Yoga
During Pregnancy
Yoga can be a wonderful way to enjoy pregnancy, many women take yoga classes at Tucson Yoga while pregnant. However, it can also pose risks if you attend the wrong class, or do the wrong postures. It's important to be well-informed if you'd like to take yoga classes while pregnant.
Yoga can help align your body optimally
for healthy carriage and delivery of the baby, and can also reduce discomfort in your upper and lower back. In addition, yoga provides breathing
and relaxation techniques to use during pregnancy and labor, and can teach you how to move and adjust your own body more intuitively in order to ease the movement of the baby during delivery.
You may attend general yoga classes while pregnant, as long as you take prenatal classes elsewhere and memorize the basic modifications, which are outlined below. At Tucson Yoga, we recommend that pregnant women who have never done yoga before take the Gentle Yoga classes. (See our class schedule for class times.) As you're learning, you should tell every new instructor that you're pregnant so
s/he can offer modifications for you and your baby's safety. The basic modifications for pregnancy are shown below - if anything is unclear ask a teacher. If you were steadily practicing yoga before your pregnancy, you may continue classes at the level you've been practicing for as long as it feels appropriate, and begin applying the modifications and paying attention to what feels right in your body.
Attend Prenatal Classes or use DVDs
We recommend attending prenatal classes at other local studios and/or using prenatal yoga DVDs to learn the modifications you'll be working with during general yoga classes. Local yoga studios that offer prenatal classes are: Lyric Yoga, Anjali Yoga, and Providence Institute. If you want to work with DVDs, look for prenatal DVDs by Gaiam, Shiva Rea, and Yoga Journal.
Lack of Scientific Information
Prenatal yoga is a rapidly growing field, however the effects of yoga on pregnancy have not been scientifically researched on any significant scale. Much of the available information about yoga & pregnancy is conflicting and poorly researched. For instance, two of the most well-known prenatal yoga teachers have completely conflicting opinions about Downward Dog posture: one teachers says that it is a dangerous posture that can cause miscarriage, and the other says it's one of the best postures for pregnant women. Given the lack of authoritative information, yoga during pregnancy is done at your own risk. The most important thing is to listen to your body's intuition, and play it safe by avoiding postures that don't feel right.
Modifications to use during pregnancy
-
Twisting: In general, avoid straining, compressing, and
twisting in the belly or abdomen. Gentle twisting is okay.
-
Inversions: Avoid all inverted poses (headstand, handstand,
and shoulder-stands).
-
Pranayama: Absolutely no breath retention, breath suspension, or "breath of
fire" (kapalabhati) should be attempted.
- Abdominals: Abdominal strenghthening poses should be avoided (e.g. boat pose).
- Lying Down on the Back: Pregnant women are generally told not to
lie on their backs after the first trimester in order to prevent
Vena Cava Syndrome (a lowering of blood pressure due to the baby
pressing on the vena cava artery). Some women still enjoy lying on their backs during the early months. In general, use your intuition, and listen
to your body. The modification for final relaxation pose (Savasana) is to lie on your side. A bolster between the knees and a pillow under the head can make a world of difference.
- Lying Down on the Belly: All pregnant women should avoid face-down postures that stress the weight of the body on the belly, including cobra, locust, and bow poses. Pregnant women past the first trimester should completely avoid lying on the belly. Good alternatives to the face-down backbends are bridge and camel poses.
- Relaxin: All pregnant woman are gifted with relaxin. The purpose of this natural hormone is to facilitate the pelvis
and hips to gracefully shift during pregnancy and childbirth,
providing an easier passage for the baby's arrival. With the
gift comes responsibility. Pregnant women need to engage muscles
more actively when they are stretching because of the amount of
relaxin in their systems (causing ligaments and muscles to have
more flexibility).
- Balancing: The more you begin to show, the more
challenging balance poses become, so avoid postures that are uncomfortable
or cause doubt. Use the wall, blocks, straps, or other aids as
needed while your belly grows.
- The Basic Rule: Above all ... listen to your body and use your intuition. Your baby and your body will let you know what you need and what poses are uncomfortable.
And please ... don't practice yoga to the point where you're fatigued.
- One last tip: During pregnancy ... take water and bathroom
breaks liberally. (Set up your mat near the bathroom in yoga classes.) Trust your body-wisdom and have faith of the
grace nature gifts us.
More Resources
This information was adapted from Yoga Everywhere, which
has more information about pregnancy and yoga. Click
to visit Yoga Everywhere. Yoga Journal also has a good collection of pregnancy-related articles.
See:
Yoga
Journal - focus on Pregnancy
