Pregnant Yoga

Pregnant Yoga

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Ann Pizer is a writer and registered yoga instructor who teaches vinyasa/flow and prenatal yoga classes.
Kristin McGee is a certified personal trainer and currently teaches yoga and meditation for Peloton. She is also certified in Pilates and by the National Association of Sports Medicine.

During pregnancy, you want to stay in shape and do what is best for you and your baby. Prenatal yoga is a wonderful way to do both. In our go-go-go world, yoga offers a much-needed opportunity to slow down and connect with your baby and with your body as it transforms. Whether you are new to yoga or are already an experienced practitioner, you can enjoy the many benefits of yoga during pregnancy.

When you’re pregnant, it may sometimes feel like your body has been taken over by an alien. All the things you thought you knew about yourself go out the window as your body does its amazing work. Change that is out of your control can lead you to feel disconnected from your sense of self.

In yoga, it's often said that your body is different every time you get on the mat. You work on accepting that change is constant. In pregnancy, this is doubly true. Yoga helps you reconnect with your body and embrace its journey.

Prenatal yoga classes help prepare you for the birthing process and allow you to enjoy the company of other pregnant women. This fosters a valuable sense of community. Many new moms' support systems and toddlers' playgroups have emerged from the bonds forged in prenatal yoga.

Yoga during pregnancy has not received much scientific study, but it is generally considered to be safe and beneficial for most expectant mothers and their babies. 1

If your pregnancy is considered high risk or you have other complications, talk to your healthcare team before starting yoga. Even if you have no special concerns, you will need to adapt your yoga practice as your baby grows.

Your body produces a hormone called relaxin throughout your pregnancy that helps to make room for your growing baby and prepare for delivery. 2 The presence of relaxin may make you feel more flexible than usual, but be careful not to overstretch; it's also possible to destabilize joints and ligaments during this time.

The biggest danger to pregnant yoginis is falling. Therefore, minimize that risk, especially once your belly starts to protrude, by being careful with balancing poses. Skip any pranayama that could make you feel lightheaded to reduce the risk of fainting. Since Bikram yoga has been shown to warm the body's core temperature in certain cases, it should also be avoided.

For first-trimester yoga, postural changes are minimal because the size of your belly isn't really an issue yet. It's most important to get in the habit of tuning in to your body. You may be feeling tired and nauseated, so give yourself permission to take it easy if that's the case.

Most women who are already taking yoga classes can continue with their regular routines, though it's a good idea to mention your pregnancy to your teacher. If you're doing yoga for the first time, it's fine to start with a prenatal class.

The second trimester is the ideal time to start prenatal yoga. You're probably past the worst of your morning sickness if you had any. Your belly is starting to make an appearance, so you're in greater need of pregnancy-specific poses and advice.

As your uterus expands, it's time to stop doing any poses where you are lying on your belly. Also avoid deep twists, which are not very comfortable at this point.

In third-trimester yoga , your belly gets to be a big factor, prompting more adaptations to make room for it in standing poses.

Taking a wider stance makes you more stable, which is helpful because you want to avoid anything that could make you fall. For that reason, inversions are discouraged at this point in the pregnancy.

A 2015 research study was the first to monitor the fetus during the performance of yoga poses in the third trimester. It found no evidence of fetal distress in any of the 26 postures attempted, including downward facing dog and savasana . 3 However, these poses may still feel uncomfortable at some point, and it's fine to avoid them.

Many women who have never done yoga before find that it is an ideal form of exercise during their pregnancies and beyond. When looking for a class, stick to those labeled "prenatal yoga," as their teachers will be best able to instruct you appropriately.

If you do go to a regular class, be sure to tell the teacher you are pregnant. Some women only have the opportunity to take up prenatal yoga in the third trimester. You will still benefit from the classes if this is your situation, but the earlier in your pregnancy you can start, the better.

Yoga devotees will be happy to know that they can continue to practice throughout pregnancy. You may continue to take your regular classes as long as you feel comfortable doing so, but, again, make sure to let the teacher know you are pregnant. Never feel obligated to practice at your pre-pregnancy intensity.

If you are a dedicated home practitioner, begin to do prenatal sun salutations . Study the above trimester guidelines to make sure you understand which poses to avoid. It's also a good idea to take some prenatal yoga classes to meet other moms-to-be and learn about childbirth.

There are many yoga poses that are comfortable and safe to do during pregnancy. These are ones you're very likely to see in a prenatal yoga class:

After you have your baby, you may be eager to resume your yoga practice. Doctors usually recommend six weeks of recovery time for new mothers after vaginal birth and longer after a Cesarean section.

When you have been given the OK from your healthcare practitioner and have no significant bleeding, you are ready to do postpartum yoga, whether on your own or in a mom and baby class . Certain poses help breastfeeding mothers combat back and neck aches.

Pregnancy can be an exciting and special time, but it's also a bit mysterious. Yoga helps give you the tools to slow down and enjoy the experience by accepting and respecting the incredible thing your body is doing.

Bonding time with other expectant mothers is another real benefit of taking prenatal classes. Even if you have a partner in your pregnancy, that person is not going through the physical changes that you are. Joining a community of pregnant women is a beautiful and valuable thing to do.

Curtis K, Weinrib A, Katz J. Systematic review of yoga for pregnant women: current status and future directions . Evid Based Complement Alternat Med . 2012;2012:715942. doi:10.1155/2012/715942
Dehghan F, Haerian BS, Muniandy S, Yusof A, Dragoo JL, Salleh N. The effect of relaxin on the musculoskeletal system . Scand J Med Sci Sports . 2014;24(4):e220–e229. doi:10.1111/sms.12149
Polis RL, Gussman D, Kuo YH. Yoga in pregnancy: An examination of maternal and fetal responses to 26 yoga postures . Obstet Gynecol . 2015;126(6):1237-41. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000001137
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This article is authored in part by Salena Quinlan Shults, Owner/Instructor, Yoga on Main .
Some things just go together, like peanut
butter and jelly or Sonny and Cher. For us, yoga and pregnancy belong in that
list as well. Yoga has been shown to help improve heart health , reduce depression symptoms , and relieve chronic pain , among many other
benefits.
In recent years, we’ve seen a large increase
in the popularity of yoga. The 2016 Yoga in America Study found that 36.7 million Americans practice yoga , up from
20.4 million in 2012. Of those practitioners, 72 percent are female.
Many pregnant women do yoga throughout their
entire pregnancies, just as both of us did. Some women might wonder if it’s
safe for them and their developing babies to practice to full term, and others
who want to start practicing might be nervous about it.
Expectant moms often ask us when they have to
stop doing yoga, and the answer is: You don’t!
We highly recommend yoga for most pregnant women, both from our personal
and professional experiences. Yoga has several benefits that are specific to
pregnancy and recovery. Below, we outline how it helps, suggest poses to try,
and offer tips for finding the perfect instructor.
Yoga is a great way to relieve pain. Women who
practice yoga while pregnant can experience reductions in:
Unlike other forms of prenatal exercise, which
focus on physical effects, yoga also has been shown to have many psychological
benefits for moms-to-be, such as lowering levels of anxiety and depression , which can help you
have a happier, more balanced pregnancy. While we don’t recommend complicated
poses in the delivery room, the breathing and relaxation techniques can help relieve pain during labor .
After baby comes home from the hospital, yoga
has been shown to reduce the effects of postpartum depression , a
serious concern for many women. On the physical side, yoga can help with
re-establishing core strength, which can minimize the risks of pelvic floor
disorders related to childbirth.
These benefits can help you manage the
stresses of work, life, and family concerns during and after your pregnancy. So
carve out an hour to focus on yourself and the new life you’re creating – it
can do so much good for you and your baby!
Some women are concerned about certain poses potentially
wrapping their babies up in the umbilical cord or making them uncomfortable in
the uterus, but that’s not the case. A study that appeared in Obstetrics & Gynecology monitored
fetuses and women between 35 and 38
weeks of pregnancy as they performed 26 different yoga poses . The study found:
The one form of yoga we recommend avoiding
during pregnancy is hot yoga, which is when yoga poses are performed in a
heated studio. The effects of hot yoga haven’t been well studied in pregnant
women, but research has shown that too much heat very early in pregnancy might increase
the risk of neural tube defects , a birth defect that
involves a malformation of the spine or skull. Later in pregnancy, blood
vessels dilate to get rid of excess heat, causing blood pressure to fall.
Most other forms of yoga are safe throughout
pregnancy, though you might need to modify your workout to accommodate your
growing belly and altered center of gravity. Talk to your nurse or doctor to
let them know you plan to do yoga during your pregnancy. It’s usually no
problem, especially if you’ve been doing yoga before you got pregnant. However,
there are some conditions that might warrant further precaution, such as:
Many yoga practitioners advise pregnant women
to avoid deep twist or inversion (upside-down) poses, which put the head below
the heart. There aren’t many studies that support these precautions, but the
most important thing is to be careful and listen to your own body. Don’t do
anything that feels wrong or painful.
These are some of our favorite poses that can
ease pregnancy symptoms or help you build strength:
Though most forms of yoga are safe for
expecting moms, we recommend looking specifically for a prenatal yoga class,
especially if you’ve never done yoga before. Prenatal yoga classes are tailored
specifically for pregnant women. If you want to start yoga during your
pregnancy but no prenatal yoga classes are available, start with a gentle yoga
class for beginners.
Once you’ve found the class you want, call the
studio and ask to speak with the owner or instructor. Let them know you’re
pregnant, and ask about the experience and knowledge of the instructor who will
be teaching your class. Though it’s not mandatory that all yoga teachers be
certified, Yoga
Alliance maintains a database of certified, registered yoga
instructors that offer prenatal yoga. These instructors are required to meet educational standards in
teaching methodology, human anatomy and physiology, and practical trainings.
Yoga played a huge role in our pregnancies,
and it’s a wonderful exercise and stress-relief option for moms-to-be. Talk to
your doctor for more information about incorporating yoga into your pregnancy
routine, or request an appointment for more information .
“Expectant moms often ask us when they have to stop doing yoga, and the answer is: You don’t!”
Though most forms of yoga are safe for expecting moms, we recommend looking specifically for a prenatal yoga class, especially if you’ve never done yoga before. Prenatal yoga classes are tailored specifically for pregnant women. If you want to start yoga during your pregnancy but no prenatal yoga classes are available, start with a gentle yoga class for beginners.
Once you’ve found the class you want, call the studio and ask to speak with the owner or instructor. Let them know you’re pregnant, and ask about the experience and knowledge of the instructor who will be teaching your class. Though it’s not mandatory that all yoga teachers be certified, Yoga Alliance maintains a database of certified, registered yoga instructors that offer prenatal yoga. Th
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