If you suspect you might be pregnant please let me know as practicing yoga in the first trimester is not ideal. If you are signed up for general classes I will refund you the classes you won’t be able to take.
If you are coming to pregnancy yoga you will be learning about how to look after yourself and thrive during pregnancy in terms of
- Improving posture
- Easing back pain
- Exercising safely
- Protecting your abdominals
- Strengthening the pelvic floor
- Preparing for birth
Each week I will ask how you’ve been the week prior, please let me know then (or before class if it is more sensitive) so I can adapt and keep you safe and comfortable.
Please make sure you speak to me about
- Pain in your pelvis
Please let me know and refrain from coming to class if
- You are experiencing bleeding or spotting
- Your doctor or midwife has advised against attending
Coming to Pregnancy yoga
Pregnancy is a unique time where your body transforms to support and grow your baby. The hormones of pregnancy mean all your joints will become more flexible. Practice within your pregnancy normal range of movement rather than trying to extend this to avoid instability in the joints post pregnancy.
The pelvic floor is placed under increased pressure during pregnancy so make sure you do your pelvic floor exercises.
Posture
Your back will be placed under increased pressure during pregnancy and back discomfort is not abnormal. You will learn ways to look after your back in class.
Taking your weight very slightly more into your heels. This tends to relieve discomfort by decreasing the lumbar curves. You are likely to find continually and gently moving relieving. Try very subtly swaying from side to side when waiting in queues, or rocking whilst sitting.
Worrying
Worrying about your baby is also normal in pregnancy. This worry will not adversely affect your baby and pregnancy with low to moderate stress resulted in well-adjusted children at the age of 2. High stress, such as living with domestic violence or living near the twin towers during the attack is not helpful to pregnancy and can result in less healthy, lower birthweight babies.
Almost no twisting
You will find very little twisting in pregnancy yoga. This is because the movement weakens your abdominal muscles and can cause them to split. It can also have effects on your baby and their connection to the placenta.
Almost no inverting / being upside down
You won’t find any strong inversion in pregnancy yoga. They move the baby and belly too much, and can result in malpresentation, effects on the connection between baby and placenta and incur the risk of injury. We still do dog pose which is a mild inversion, but this pose is not held.
In the last month of pregnancy, its best to leave this one out and focus more on birth preparation poses like all fours.
Almost no being on your back
Lying on your back is not ideal in pregnancy, it is linked to reduced blood and oxygen to your baby and can make you feel unwell. You may often find you end up on your back when sleeping. It is good to avoid being on your back when you have the choice. For some women, they will immediately feel unwell being on their back. Because it has insignificant benefits and serious risks in pregnancy we don’t do poses on our backs.
If it doesn’t feel right don’t do it
If coming into dog pose (or any other pose) doesn’t feel right, for any reason, just leave it out. You are doing yoga for 2 people, and one of them can’t talk yet. How your body feels is your best connection to your baby, so follow your instincts and give yourself complete freedom to do what feels best for you, and your baby.