Yoga and other exercise during covid

[sleaterminnie]

8 weeks with my first pregnancy.

Want to exercise for health and mental health benefits, have been walking regularly but want to do more - was doing a Couch to 5K before getting pregnant, but was having to really push myself as not a natural runner, so given that up.

I really want to do some yoga (which I have done on and off before), some balance and strength training - all things that also advice is telling me to do. But then you go into these things and "Some activities may not be safe for pregnancy, ask your instructor..." - obviously have no instructor. I'm paranoid about following online videos that they may have unsafe stuff in them.

Normally I would be going to a pregnancy yoga class, pregnancy fitness class, going for a swim (my preferred exercise), all those other lovely things.

Any advice on what to do/what are other people doing?

There are quite a few online videos by pregnant people for pregnant people, which I've found very helpful. Check out Bodyfit By Amy on YouTube for a variety of exercises (legs, arms, pilates) and I also love Bumps and Burpees on Instagram; she's in her 3rd trimester right now and saves workouts to her IGTV page.

They both give lots of tips on how to adapt an exercise depending on how you're feeling, as well as things to watch out for when exercising while pregnant, eg diastasis recti.

@WeeScottishWife - Thanks loads, I'll have a look at both of those.

You should definitely do yoga for pregnancy as opposed to mainstream yoga. I'm a yoga teacher and it was drummed into us on the training that pregnancy is a contraindication for lots of poses (that you wouldn't necessarily think of). I would never teach a pregnant woman without additional training.

Enjoy your pregnancy and little one