Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

Original poster

lying on back in yoga?

15 replies

CatFaceCrayola · 06/08/2014 23:32

I know you're not meant to sleep on your back. Is lying on your back in classes such as yoga a big no too??

22+3

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

hollie84 · 06/08/2014 23:33

If you can't lie on your back you will know about it, it will make you uncomfortable. If you are comfortable on your back then it's fine.

junemami · 07/08/2014 06:40

Itsnot ababout comfort, but the weight of your bump affecting your blood supply, so no you shouldn't lie on your back, esp later on in pregnancy. A good yoga teacher knows this and will make modifications eg being propped up at 45 degrees or on your side.

peppapigonaloop · 07/08/2014 06:42

No lying on the back in yoga isn't ok, can restrict blood flow through your main vein , your teacher should know this..if she doesn't you need a new teacher!

FruitBadger · 07/08/2014 07:19

I asked my MW about this at my last appointment (24 weeks). It can restrict blood flow to your bump but if that happens it will also restrict your blood flow and will make you feel odd before it has any effect on the bump...

"Lying on your back after aroundÂ 16 weeksÂ can be uncomfortable, and later onÂ can also mean thatÂ your wombÂ presses on one of the main blood vessels. This canÂ make you feel faint." www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/tiredness-sleep-pregnant.aspx#close

Common sense, if you feel faint, don't do it

FruitBadger · 07/08/2014 07:21

Oh, and for sleeping on your back read this, when I checked last week my MW said it was still the NHS' most recent guidance on that piece of research...

www.nhs.uk/news/2011/06June/Pages/mothers-sleeping-position-and-risk-of-stillbirth.aspx

hollie84 · 07/08/2014 08:03

You will feel it if it affects your blood supply though. With my first it would make me feel sick and dizzy. If you lie on your back and feel fine then it's not restricting anything.

vvviola · 07/08/2014 08:09

I stopped going to a pregnancy yoga class when the instructor insisted that I had to lie on my back to do a certain exercise. I was 5months pregnant and it made me feel funny (not dizzy or sick, just not quite right).

mind you she used to tell horrible stories about the evils of hospital births in a system where home births were exceedinly rare and very hard to have.... it wasn't exactly a relaxing class

All of which ramblings is just me saying: if it makes you feel weird, don't do it, and a good yoga instructor should be aware of the potential issue and help you work around it

squizita · 07/08/2014 10:03

What Fruitbadger said: stop if you feel dizzy. If not, should be fine.

VVViola How awful! I take it that isn't the UK? Our instructor starts every lesson with a warning that any pose which makes us uncomfortable should be stopped and we should rest it out as our muscles are different when pregnant. I thought they had to do that.

squizita · 07/08/2014 10:06

June and Peppa resting on your back for a couple of minutes is fine. Experienced teachers and HCP do this all the time by check you feel OK when you do this, in my experience. The norm in yoga is to slightly prop people up at an angle after about 28 weeks. I am high risk so only work with experienced people in any field when pregnant and have read up extensively on the risks.

The risk (which many avoid because they would wake up with an overwhelming urge to turn and pins and needles) is with sleep/longer term bedrest.

vvviola · 07/08/2014 11:41

No squizita not the UK, it was in Ireland. So would have expected a fairly sensible approach from someone running pregnancy yoga. Made me very wary of pregnancy related classes after that - realising that people could set themselves up and spout all sorts of rubbish.

squizita · 07/08/2014 12:03

vvviola yeah it's scary. Friend of mine was positively conned by birth hypnotherapist who just spouted a load of woo and no actual natal hypnotherapy/hypnobirthing.
My lady has a waiting list and has been operating for many years. She has various diplomas and offers testimonials, thankfully!

Original poster

CatFaceCrayola · 07/08/2014 16:47

sigh I thought I'd found a good regular exercise I can do.

I'm not a very good swimmer and the local pregnant classes are during school hours so only useful for another few weeks

OP posts:

squizita · 07/08/2014 16:54

You can do it?!? as people say- just don't hold poses that make you uncomfortable.
The (tiny) risk from lying on your back occurs over an hour or more not the duration of a yoga pose. If it feels tingly or weird, stop.

Original poster

CatFaceCrayola · 07/08/2014 17:26

I'm a worrier. I guess I'll feel it first if lying on my back isn't doing any good. Just don't want to put baby at any risk

squizita you always seems to be answering my threads and offering advice :) thanks

OP posts:

Heatherbell1978 · 07/08/2014 17:46

You'll know if you shouldn't be on your back. It's never caused me any discomfort (I'm now 39 weeks) and I've spent the majority of this pregnancy waking on my back. In contrast I know people who find it makes them dizzy and sick. If that's the case, don't do it. A good yoga teacher should modify positions so you're not lying on your back too long but a minute or two, if you feel ok, is fine.

Flip