bend right leg.
• Place right foot as far up on left thigh as possible.
• Place right hand on top of the bent right knee.
• Raise left arm and look up at the hand.
• Repeat with left leg.

Half Butterfly Variation 2

Teaching Steps

• Start in Butterfly.
• Take right leg out to side.
• Bring hands forward.
• Place right hand onto right ankle.
• Reach left arm up and over
• Repeat with left leg.