How to Identify Safe Pre-Natal Yoga Poses

Prenatal yoga is a relaxing way to exercise and prepare for the birth of your child. Yoga stretches are good for the muscles and the organs, but pregnant women must remember to take precautions when they are expecting.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• comfortable clothing
• yoga mat
• yoga instructor

1. Avoid compressing the abdominals. All twisting poses should be gentle and lead from the shoulders rather than the base of the spine. Many non-prenatal teachers like to do ab work in the middle of class. This is definitely something you should skip. Take a few moments to practice cat and cow, rest in child’s pose, or ask your teacher for another suitable routine.
2. Skip all of the fancy ashtanga/vinyasa flow jumping. It is okay to have a flowing practice, but do not jump to transition between poses. Make sure to rest whenever you are tired.
3. Don’t lay on your stomach. Avoid all poses where you need to lay on your stomach, including cobra and bow pose.
4. Do not attempt any poses that will change your baby’s position in the third trimester. Any inverted poses should stop at this time. Inverted poses include downward facing dog, legs up the wall, or bridge pose. If you attend a prenatal class regularly your instructor will be tracking your progress. If you drop into a regular, non-prenatal yoga class be sure to tell your instructor that you are pregnant and what trimester you are in.

Tips & Warnings

• If you would prefer not to take a class, some of the more respected yoga magazines and DVD retailers have special prenatal yoga DVDs that can be purchased in most book and music stores and online.
• Consult your doctor before beginning any prenatal exercise regiment.