Yoga in first trimestr

[KatherineCam]

Dear ladies, I was practicing yoga and Pilates for about 2 - 2,5 years. Just before I got pregnant I did hot yoga as well and really enjoyed it. However since my last period I am not exercising anymore. I am almost 5weeks now and need yoga for my sanity:). I would be grateful for any advise or a link to resources about yoga in pregnancy. I goggled this subject a bit and found recommendations for 2 and 3rd trimester, with heavily pregnant ladies barely moving. I want to do my yoga again but want to do it safe. Any advise?

I'm no expert but I exercised all through my pregnancy. I got a yoga in pregnancy DVD. I didn't find out I was pregnant until I was 18 weeks and up until then I'd been going to the gym 3 times a week doing full workout, 60 sit ups at a time etc and everything was fine. I don't know if that's recommended though. Everything I read said you could still exercise but just to try and not get out of breath.

I have been told some yoga poses are unsuitable in pregnancy and therefore you should inform your instructor so they can modify any poses you should not practice.

I teach yoga in my spare time.

I'd recommend this book if you have a self/home practice - gives you the principles. 'yoga for pregnancy, birth and beyond' by francoise freedman.

Yogajournal website has advice.

You can practice first trimester but as sharond101 said - make sure you get good advice and have a teacher you're confident in. There is specialist pregnancy training for yoga teachers but a good teacher will understand the principles. Sadly not all do. If you don't feel happy your teacher knows what they're doing, find someone else.

Hot yoga -I'm not sure of - but I'd think it wouldn't be a good idea as you don't want to overheat and can do so very easily when pregnant but hopefully someone with my knowledge in that area will come along.

Trimester 1 - rule no 1 - absolutely no twisting unless it's isaolated to above the ribcage but I'd suggest none to be safe.

Often pregnancy yoga for Tri 2 & 3 doesn't have a lot of movement as the people in the class didn't have an established practice prior to joining pregnancy yoga. If you have a well established practice you can keep moving. I still attend a mysore self practice every sat am although my sequence is heavily modified now.

Just remember that you won't have the same practice as you did pre-pregnancy but it's a chance ot practice contentment with where you are and honour your body and baby. I'm 5.5 months now and although my own practice is hugely changed - much slower as I get hot very easily - I still move a lot. My asana practice is very different - in tri 2 and 3 it really needs to change to protect both you and the baby and lots of meditation and breath work but it's still lovely. You have the rest of your life to do those other things.

Enjoy your practice

My tuppenceworth aside - here you go - snippet from yogajournal.com. Lots on there about pregnancy.

www.yogajournal.com/practice/879

The yoga center that I used to go to says that until 12 weeks you can practice as usual. However I don't feel confident with this. My first pregnancy I was very active, cycled until 7 months and did not really change my life apart from not drinking/eating sushi. I was waiting for very long to get pregnant this time and because of my age very careful. Thus my acupuncturist said that I should not cycle until my pregnancy is more established or may be not at all. So I am confused.
Regarding twisting positions do you mean any sited or standing positions that have twist in it? Can I do inversions? Stand on my head? Bend backwards?

Obviously I can only share what I've been taught but am worried I'll confuse you. Do read up and look for a teacher you feel happy in you can talk to about your concerns before starting.

I was taught in the guidelines that for trimester one you can practice most things (as long as they feel ok) but twisting especially is not advised as the placenta is forming and establishing itself in the abdomen and therefore it's not a good idea to compress and twist the abdomen at this time. This would be any twists - seated, reclining or standing twist poses. I am specifically talking 'twist' poses here. There are, of course, poses like trikonasana that are categorised as standing poses which have a twist but this is in the upper body so as long as it is isolated to the rib cage or above - it's ok.

You can do inversions and head stands in the first trimester if they are a firmly established part of your practice. The caveat to this though is to listen to your body and if they make you feel queasy your body is telling you something. Similarly, if you suspect you have high or low blood pressure then don't practice or any fainting/dizzy spells.

Beyond trimester 2, some women do carry on with these but you should avoid strong abdominal work from trimester 2 onwards so you need the advice of an experienced teacher for this who knows your practice well if you want to even think of continuing that type of pose. I don't. I'd rather not take any risk.

Backbends beyond tri 2 depend on your pregnancy may be ok depending on your practice but I have a 12 year daily practice and my teacher has suggested I don't do anything that may compress the lower spine now (backbends can) and now is a time for leg strengthening and shoulder strengthening and opening.

Obviously as you get bigger then lying on your front poses and forward bends are not advised, although you can do may poses with a strap and stay upright. You will also need to lie on your left hand side from about 20 weeks to be safe and not your back to avoid compressing the vena cava and interrupting the blood flow to yourself and the baby. No savasana on the back.

Given your age and concerns, I'd really suggest, as you're going back to a practice after a break, that you find a good teacher you feel confident understands pregnancy and read up for yourself as well as listen to your own body.

It can all be a bit confusing and I don't want to give you too much information. Find a teacher you feel confident in and they'll look after that for you so you can just enjoy the yoga.