Practicing
yoga safely during your pregnancy:
There
are varying opinions on how to practice yoga safely during
pregnancy and certainly one should always consult their
physician to find out what the precautions are specific
to the expecting mother. The general rule is usually that
a woman can continue with movements that she is accustomed
to practicing before pregnancy (some may need to be modified)
and not to take on any new challenging poses during pregnancy.
Also, it’s important to be aware of any other pre-existing
physical limitations. Not one yoga practice will suit all
pregnant women. Each woman must work according to her conditions.
For most women, they may find that they can do most yoga
without much modifcation during the first 17 weeks of pregnancy.
See below for modifications and precautions.
How
yoga can help during pregnancy:
Yoga
can also be a great way to prepare for the physical demands
of being a mother. As the new mother carries the baby around,
she will need a lot of upper body strength. If you are looking
to continue your existing yoga practice while pregnant,
make sure your instructor is aware and trained to help you
with modifications or any questions you may have.
A
personal experience from a friend: Having only attended
a few yoga classes prior to pregnancy, Jacqueline Burke,
former federal prosecutor and current mother of two, took
up prenatal yoga during her first pregnancy. “The
poses relieved the pains of pregnancy and helped me to embrace
the changes in my body. It is vital to be strong and flexible
in order to prepare for the birthing process. Through attending
a prenatal yoga class, my strength and flexibility improved
according to my body’s needs.” Jacqueline also
said that prenatal yoga classes were a wonderful release
from the daily stresses of her office as well as from those
of pregnancy.
“Also
on a social level, it was great to be with other women who
were also experiencing the same trials and tribulations
of a pregnancy. For example, one woman and her husband had
been trying to have children for years, while another experienced
a successful breech birth.”
“When
you are pregnant, the three ligaments that hold the uterine
in place become worked in new and challenging ways. The
instructor offered modified poses that were so relieving
to the pains of pregnancy, that I often found myself reading
or watching TV in squat.”
“The
breathing techniques were helpful as well. It is so important
to breathe through the actual birth. Breathing is the essence
of giving birth.” Not only did prenatal yoga aid Jacqueline
in the birthing process, but it also helped her to experience
a speedy recovery, which enabled her to completely appreciate
and enjoy the new lives of her two vibrant children.
These
are some poses/actions to be cautious with during pregnancy:
1. Avoid deep abdominal exercises/crunches or putting any
pressure on abdominal muscles, including uddiyana bandha
(abdominal lock), nauli (abdominal churning). As the belly
grows you will notice movements such as lowering to a push
up or standing up from bending forward can put pressure
on abdominals- modify to use leg strength and not abdominals.
Many
women find it difficult to part with their abdominal exercises.
Consider pregnancy as a 40 week abdominal exercise. There
certainly is no need to try and flatten or tone the tummy.
Your belly is the home where you baby is growing, give it
space to grow and feel nourished.
2.
Avoid poses lying directly on the belly
Alternatives
to being on the belly: Resting: use child’s pose instead.
Back Strengtheners: get on your hands and knees extend one
leg and opposite arm.
3. Avoid twists that cause legs or arms to press against
belly.
Twisting
can be a great relief for an aching upper back however being
mindful to create space for the belly. Twist gently and
keep belly open. The emphasis should be on shoulders and
upper back.
4.
Careful with forward bending.
Keep
the legs open in forward bends (standing and seated) so
as not to press against the belly.
5.
Back Bending- It is advisable to modify and use gentle back
bends in order to not over stretch the already expanding
abdominal muscles (rectus abdominis). Additionally, as the
baby grows, the back is in a more vulnerable (swayback,
lordosis) position and deeper backbends could causes more
pressure on low back. Pregnant women will also feel a lot
of tightness in the psoas (hip flexor area) which will make
backbending more difficult. This becomes more important
as pregnancy progresses and the belly grows.
6.
Inversions – inexperienced yoga practicioners should
avoid inversions during pregnancy. Experienced practitioners
may choose to continue with inversions such as head stand
or hand stand till the 7th month (some maybe longer) but
this is generally only advised for very advanced practitioners.
7.
As the pregnancy progresses the body releases the hormone
'relaxin' to loosen the ligaments of the hips. Women may
feel vulnerable in this area and should be cautious not
to overstretch when doing poses that involve opening the
hip area ie. deep lunges, splits, pigeon etc- go to only
80% of your maximum to be safe.
Prenatal Classes at SPORTS
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