Basic Guidelines for the Practice of Prenatal Yoga

A fundamental aspect of yoga practice is that it is a highly individual endeavor. Group classes are valuable because they give us added motivation, direction and support, dedicated time and space to focus and the group dynamic offers an uplifting and inspiring energy that carries us. But even within the structure of a group class, there exists the necessity of honoring what we bring as individuals to the mat - our unique bodies, our level of experience, our motivation for practice, our energy on any given day, and during pregnancy, certainly our stage of gestation. The yogic teaching of coming to the mat with fresh eyes each time we step on, without expectation, willing to encounter and work with and love whatever we find during that specific practice is especially important during pregnancy when the body is constantly changing, its needs being discovered anew each time we practice and its demands requiring a level of surrender like no other time.

I am often asked the question "What should I avoid/modify/emphasize in my yoga practice during pregnancy?" and I always preface my answer with the idea that the most important element is connectedness. Are you connected to your body and your breath? Are you able to tune into the instincts of your body and your heart? If a practitioner is practicing from this place of connectedness, then the answers of what to do and what to avoid are much easier to obtain from within, than relying on guidance from without. Guidance by a skilled and trained teacher is important, just as you trust and rely on your care provider during pregnancy and birth to help guide you to what is best for yourself and your baby, but ultimately, YOU are the greatest authority on what is right and proper for you and your body and your baby.

So step #1 is Let Your Intuition Guide You.

Step #2 is to consider the specifics of your practice history. How long have you been practicing? How often? What style of yoga? Were you secure and solid in challenging poses like Headstand and Crow before becoming pregnant, or were these poses still works in progress (if you were practicing these kinds of challenge poses at all. The prenatal yoga practice of a yogini who has been practicing Ashtanga for 10 years will look quite different from the practice of someone who just decided to try yoga after becoming pregnant because they understand the benefits and are experiencing a surge in motivation to try it to create the healthiest pregnancy possible. There is no clear right or wrong, just unique.

Step #3 is to consider how you are feeling at any given stage of pregnancy and what your body wants and needs from your practice. Some moms spend the first trimester exhausted, nauseous and unable to motivate to any type of physical activity. Others barely notice any physical symptoms and continue a highly active lifestyle. Others find as the baby grows into the second and third trimesters, they want to move more slowly or focus on certain kinds of postures tailored to certain physical expressions of pregnancy in their own bodies. Remember that even when you cannot see the work that is taking place, your body is essentially climbing Mount Everest inside - undertaking an extremely demanding physical feat that demands respect and surrender. Honoring what you feel on any given day, during any given trimester, and tailoring your practice to those observations is critical. First trimester may call for a practice marked by restorative poses and breathing exercises. Second trimester may call for an active practice. Third trimester may call for a slowing down, a deeper focus on hip opening and activating the downward energy pattern in the body apana vayu. However you feel on any given day during any given practice, it is vital to remain connected to the moment and honor the flow and fluctuations of the journey as they come to you.

So focus on remaining connected to your inner knowing and honoring the present needs of the body, and you will go a long way toward creating a practice that supports your pregnancy and prepares you to give birth with grace and ease, in the best possible manner for YOU.

That said, some GENERAL guidelines I offer students are:

Postures to Avoid or Modify

Deep twists

Twisting postures can be wonderful tonics for the spine, the immune and nervous systems and gentle twists can still be practiced, but avoiding deep twists with tremendous amounts of abdominal compression (such as binding postures of any sort) is important to allow for proper implantation of the embryo during the first trimester and just become generally uncomfortable and unavailable as the baby starts to grow. This is especially important in anyone with a history of pregnancy loss. Gentle twists, such as twisting from easy pose, standing or seated wide angle forward bend or reclining twist can be accessible and beneficial. In postures such as Marichyasana C, try eliminating the bind and twisting in the opposite direction, away from the leg.

Jumping and hopping postures - Eliminate jumping and hopping into and out of sun salutations or other poses. Just step instead.

Belly down postures - postures that put a lot of direct pressure on the lower abdomen, such as bow pulling pose or locust pose are generally best avoided, and like twists, at some point will become simply uncomfortable and impossible. Many of these can be recreated on the side or the hands and knees, such as substituting Sunbird on alternating sides for Locust to strengthen the back and core.

Arm balances and inversions
These poses are fine IF you are experienced and secure in them, but if they are precarious and introduce a risk of falling, it is best to keep grounded. Postures such as headstand, handstand and forearm balance can give pregnant women a tremendous sense of strength and freedom, but should ONLY be practiced if secure in them before becoming pregnant, and ideally with the added support of the wall. Shoulder stand is often one of the first inversions to be eliminated from a prenatal practice, because it becomes more difficult to breathe with the weight of the baby on the diaphragm and the compression of the throat. Arm balances are ok to practice, again if secure in them before pregnancy so the risk of falling is minimal, but at some point, these too will become much harder as your necessary core muscles become more challenging to engage and connect with. But rest assured - they WILL return if you return to practice!

Direct core work - This category is debatable, but it can (again, GENERALLY) be advised to back off of direct core work, like boat pose or any exercise that requires a "crunching" type motion" and strengthen the core via other, less direct, methods, such as Sunbird.

Most Important
Never strain or force your body into ANY posture during pregnancy. Proceed slowly and mindfully and avoid anything that causes specific discomfort (for instance, pelvic pain). Avoid any postures that make you feel light headed or dizzy and always be in communication with your teacher and your care provider about any symptoms that you experience out of the ordinary during yoga practice.

Postures to Emphasize
Just as there are a few categories of poses that become more challenging or need to be eliminated during pregnancy, there are also a few that are especially beneficial. Those are:

Strengthening poses
Often standing postures, poses that build strength are excellent for pregnancy to keep the body strong, fit and prepared for the challenges of birth! Included in this category are the Warrior Poses, Chair Pose, Plank Pose, Triangle, Side Angle, and Goddess. As you build physical strength through these postures, you also gain inner strength, confidence, power and perseverance.





Hip openers - One of the most common complaints of pregnant women is generalized hip discomfort as the entire lower spinal/pelvic/hip region is strained. Hip openers can relieve this discomfort and keep the hips fluid and supple in preparation for welcoming the baby through their passageway. It is important during the third trimester not to go too deeply into the added flexibility that comes from the abundance of the hormone relaxin, which prepares the pelvis for maximum flexibility for childbirth. Postures in this group include Bound Angle, Pigeon Pose, Frog Pose, Deep Squat, Wide Angle Forward Bends (standing and seated) and Lunge. Many postures fall into multiple categories, such as side angle or goddess for strengthening AND hip opening.

Backbends/Heart openers - Chest/shoulder/heart opening postures are wonderful to counter the challenges to proper posture and spinal discomfort during pregnancy (and great for postpartum too). These poses are also mood boosters and help us to break down the barriers of a hard heart and open ourselves fully to the new depths of love we are preparing to give and receive as mothers. Postures such as Camel Pose, Bridge Pose, Cow Pose, Fish Pose, Cobra and Dancer are all excellent choices. Should you practice full backbend/wheel pose? It depends - see steps 1, 2, and 3!


Balance poses

Basic balancing poses can be excellent for cultivating strength and focus and helping to find our internal center, our compass that guides us through this miraculous and mysterious process. If there's any question of falling, use the wall for support. Tree Pose, Warrior 3, Dancer, are great selections.


Restorative poses - A wonderful way to begin or end a practice, as well as an excellent practice in their own right, poses such as Child's Pose, Supported Fish, Supported Bound Angle or any other pose that is long held, deeply relaxing, often supported by the use of props, are excellent ways to cultivate release, relaxation, connection to breath and a deep sense of peace that can be a beacon during a time of many changes and challenges.


Most Important
In my experience (10 years on the mat through 3 pregnancies), there is no better way to support a healthy pregnancy, a vital mom, a strong baby, a connection to the miracle of the process and a trust in the universe to guide you through it safely and radiantly, than the practice of yoga. Though my practice has looked quite different through each pregnancy, it has always been marked by a strong intention to let it be born from my instincts and let it flower in the light of present moment awareness.

May you embrace your pregnant body, your beautiful baby, your unique yoga practice and give birth with grace and ease! Feel free to email me at heather@yogabirthbaltimore.org if you'd like more specific guidance or answers to any questions!