Yoga in 1st trimester?

[Hillbilly]

Is it safe to do gentle yoga in the 1st trimester? I have done yoga for a few years anyway and just not stopped since finding out I am pg, just toned it down and omitted most inversions such as shoulder/head stand.

BTW am 8+5wks pg.

I'm pretty certain that you shouldn't do any form of yoga at all in the first trimester - even if you do do it normally when not pregnant. you would for example, struggle to find an instructor willing to take you on. Antenatal yoga courses don't start until around 16 weeks of pregnancy and I remember asking about normal yoga classes when only 8 weeks pregnant and I was told I couldn;t do it.

Not sure of the exact reasons why, but I'm sure if you searched on 'google' something would come up.

hi hill,

it is safe as long as your instructor knows you are pregnant. there are many positions (for example, twists) that you must not do it. also, some instructor pull students by their hips when in dog pose, and that must not be done to you. thats why is so important your instructor knows that you are pregnant. ashtanga is not recommended for pregnant women in any stage, so the style also counts.

well I wastold by 3 different teachers to wait until i got to 14wks +, wouldn't risk it sooner. Just put your feet up or do gentle walking/swimming.

not really handbag... i've done yoga while pregnant with 3 different teachers in two different places, and they were not antenatal yoga. they all knew i was pregnant, i just had to avoid certain positions.

Thanks for your quick responses. I have not told my teacher. She's the same teacher I had during my last pg although I didn't start then until around 14 weeks. Think I had better tell her. Have just been avoiding telling anyone so far.......

Happy to be corrected jabuti - guess it is all done to the instructors approach - in other words, have they had experience of teaching pregnant people before, and the style of yoga. Hope you work something out Hillbilly.

true handbag. but i would like to emphasize that if you dont want to tell your instructor just yet hillbilly, dont take yoga classes. its such a delicate phase of pregnancy and you dont want to take chances

You're right Jabuti, it's iresponsible of me to just do the class without telling her. I think I may just skip the class for a few weeks. Anyway I am swimming a couple of times a week so that should keep me busy

Hi, On a related topic, does anyone know whether you should do pilates in the 1st trimester? I bought a pregnancy pilates DVD but it says it's for 16 weeks+.
Thanks

there's no reason to stop if you're a regular but you must tell your teacher. you can ask them to be discrete about it in class if it bothers you that the rest of the class finds out. obviously you must follow whatever advice your teacher gives you, but mine didn't expect me to make any adaptations for the first 10 weeks or so, just to take it easy and not push too hard. it wasn't until later she stopped me doing torso twists etc.

I started pregnancy yoga when i was 20 weeks pregnant. I was told my the instructer that she wont teach anyone under 15 wks. Not sure if thats standard or just her policy. xx

Thanks for everyone's advice. I have decided to stop the class until I'm 14 weeks. Fingers crossed I get that far.