Shoulder-stand is often talked about when you google ‘poses for fertility’.  I love this pose but for those newer to yoga I wouldn’t recommend you practice it without supervision.  If you already have some experience a good option is to practice against the wall.  Take your time getting into the pose.  Once you’re there keep the head and neck still, close the eyes and breathe through the nose for 8 slow breaths.

There are loads of great benefits to practicing supported shoulder-stand; like helping to turn off the adrenal glands, calm the mind and relieve mild depression.  Most importantly it helps to balance our hormones particularly the pituitary gland – the master controller of all our glands.  The pituitary secretes its own hormones and hormones from the thyroid, stress hormones and the ovaries and testis.  In terms of our fertility it allows the brain to speak to the ovaries to secrete hormones FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) and LH (Luteinizing Hormone) which we need to create good eggs.  In yoga we believe that when you have your head lower than your heart you flush your pituitary gland with fresh oxygenated blood helping to regulate it.  Supported shoulder-stand is one good way to achieve this.