Daniela Knaan
UX/UI Designer at - Adobe“Is it okay to do pregnancy yoga if I have never practiced Yoga before?” Is probably the most asked question I get from my clients… Interestingly, in pregnancy, many women turn to yoga as THE physical activity to practice throughout their pregnancy even if they have not had any interest in yoga before. And with good reason! prenatal yoga has countless physical and mental health benefits for a mom and her unborn baby!
So if you, too, are interested in practicing yoga during your pregnancy, and don`t know where to start, here is the complete guide you are looking for!
The benefits of prenatal yoga
There are countless, but we`ll go with the most important ones here…
1. Improves Sleep: Prenatal yoga can help improve sleep patterns by promoting relaxation and reducing stress levels.
2. Reduces Stress and Anxiety: The breathing exercises and mindfulness practices in prenatal yoga can help reduce stress and anxiety, providing a sense of calm.
3. Increases Strength and Flexibility: Prenatal yoga helps to build strength, particularly in the muscles used during childbirth. It also improves flexibility, which can be beneficial for adapting to the physical changes of pregnancy.
4. Reduces Lower Back Pain: The gentle stretching and strengthening exercises can help alleviate lower back pain, which is a common issue during pregnancy.
5. Prepares the Body for Labor: Prenatal yoga includes exercises that can help prepare the body for labor and delivery by focusing on pelvic floor muscles and promoting optimal fetal positioning.
6. Enhances Circulation: The poses and movements in prenatal yoga can improve circulation, reducing swelling and increasing overall comfort.
7. Supports Emotional Well-Being: The practice provides a supportive environment for connecting with the baby, fostering emotional well-being, and creating a healthy mind-body connection
What does a typical Pregnancy yoga class look like?
That is what my prenatal classes are like:
- Start with breathing, taking the time to arrive and focus on your body and presence
- Introducing the class theme
- Warm-up of the joints, also called, Pawanmuktasana 1
- Kneeling/ Standing Poses
- Cool-down Poses
- Different breathing Exercises
- Kegel Exercises
- Savasana with guided meditation
And in the end I always like to answer any of the lots and lots of questions my students have!
When is the right time to start
If you have practiced yoga before, it is absolutely fine to continue right away, since your body is used to the movements. If you are new to yoga, the second trimester is the best time to start, since during the first few weeks it is not recommended to start anything new to the body.
In any case, the first trimester is a complicated time of many changes and sensations, including sickness and fatigue where very gentle practice with focus on those pregnancy symptoms is taken into account.
Until what week can or should I practice?
That is also a question I get asked a lot! To say this first, there is no SHOULD, you may practice as long as you feel good about it, and as long as you see it possible for yourself! But in terms of CAN, there is no restriction at all. It would be fantastic to practice until you go into labor, and then use your yoga tools in birth! I have had moms-to-be come to practice and start labor a few hours later! I personally practiced yoga on the day of birth and throughout labor with all of my 3 babies. Which led me to 3 unmedicated births I enjoyed pretty much!
Important!
Here are four things I always say at the beginning of a prenatal class whenever I have new students:
- Listen to your body
- Accept your body`s boundaries, but don`t fear poses that make your muscles work. After all, you want to increase strength and flexibility!
- There is no comparison in yoga, so concentrate only on yourself, and don`t think about how the woman next to you seems to get along “better” or “worse”
- Ask questions
In any case be sure you consulted a doctor before starting any physical activity, just to make sure you are good to go.
Modifications of poses
We practice pretty much the same in a prenatal yoga class as in a normal yoga class, but there are some modifications.
Always make space for your belly
Even if you don`t show yet, it is important not to compress your belly, but open up space. We do that by always having your feet/knees in hip-width distance, in standing or kneeling poses, or in the downward-facing dog.
Sit on a cushion/block
During breathing practice, at the beginning and end of class, and for kegel exercises, I always recommend sitting on a block to prevent all the focus from being on the sitting position but rather on the exercise.
Bend your knees
In poses like the downward facing dog and standing forward fold, to make it easier and more comfortable
Use props
To modify any pose and make yourself more comfortable in Savasana
Savasana on the side
Rather than on your back, to prevent pressure on your belly, the vena cava, and to promote healthy positioning of your baby
What to avoid
- Hot yoga (Bikram)
Heating up the body too much could cause birth defects.
- Closed Twists
- Intense Backbends
Both put too much pressure on your abdomen
- Poses that could cause you to fall like inversions
Falling is one of the major risks in any physical activity that could cause early labor or preterm rupture of membranes… So be careful.
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