Prenatal yoga hip opening poses help to facilitate the opening of the pelvis to prepare for the baby to descend through the birth canal. They increase flexibility in the muscles that attach to the pelvis that will need to be elastic during labor and delivery. When the hips are more open it allows for the sacrum and pelvic to be better aligned. This will make daily activities like walking, sitting, standing and even sleeping more comfortable. Hip openers also alleviate common discomforts such as sciatica, piriformis syndrome and lower back pain by gently stretching and releasing the piriformis, the gluteus muscles, the ITB (Iliotibial Band) and the back (latissimus dorsi) muscles.