There are so many benefits for both your body and mind that come from doing yoga when you’re pregnant. As your pregnancy advances you may be asking yourself when to switch to prenatal yoga?
This blog post is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your doctor/ob-gyn before engaging in any exercise program while pregnant.
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Most expectant moms switch it up to doing prenatal yoga around the beginning of their second trimester. If you can find a prenatal yoga class at a studio it is a nice way to connect with other moms-to-be and feel that sense of community. And the fact that the whole class is tailored toward pregnancy yoga with safe and beneficial poses for expectant moms makes it a perfect choice.
Is there a specific week during pregnancy when certain yoga poses become less safe and/or more uncomfortable? For most women, during the first trimester, you can carry on with a regular yoga class if you want. Some ladies prefer to start prenatal yoga right away. Naturally, the choice is yours to make.
But what if your studio doesn’t offer a prenatal yoga class? How about those of us who do yoga in the comfort of our own home?
Don’t fret because there are most certainly options for you! You can find many excellent yoga channels on YouTube with classes made especially for pregnancy. If you would rather go to your gym, yoga studio, or a drop-in yoga class near you then you can simply do a regular class with modifications.
Can You Do Normal Yoga When Pregnant?
You may be asking yourself, do I really have to switch to a prenatal yoga class? What if I don’t have access to one or can’t find one I like?
The good news is you can always keep going to your regular class and do modified yoga postures. Arm yourself with the knowledge of which poses are safe during pregnancy and which are considered less so.
Learn how to safely do modified poses and remember, it’s VERY important to let your instructor know that you are pregnant and how far along you are so he or she can help instruct you accordingly if you need assistance.
I did yoga all the way through my pregnancy and whenever it was time for a pose that I skipped I would head on down to child’s pose and do some nice slow deep breathing. By week 36 and beyond, believe me, I was in child’s pose a lot!
But just getting myself to class, having a good stretch, breathing, and of course doing savasana (lying on my side, not back) was beneficial for me mentally and physically. I simply listened to my body and did the best I could.
I didn’t go to a fancy yoga studio either, as much as I would love to be able to. Fortunately, the gym I belonged to at the time had some awesome and knowledgeable yoga teachers.
What Is The Difference Between Yoga And Prenatal Yoga?
Prenatal yoga classes focus on breathing, and stretching, and use a gentler sequence of poses than a regular yoga class. They also make use of a lot of yoga props such as belts, bolsters, and blocks to assist in making the poses more comfortable for you.
The room temperature will not be elevated as it is for “hot yoga” because that could cause light-headedness and dehydration, two things you should definitely avoid when pregnant.
Prenatal yoga will not involve any poses with deep twists or lying on your back because these things put too much pressure on your organs and certain blood vessels that could potentially be unsafe for baby.
Pregnancy yoga focuses a lot on postures that strengthen the lower back, open the hips, and promote flexibility. You always want to remember, when you are stretching during your pregnancy, not to overdo it. The increased presence of relaxin in your body can make you more flexible but be careful not to tear anything!
What Yoga Poses Should I Avoid When Pregnant?
Prenatal Yoga No-No’s
- Deep Twists
- Deep Backbends
- Pretzel Poses
- Belly Down Postures
- Lying on Your Back
- Crunches
- Inversion
- Forward Fold with Feet Together
- Hot Yoga
Deep twists, pretzel poses, deep backbends, and poses that would normally be used to strengthen and sculpt your abs should be avoided for pregnancy yoga. Too much stress on these muscles can cause your rectus abdominus muscles to separate so definitely skip the ab crunches when pregnant.
There’s no sense in putting any more pressure on your already stressed muscles, joints, and ligaments so please be gentle with yourself!
Do not do forward folds with your feet together, as your belly grows this pose will need to be modified to avoid pulling your lower back. Remember that just about every pose can be modified so you can still reap the benefits without hurting yourself!
Any pose that involves lying on your back should be avoided especially in the second half of your pregnancy.
Can I Do Balance Poses When Pregnant?
What about balance poses? They can be done, just be careful and use a wall to support yourself as your center of gravity is a bit different when you are sporting a baby bump! And of course, you will not be doing inversions or poses that would have you lying on your belly.
Yoga Poses For Pregnancy
What are the best yoga poses to do when pregnant? Here are my favorites, come to think of it, a lot of these are favorites of mine in regular yoga too!
- Standing Side Stretch
- Gentle Neck and Shoulder Rolls
- Cat/Cow
- Wide Knee Child’s Pose
- Downward Dog Against a Wall
- Goddess Pose
- Bound Ankle (Butterfly) Pose
- Yoga Squat
- Easy Pose
- Savasana (on your side, not on your back)
“Use your practice to create more space for your baby. In the third trimester, the work of yoga is to make space in your body for your baby. Doing poses that create a sense of openness, like chest openers and hip openers, will help both now and at the birth. These poses also help you open up mentally. They’ll help you accommodate every change that your body undergoes during pregnancy.“
~Art of Living
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Yoga in the Third Trimester
Once you are in the final stretch and getting ready to meet your baby, you may want to ease up a little. Keep your practice very gentle, focus on poses that promote openness in the hips and chest, and work on your breathing. These things will do well to get your body (and your mind!) ready for labor.
At the risk of repeating myself, (but I believe it’s worth repeating…) always listen to your body, do only what you can, and be kind to yourself!
Practicing yoga throughout your pregnancy is such a terrific way to help prepare physically and mentally for the birth of your baby.
When and if you decide to switch to prenatal yoga classes is an individual decision. The truth is, you don’t have to join a prenatal yoga class if you can’t find one, modifying poses in your regular class with the assistance of a qualified instructor will work.
If you are more into home yoga, several excellent YouTube channels feature prenatal yoga routines.
I will leave you with one of my favorite yoginis to check out. Yoga with Adrienne has a prenatal series that is wonderful for any level, she’s a favorite of mine pregnant or not! Namaste 🙂
Namaste, K.
Kelly Blakely is the founder and creative force behind Just Our View From Here. As a first-time mom over 40, she brings a fresh perspective to parenting and family life on her blog. Kelly also explores a wide range of lifestyle topics in her writing, including fashion, beauty, self-care, and well-being.
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Resources
The Art of Living~ Yoga Tips for the Third Trimester
Book Yoga Retreats~ 7 Best Prenatal Yoga Poses (with instructions)
My Fitness Pal~ 10 Yoga Poses to Avoid When Pregnant
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