The Varying Degrees of Yoga During Pregnancy

As a yoga teacher, it was almost a given that I would practice yoga while pregnant. I naively thought I would be able to continue my vinyasa flow style practice with modifications to accommodate my growing belly.  HOWEVER, that was definitely not the case.  I did practice throughout my pregnancy my practice was so different in each of the trimesters. 
 
First Trimester

• No belly yet but I certainly was unable to do a vigorous practice because I was so nauseous about 50% of the time and the other 50% all I wanted to do was sleep (I remember actually laying down on the hardwood floor in my bedroom in between vacuuming rooms to rest!).  So my practice was basically a restorative practice with some half sun salutations sprinkled in when I had the energy.

 
Second Trimester

• Most pregnant women LOVE this trimester.  They get their energy back, the nausea goes away and they start to feel like a normal human being again!  This was certainly the case for me.  I was able to do my vinyasa flow classes again (modified for my growing belly) and these classes really energized me.

 
Third Trimester

• This is when things start to get dicey.  The belly starts to get larger and the energy levels start to decrease.  My hands and feet started to swell up (rings and shoes no longer fit properly!).  So I went back to my restorative practice with meditation sprinkled in here and there.  I also started to incorporate more chest openers and hip openers because I started to feel more discomfort in these areas of my body.

Poses where you can’t go wrong during all trimesters pregnancy:

• Reclined (but supported) cobbler’s pose
• Goddess pose (squats)
• Puppy pose
• Wide-legged forward fold
• Low lunge
• Gate pose

 
While everyone is different, practicing yoga during pregnancy helped me stay somewhat energized, kept my weight in check (I gained about 30lbs – however my son arrived 3 weeks early so keep that in mind!) and really helped calm some of the anxiety that can come with pregnancy.  You really can’t go wrong!

Note:  Please consult your OB and/or midwife prior to starting any exercise routine (yoga included!)

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​Written by: Maricelle Campbell 
Originally Posted on Healthy Balance Yoga website