yoga / exercise, help!

[lotsofbananas]

I was just kicked out of a yoga class for telling the teacher I was pregnant. In panic the teacher said she couldn't take the risk. This was not very zen. I went into the locker room and cried.

I just found out I am pregnant less than a week ago, because I was very sick for days and finally went to a walk-in clinic. (I suppose I should be glad I was able to try to go to yoga at all.) I haven't yet been able to see the GP because of the holiday and because I just moved and it takes a few days to get registered. My (new) husband is away seeing his family. This is my first pregnancy and yet I am older and have been told a million times it is very hard and then very risky to be pregnant at my age. I am scared.

I have been looking up pregnancy yoga on the web and they all start only around 12 to 14 weeks. At most I am just 6 weeks pregnant. Does anyone know what I can do for the next 6 weeks?

I think that yoga would really help me. I also typically have high blood pressure and can't take the meds for this. So I think that yoga would really help. Advice welcome!

Oh no! Sounds like you had a terrible yoga teacher (sorry!)
I have been doing yoga about 3 years and my teacher has been wonderful with my friend and I who go together and have both been pregnant a few months apart. I am at 35 weeks and slowing down now but my teacher has differentiated moves when needed and given me props to make things easier as and when needed. I have really enjoyed it and feel wonderful afterwards. There are a few weeks in the first trimester where you shouldn't do it I think but any decent teacher will know Maybe try searching for some new places and having a chat with some teachers.
Good luck :)

You should be able to do some gentle yoga - but if you've not done it before I'm not surprised the teacher didnt want to take a risk. Not very calming for you though! You need a pregnancy yoga class. I would avoid doing anything new in the first 12 weeks though.

I have been doing a pregnancy yoga DVD at hone as I can't find a pregnancy yoga in my area. It's mainly relaxation and bit of stretching. No headstands or twists ans easy on the tummy area.

The other reason she may have turned you away... not all fitness instructors are antenatally qualified and if this was the case with your teacher then she may have actually done you a favour turning you away! I've seen instructors doing unsafe things with pregnant ladies in classes I've been to, they clearly should have said no when the individual asked if they could join in. Why not contact a pregnancy yoga teacher and see how they would feel about you joining the class? If they say not just yet, maybe ask them what they would recommend in the interim? They may well be getting your business in a few weeks time anyway so I'm sure they'd have no hesitation giving you some sound professional advice.

Good luck and congratulations!

Poor you! Not very calming, not what you needed at all. Good advice on here about getting a preg yoga DVD, also checking out preg classes for when you are 12 weeks. You should be able to go to regular classes too if you feel like it and the teacher is good. At the beginning the key will probably be to help build energy rather than doing anything too strenuous that leaves you exhausted.
But as for the first 12 weeks, it is probably fine to practice gentle yoga, but teachers are really worried students might blame them if something goes wrong with the pregnancy, and they're not insured etc. so it's not that it's risky for YOU to practice, it's a teeny tiny bit risky for them. Sounds like yoga/relaxation/meditation could really help, good luck finding something good xx

Like wouldbe recommends, yoga nidra is amazing - get some CDs or see if there is any you can listen to for free online. Just lie down, get cosy, press play. Perfect.

First of all, congratulations!!

There are lots of videos on youtube with yoga/workouts specifically for first/second/third trimester... just pick the one you like for the time being until you find another class in your area.

Ah, Lotsofbananas - dont worry, the same happened to me when I was 6 weeks pregnant with this DC (DC3) - the yoga instructor basically said she wasnt willing to take the risk for me. There are certain poses which are contraindicated (e.g. inversions) so perhaps she was worried she'd forget and tell you to do the pose...

What you can do is pre-natal pilates (if you're a regular yogi you'll find it fairly similar in terms of monitoring your muscles and how they are working) - they dont kick you out from prenatal pilates classes, and from 12 weeks join a pregnancy yoga class.

OP, it's not obvious from your post if you're a regular practiser of yoga, but while I'm sorry that you had a bad experience it's best that that teacher was honest and sent you away rather than inexpertly teaching you and potentially causing more harm than good.

Maybe look for a restorative yoga class near you or, as others have suggested, a mediation group. If you do practise at home, be very careful - no inversions or closed twists, for example.

Hi everyone, thank you so much for your advice! I hadn't thought about the fact that I might be scary to yoga teachers at the moment. And since I am older I guess I am high-risk, so I won't be taking the risk. Hopefully walking will be enough through the first trimester... though I am getting some diarrhea, which makes trying to figure out when I can walk pretty interesting. An adventure.