Yoga Inversion Postures in Early Pregnancy

[lilly13]

Does anyone know if it is safe/advisable to do inversion postures while practicing yoga in early pregnancy? I am a regular yoga practitioner, but am not sure if inversions are good or bad in early pregnancy. Unfortunately, there is a lot of contradictory information on the internet.

I thought they were out, but I'm far from an expert.

can you not ask your teacher?

Unfortunately, my most of my teachers are my friends and I do not want to tell my friends yet that I am pregnant... I asked a couple of random instructors and got a mixed response. I guess I'd better not do any inversions to be safe...

I'd heard that cobra pose is not recommended either, due to pressure on the area... but you'd probably know more than me!!

My yoga teacher told me yoga is not suitable for pregnant women until they are passed 12 weeks. I was a bit put out because my Dr had said it was fine, but my local pregnancy yoga class is for those over 12 weeks gone too so I decided to quit until then. Not practiced enough to know difference between types of pose, I've been going a year but still very much a beginner. Hope that helps.

Fuzzy

I did yoga all through pregnancy up until 35 weeks. I did do inversions and my teacher was happy for me to do what I felt comfortable with. By about 23 weeks I physically couldn't do inversions unassisted anymore though so had to do adaptations using the wall to lean against.
Just don't do any positions that put pressure on your front or stretch your front like cobra and full bridge pose.
If you're experienced you should be able to feel what your body can cope with. I found it was more my body telling me what not to do rather than my instructor!

am in agreement with saoirse86 - have done inversions in mid-preg, using a wall if needed and that if you practice regularly, you will know what you can cope with. I think its common practice for yoga teachers to refuse to have anyone preg in their classes before 12-14 weeks (or before scan) but after that, it seems fine. My class is a regular yoga class and the teacher just adapts a few of the poses like cobra, bridge, side twists etc Have fun!

I trained with the British Wheel and they say no inversions. We also told no down dog.

I however was teaching inversions whilst pregnant in my normal yoga classes. I was fine though my friend had a miscarriage in the first trimester and she was teaching 10 classes a week. Was it down to the yoga? Who knows.

Better to be safe than sorry.

My (very experienced) pilates teacher told me not to do any inverted positions, particularly during the first trimester. Didn't think to ask her why, though. Interestingly, sailorsgal, down dogs (although the pilates version may be different from a yoga version?) were still OK.

Thank you very much everyone for your responses!