Practicing Yoga During Your Pregnancy

Practicing Yoga During Pregnancy

   

    Yet again my teaching has enabled me to become the learner. As I look out at my students who have brought themselves to the mat I see a wide variety of faces; young and old, healthy and struggling with an injury, new to yoga and the seasoned yogi and those that are pregnant. I remember how I exercised when I was pregnant several years ago (I am now a grandmother), walking, stretching, abdominal work, strengthening and a healthy diet. I was physically active before I became pregnant so I continued with variations. 
     As I went through my training to become a yoga teacher the instructor taught us how to work with women who were pregnant.  It helped that I was myself a mother; as I could relate to the various stages a soon to be mother's body went through and see my students through those eyes. Questions abound about what asanas are safe, which are not, what restrictions are there when it comes to the three trimesters??? Is it safe to practice yoga during pregnancy? 
     There is not a definitive answer as it may depend on several variables: new to yoga or practicing prior to, health of soon to be mother during pregnancy, pre-existing conditions. Each pregnancy is different, so a way to work through how one might proceed with either continuing their practice or whether to begin one is to ask themselves some questions. Important to note that this list will change and evolve.

1. How far along am I?
2. Have I been practicing prior to getting pregnant or is this my first time?
3. Are there any complications that may affect my ability to practice safely?
4. Is this my first child or my second?
5. How am I feeling?
6. What are the recommendations from my physician?
7. Is this physically uncomfortable? Why?
8. What are my expectations of the class?
9. What is the teacher working on today? Benefits to me? 
10. Am I on medications?

The information I have written here is a culmination of resources which focus on yoga during pregnancy. I am so excited to continue on my adventure into the practice of a mother to be. Each trimester has its own story; but know that these explanations are not standard, each woman is going to have a different experience than another. So these should be taken as guidelines and your physician is the person who determines how much an expectant mother should practice. 

Practicing During Pregnancy

First Trimester: Conception to 13 weeks. Morning sickness, dizziness, hormonal changes. If you have been practicing  yoga prior to becoming pregnant continue with routine. If it is your first time, advised to attend a prenatal yoga class. Forward bending may cause nausea; try squatting as an alternative to forward bend at the waist. 

Second Trimester: 14 weeks to 27 weeks. "Blooming period," As uterus expands it is time to stop doing poses where you are lying on your belly and avoid deep twists (Half Lord of the Fishes). Standing poses are okay, but if feel off balance practice next to the wall to use as a support. Think about poses which strengthen and build stamina. 

Third Trimester: 28 weeks to 40 weeks. Range of motion challenged, gravity lowers, pelvis enlarges. The curve of the lumbar spine (lower back) becomes exaggerated. If you are just starting again attend a prenatal yoga class. Poses on all fours and restorative poses w/support. Decrease Down Dog and do Tabletop. Stop Legs up the Wall & Bridge. At 36 weeks advised to decrease number of inversions as baby is settling into the birthing position. Poses that compress the belly are avoided, again including deep twists. If practicing Pranayama Breathing do not do fast breaths and inhale in through the nose and exhale out the mouth (birthing breath). 

** There may be some that do not adhere to the "trimester rule," that is why it is so important to speak with your personal physician.

General Don'ts:

• Caution against Over-stretching: when pregnant the body produces the hormone Relaxin to help soften things to make room for your growing babe & to prepare for delivery. This hormone can make you feel more flexible and so it is possible to destabilize joints & ligaments. 
• Pranayama Breathing if it makes you feel dizzy and lightheaded. Breath in through nose and out through mouth (Birthing Breath). 
• Twists: deep twists compress the internal organs and uterus. Twist from Shoulders instead.
• Intense Backbends: 1st Trimester Wheel is possible, after this trimester one may overstretch the abdominal wall.
• Forward Folds not recommended. Important to keep head above heart.  Table Top preferred. Child's Pose recommended to keep the head above the heart. Instead do Cobbler's pose or use bolster to raise up head. 
• Inversions: Legs up Wall/Bridge not after 2nd trimester. 
• Abdominal strengtheners like Boat Pose should be avoided. Soften abdominals to allow them to stretch more readily.
• Lying on belly: Cobra 1st Trimester possible. Later no. 
• Lying on back: Fully Supine or Dorsal Poses such as Happy Baby & Savasana Constricts the Vena Cava Vein. (Once the uterus and the baby reach a certain size, the vena cava can become compressed when you lay flat, delaying the return of the blood to the heart. Do Savasana lying on left side w/blankets or bolsters for support. 
  
  

Prenatal Sun Salutations

Prenatal Poses: modify according to your previous practice and doctor's recommendations. 

• Hip Openers: Warrior II, Cobbler
• Side Stretches: Gate Pose
• All Fours: Cat n Cow stretches neck & shoulders, stiffness in spine becomes more flexible (careful with cow as you progress w/pregnancy; weight of babe can cause you to sway back/separation). Downward Facing Dog is a pose that may help lower back pain as the weight of the belly presses against the sacrum (modify into Puppy pose with bolsters between legs and alongside belly for support. 
• Chest Openers: Heart openers good for heartburn.
• Standing Poses: keep spine flexible, tones arms & legs, lower back and increases stamina.  Warrior II, Standing Side Stretch. Use the wall for support. 
• Inversions: Legs up Wall for those that find themselves with edema.(1st Trimester)/Modify 2nd & 3rd Trimester 



Legs up the wall w/support














• Elevate  torso slightly w/two bolsters.

• Savasana: On back 1st Trimester/Modify 2nd & 3rd Trimester.
• Lie on Left side w/two bolsters (one under top folded arm/second between bent knees, blanket under head)
• Incline upper body with use of blocks/bolster

GENTLE ALIGNMENT: PRENATAL

OPENING/SEATED (8)

Bolster Meditation

Head Work

Breath In/Up-Side to Side

TABLETOP (10)

Hip Circles

Bird Dog

Child's Pose w/Bolster 

Low Lunge w/blocks-Knee Down

Childs Pose on Bolster 

CNC w/Leg to Side: Thread the Needle

DD

SUN SALUTATIONS (5)

Mtn/Squat/Plank/Tabletop/Low Lunge/DD

REPEAT

STANDING (15)
 Chair

Squat on Blocks

Wide Squat w/Shoulder Dips 

Squat w/Shoulder Dips 

Warrior II

Reverse/Side Angle FLOW

Wide Legged Squat/Shoulders In

Goddess Breath

SWITCH

DD

TABLE TOP (5)

Gate Pose/Side Stretch

Puppy Pose

SEATED (5)

Cross Legged on Bolster/Forward Bend (Switch Cross)

Wide Feet/Dig Heels/Forward Bend

Reclined Supta Baddha

Side Lying Savasana
Add bolster under top extended leg 

SAVASANA (5)

Side Lying w/Bolster & Two Blankets

Resources: 

Trimester Suggestions: https://www.verywellfit.com/pregnancy-yoga-4013139

Prenatal Sun Salutations: https://www.verywellfit.com/prenatal-sun-salutation-sequence-3567183

Vena Cava Vein:  http://www.oprah.com/health/the-correct-way-to-sleep-during-pregnancy#xzz5DYJvSDUA

Practicing Savasana & Legs up the wall:https://www.spoiledyogi.com/how-to-modify-savasana-for-pregnancy/

Photo: legs up the wall https://mommybites.com/col1/prenatal/3-common-aches-and-pains-of-pregnancy-and-how-to-address-them/
Photo: Child's Pose: http://www.kimmysmithfit.com/first-trimester-yoga-for-morning-sickness/
Photo: Side Savasana: https://www.yogajournal.com/teach/tools-for-teaching-prenatal-yoga-the-third-trimester
Photo: Squat w/shoulder dips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmdMayFdhCU