You're pregnant, and someone told you to take a yoga class. Or maybe baby is doing cartwheels and making you feel like you have a person inside your spine. Whatever it is, I've put together some poses that felt good to me while I was pregnant, and I hope they feel good to you too.
PRENATAL "RULES"
Always listen to your body first.
Only do what feels good, and if you ever feel pain, stop.
Never stress your body or baby.
This should be a relaxing experience for both of you.
PLEASE NOTE
These are just my personal notes and recommendations. If you're experiencing any extreme pain or chronic discomfort during pregnancy, please consider seeing your health advocate (doctor, midwife, doula) or a chiropractor who specializes in adjusting pregnant women. I had terrible sciatica starting my first trimester, and when I went to a chiropractor who knew the Webster technique, it made a huge difference for the rest of my pregnancy. Yes it is uncomfortable, yes it is crazy - but you do not need to be in chronic or extreme pain!
While I practiced and taught yoga throughout my pregnancy, it was one of the few exercises or movements that I wanted to do. I taught my last class only 3 weeks before my son was born, but I'll be honest, my classes slowed down a lot and those last few weeks were mainly wide-legged forward folds and savasana. And bouncing on a yoga ball - definitely get one of those! It helps a lot postpartum too.
GENERAL SUGGESTIONS
- After 1st trimester: try to keep off your stomach, aka no bow pose or locust. It puts unnecessary pressure on baby and it probably won't feel good for you either. If you need a gentle backbend, try a modified upward facing dog with knees down, or bridge with a block underneath the hips for support - both described below.
- After 2nd/3rd trimester (everyone is different): try to limit time laying flat on your back to under 10-15 minutes, or shorter if breathing becomes slow or difficult in anyway. To modify, you can put pillows or folded blankets underneath your back decreasing the angle, or you can translate lots of reclined poses into seated ones.
YOGA FOR THE PREGNANT BODY
Cat + Cow: Flowing through these two poses is a gentle way to open the hips and relax the spine. Being on all fours allows the weight of baby to come off of your hips and back, giving some relief to the constant pressure. This is a great pose to do to especially in the later months as it will help with low pelvic pain. Starting on all fours, inhale to cow: roll your shoulders back, letting your belly "go" or drop as much as comfortable / possible. As you exhale, round your spine, push the ground away, and tuck your chin towards your chest, gazing towards your belly or knees. Your tailbone should gently tuck in here, stretching out the lower back. Repeat and flow through these two as fast or slowly as you like. You can add some movement by looking over each shoulder in Cow, swaying your hips towards that side as you gaze back, or leaning forward and back in Cat, really releasing the back and neck.
Butterfly: Opens up the hips and strengthens the core. Seated, take the soles of your feet together - the closer they are to your body the more intense the stretch will be. You can sit on a block or a rolled up towel / blanket if that feels better. Take a few breaths while rolling the shoulders back and sitting tall. You can roll the head side to side here (bring an ear to each shoulder) to stretch out the neck.
Pigeon: Opens up the hips, stretches the lower back, lengthens and stretches the psoas and relaxes the quads. Gently move into this from all fours, taking your right knee up towards your right wrist, with your right ankle crossing over to the left side of your mat. Your left leg extends out back behind you, with the top of your foot grounded down. You can stay up with the chest lifted, or lower down onto the elbows or hands, creating a pillow for your head. You can also rest your head on a block, or extend one or two arms out long. Stay for a good few breathes (30 seconds minimum) to allow the hips some relief. Repeat on the other side, heading back through all fours and then moving your left knee forward, right knee back.
Seated Wide-legged Forward Fold: Releases tension in lower back, neck and hamstrings. Seated, take the legs at least hip distance apart or further - whatever allows space for the belly and feels comfortable. Keep your feet flexed, heels grounded. Sweep the arms up overhead with an inhale, and as you exhale, let your hands find your knees. Another breath in to lengthen your spine, sitting tall, and as you breathe out gently let the hands slide down your legs - a little or a lot. Let your head get heavy, shoulders relax, and breathe. Stay for as long as it feels good, slowly peeling back up when ready.
Wide-legged Forward Fold: Same pose above, but this time we use gravity to reverse blood flow and allow for a small inversion. This pose helps with headaches, back pain, and releases pressure on your pelvis from baby. Standing, take the legs about shoulder width apart, toes facing forward. Sweep the arms up overhead with an inhale, and as you exhale, begin to bend at the waist and take your arms down towards the floor - it's very okay if you don't touch! If you want something to lean on, you can always do this pose in front of a table, couch, or bed. Allow your head and arms to hang and be heavy, and stay as long as it feels good. Roll your way back up when you're done, lifting your head up last.
Bridge w/a Block: Mentioned above, this pose allows for a small backbend which opens up the chest and gently stretches out the front of the body. If this starts feeling too intense, please put it aside until after pregnancy. While on the back, bend the legs and place the feet on the floor, knees and feet about hip distance apart. Reach the arms down alongside your body, and move your feet in nice and close. You should be able to just touch your heels with your fingertips. Ground the feet and hands, and as you inhale slowly lift the hips up. Look up, and press the hands, feet, and backs of the arms into the ground more than you squeeze your butt (if at all). You can place a block under the hips (on the shortest side) if this feels good, allowing your body to gently relax into the shape. Hold for a few breathes, remove the block if you used it, and slowly lower back down.
Upward Facing Dog w/Knees Down: Same disclaimer as above - this is a backbend, so please hold off if it doesn't feel good. This might be a pose that feels great during your first trimester, then suddenly doesn't one day in your second or third. Listen to that, and be okay with it. From all fours, let the hands walk out a few more inches in front and gently move forward lowering the hips towards the mat. Keep knees connected with the earth, and move your shoulders down and away from your ears. Only hold for a breath two, then move the hips slowly back to child's pose.
Child's Pose: A pose that provokes the relaxation response, allows your body to find it's primal shape, and relaxes the shoulders. From all fours, take the knees super far apart and the heels close together. Push the hips back towards the heels, allowing space for your torso and belly to come down. Let your head get heavy and lean forward, your arms stretched out long, palms gently resting on the earth. If it feels better to take the hands behind the body and rest them by your feet, take that variation. Your shoulders should naturally roll forward here. Rest in this pose for as long as you like, finding it in between poses, at the beginning or end of your day, or anytime you just need a moment.
OTHER POSES TO TRY
Knee-Down Lunge - opens hips, and keeping one knee down allows it to be less intense.
Seated Side Stretch - while seated, take one arm up and over the head to the other side.
Bicep Stretch - take one arm across the chest, hook with the opposite elbow.
Tricep Stretch - reach up, bend at one elbow, then hold that elbow with the opposite hand.
POSES TO BE CAREFUL WITH
Twists: since you have another being inside of you, there's a lot going on internally. When we twist, we massage the internal organs and kind of mix everything up - which is good for our digestion when you are NOT pregnant. When you are, there's not enough space for things to move around, and it will probably stop feeling good sometime during your first trimester. Take it easy, and know that every day is a different day and a different body.
Any Extreme Backbend: any pose that stretches out the front of your body may be a little too intense right now, as your muscles are behaving differently while carrying a baby. Stick with small backbends like bridge and upward facing dog, or any other that feels good.
Keeping Legs Close Together: I always heard that the general rule for Prenatal Yoga was "make space for baby", and here is where it really applies. If you fold forward with your legs close together, there is literally nowhere for your baby and belly to go. You never want t squish your belly into somewhere it can't be, this won't be comfortable for you or baby. But that doesn't mean folds are out altogether, just make sure your legs are at least hip or shoulder width apart - allowing your body and belly space to move into.
LOVING YOUR BODY
This was me 2 days before my son, Leo's birth. As a spoiler, I probably did not do much yoga that day. I think I did sit outside in the sun, though, and that felt really wonderful. Most importantly during pregnancy - you should be nice to yourself. Let yourself rest. Let yourself BE pregnant. We have a lot of people giving advice, telling us how to move, how to eat, how to exercise, how to sleep. So take some time for YOU. Maybe just sitting, reading, lounging, Netflixing, whatever you want to be doing - because you're already doing something amazing: creating a person. A cute little pinky toe, an eyelash. A beautiful smile that will absolutely melt your heart. And all these things take time, so giving ourselves that time is important. Just breathe, Mama, you got this.
Has yoga helped you while pregnant? Which poses felt good or didn't? Did you try these poses and get some relief? Let me know in the comments below!
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