From your physical body to your emotional state, prenatal yoga can be a key ingredient to a healthy, happy pregnancy! Plus – you can pretty much start anytime during your pregnancy and continue doing yoga right up until your due date, with a few modifications.
Below are some of our best tips on making yoga safer and more accessible during your pregnancy.
Create Stability in Standing Poses
As your body grows, it may cause a shift in your centre of gravity. To feel more balanced and grounded in standing poses such as Warrior II, instead of a narrower stance (heel to arch alignment), feel free to shuffle your front foot out till you feel more stable.
It’s also recommended to keep your feet a little bit closer and not lunging as deep in the front hip to protect your pelvic floor.
Feel free to rest your back against a wall to feel even more supported!
Practising Open Twisting
In general, avoid strong closed twists while pregnant. A closed twist is when you are twisting towards and around your front leg which can compress the belly.
Open twists are safer as they will ensure you are not straining your belly but still allow you to open your chest and upper spine.
On days that twisting doesn’t feel so good, feel free to just sit tall and take 1-3 long, slow, deep breaths.
Focus on engaging the transverse abdominis
Strengthening your abdominal muscles during pregnancy can help you feel strong, avoid back pain and prepare you for labour. Working on deep breathing, incorporating exercises that target the transverse abdominis and pelvic floor such as toe taps can be greatly beneficial when done with proper form and even help with diastasis recti!
You can use the core exercise time to repeat a positive affirmation to yourself and babe:
“I am strong. I am safe. I am loved.”
Most of all, listen to your body and drink lots of water during and after your practice. Whenever possible work with certified prenatal yoga and fitness trainers who can help you move in a safe manner so that you can feel strong, positive and relaxed during your pregnancy!
-Sobia
Sobia has over 6 years of experience teaching Yoga, Pilates and other forms of group fitness. Her teaching approach is kind and accessible and she loves to help people discover their strength and improve their improve their flexibility – both physically and mentally. She trained in teaching prenatal Yoga with Sue Elkind and is excited to help you feel empowered, positive and relaxed during your pregnancy.
Interested in joining her upcoming 8 Week Virtual Prenatal Yoga Program? It is designed to increase the strength, flexibility and endurance of muscles needed for childbirth, reduce stress and anxiety around pregnancy and alleviate many common prenatal ailments. The program will also include guest speakers to discuss birthing techniques, postpartum fitness, and also how diet culture impacts pressures around weight gain/loss specifically during pregnancy (and of course what to do about it).
Send us an email by clicking the link below to get added to the wait-list and make sure to share your questions in the comments below!