Yoga for Pregnancy

Gentle yoga is safe during pregnancy, and can be a great way to relieve stress, pain and discomfort. It’s important to consult your healthcare practitioner first—with their approval, you can practice prenatal yoga all the way into your third trimester.

There are numerous prenatal yoga poses you can do to help your body adjust to changes during pregnancy. For example, for first trimester yoga, you can safely practice poses like downward dog and pigeon pose. However, for third trimester yoga, you’ll want to take things a bit easier, with asanas like easy pose and supported forward fold.

You can start prenatal yoga at any time during your pregnancy, even if you’ve never practiced yoga before. Just make sure to speak with your doctor first!

When you’re in your first trimester, there are several options you can choose for safe, prenatal stretching. You can try a prenatal yoga class, or you can also take restorative or yin yoga. Avoid yoga classes that are in a hot room, or poses that involve deep twists, backbends or inversions.

It is safe to practice yoga during your third trimester, though you’ll want to be sure you take it easy. If you’ve never done yoga before, you may want to find a prenatal class with an instructor who can help you with supported poses. Remember to consult your doctor first, and avoid hot or fast-paced yoga classes.

Prenatal yoga offers numerous benefits for expecting mothers, and not just during pregnancy. Along with relieving pain, increasing flexibility, and lowering your blood pressure, prenatal yoga can also prepare your body for childbirth, and for the mental/physical recovery period afterward.