Māyurveda ~ Yoga By Trimester
Here is your guide to yoga practice during your pregnancy. Of course, it is lucky if you have a suitable prenatal yoga class or teacher locally, who is truly trained and knowledgeable in prenatal yoga. You may also want to practice at home and get more support and guidance from me via private yoga sessions. What is comfortable during pregnancy will vary greatly from one mama to the next... the primary caveat of pregnancy yoga is to Trust. Your. Gut. Here's a photo of me in that beloved pregnancy yoga pose, which opens the hips and pelvis, calms the mind and relieves low back pain. Do this pose with support behind you {such as a wall or a firm couch or chair} and under your knees to protect overstretching of the ligaments. During pregnancy, you can do this pose for up to 5 hours a day! When??? When you are lounging on the couch eating organic coconut icecream or a warm almond milk with maple syrup and watching a cute movie {I'm serious}.
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General Guidelines
- Trust your gut Mama! A side benefit of pregnancy is more sensitivity and body-awareness. You simply are more tuned in to yourself... maybe this is a biological factor that kicks in to help Mama protect the baby... but it is an amazing boon during pregnancy. You can apply it to your yoga practice. Do what you are drawn to do {being aware-full of the contraindications and recommendations below}. Do not do what seems particularly questionable, distasteful or scary to you. This is not a time to push yourself to your limits {save that for birth and motherhood!} If a yoga teacher suggests a pose that you are not keen to do in the moment, ask for an alternative or substitute pose {hint, when in doubt, go into Baddha Konasana}
- Careful not to overstretch or pull and force into poses. Your ligaments easily overstretch during pregnancy, thanks to hormones being released beginning right after conception. This helps with making more baby space and preparing you for birthing a baby, but also can make you susceptible to injury during pregnancy. While your baby is very protected in the womb, this warming is about Mama's health and safety and a healthy Mama makes a healthy baby. Injury can lead you toward bed rest, which nobody wants! Yogi Mamas who were already very hyper-mobile prior to conception {such as dancers, gymnasts and yoga teachers} need to proceed with caution, modify or "back out of" extreme angles and prop, prop, prop! In particular, your ankles, SI joints, lumbar, hips and shoulders are subject to pain and injuries related to over-stretching (such as sciatic pain}. In addition, over-stretching of the ligaments cause more tension in the nearby deep muscles. For example, when the hip ligaments are loose, the pelvic muscles tighten. When you prop to prevent extreme angles and overstretching, the ligaments stabilize and the muscles release.
- Regarding more challenging yoga poses ~ In general, if you practiced certain advanced yoga poses before pregnancy, you may be more comfortable with them further into pregnancy than others. Pregnancy is not a time to learn new challenging poses, though if experienced, practicing them is often fine.
- If the pregnancy is high risk or multiples, please check with your doctor or midwife before beginning yoga.
First TrimesterCongratulations! Now, take a deep breath and slow down. The first trimester is considered in Ayurveda like a vessel of oil. You want to tread gently. The best yoga during the first trimester is restorative, slow and gentle. This is not a time for weightloss, fitness, running, or jumping. For overachievers this is a big transition... your mantra to recall again and again is "I'm building a person, and that is a big job! Nausea may also prevent you from doing yoga comfortably. You may get more relief from daily walks in the fresh air {if you are in a hot season or climate, try evening or early morning walks as heat can increase nausea}
While the general rule in yoga is that whatever you were doing prior to getting pregnant, you can safely do during the first trimester, there are some limitations that will begin at this time because the first trimester is a delicate time for the fetus. Some women choose to back off from their prior practices at this time and simply rest and relax {naps and early bedtimes are great during the first trimester. It is important to note that, Mamas who were NOT doing yoga prior to conception should hold off until the 2nd trimester to begin an asana practice, with the exception of meditation, shavasana and gentle breathing practices. Your first trimester is all about physical rest, relaxation and stability. {Including the yoga of sleep}, giving time and space for the body, fetus and uterus to do it's job without getting in your own way. First Trimester Faves
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Second TrimesterYay! Welcome to the second trimester! You look pregnant, you likely feel great {free from first trimester anxieties and discomforts}, and you are at your strongest right now. This is the time you can do more standing poses, movement {such as gentle vinyasa sequences} and strength-based practices. Always be safe, and consider what is appropriate and truly beneficial for you and your baby, of course. But this is the time when you might want to get and and find a group prenatal class, and build sangha {community}. You can also enjoy a home practice, and if you don't have one, get one going toward the end of the 2nd trimester, because you may not want to go out as much later in your pregnancy.
Your second trimester is all about strength, resiliency, empowerment, expansion and enthusiasm. This is your time to go for it! 2nd Trimester FavesContinue anything and everything from the first Trimester Faves list, plus...
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Third TrimesterYou're here! And you may be going strong all the way until birth, or you may be slowing down. Again, trust your gut here. There may be a time near the final stages when you want to nest, stay in, and mostly do simple "maintenance yoga" of a few poses here and there.
If you don't yet have a home practice going, it is time to get one with me or another prenatal teacher or yoga therapist. Why? There will be a time when you don't want to or can't make it to group classes... including postpartum. Once you are ready to do yoga again after giving birth, you may want to do so from home, with baby sleeping or playing nearby with your partner or a family member. Getting out to a group class may be too much to expect for awhile, and you may just want to be able to do a quick fix here and there of a single pose or two. This is a time to re-center inward. You may have been more social and active during the second trimester and feel ready to move inward in preparation for the profound transformation of birth. Meditation and seated poses are key here. Your third trimester is all about mental strength and quietude, love, and surrender. This is your time to prepare for birth. 3rd Trimester FavesContinue any and everything from the 1st trimester faves {except no more reclined poses on your back}. You can also continue your 2nd Trimester Faves as long as they feel comfortable and appropriate.
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Yoga Contraindications + Cautions Regarding All Trimesters
- No breath retention {holding the breath, in or out} ... until labor!
- No sending the breath downward... until labor! We do not want to increase downward flow until then.
- No rapid breathing or heating breathing practices such as Kapala Bati {if you don't know what that is, that's fine!}
- Reclined Poses - Lying on your Back - go for it during your first trimester. By the 15th week or so you may not be comfortable on your back. You can safely lie on your back for a few minutes at a time {unless you are told by your doctor or midwife to avoid this}. At this time, you'll want to transition to side-lying poses, including during Shavasana instead of lying on your back. Especially avoid lying on your back if baby is turned posteriorly. I am happy to help you with this via skype. There are additional side-lying poses that are amazing during pregnancy, which I can show you in person or via skype in a private session.
- Lying on your Belly - This is fine during the first trimester. Baby is very low near your pubic bone, and very protected. By the second trimester, certainly you are done lying on your belly unless you have a nearby yoga therapist who knows how to make a belly-nest with blankets {seriously we do this!}.
- Spinal Twists - belly twists or any extreme twists are CONTRAINDICATED during pregnancy. Do only twists that exclusively twist the upper ribcage {between the shoulder blades} and up into the neck. Do not twist the belly.
- Jumping - no, don't jump up and down - that includes jumping during sun salutations. If you salute the sun during pregnancy, he will totally understand and applaud you STEPPING in and out of the poses, not jumping. Jumping is only acceptable if you find out that your sister/best friend is also pregnant.
- Inversions - this is debated in the yoga world. During the second and third trimester, for women who safely did these pre-conception may be drawn to them. Use caution and modifications here, if you do them at all. Check in with your motivation for doing them. Is this about attachment and ego? Is there a true reason to make this benefical and appropriate? There are times when this can be useful to turn a baby in preparation for labor and delivery, even then, it usually just recommended that Mama do a supported Viparita Karāni {legs up the wall}. My main concern with classical inversions is falling and causing harm to Mama or baby. You don't realize that you don't know how to balance until you fall. Balancing during pregnancy is totally different. If you plan to try inversions, do them with an experienced prenatal teacher in the room. No yoga pose is worth harming yourself or your baby. Okay? 'Nuf said.
- Heating Practices - Nope. No headstands. No hot yoga. No heated yoga rooms. No hot tubs or saunas. You got enough heat during pregnancy, you don't need any extra!
- Backbends - Moderate backbends during the first and even the second trimester can be fine. I highly recommend Cat + Cow pose, or Chakravakāsana. However, if you have a swayback, lots of low back ache, or are carrying very forward... backbends can prove very uncomfortable and even painful. Suffice it to say, in these cases, you do not need to do more backbending. By the third trimester, even a mild backbend may be too much for your lumbar spine as your belly is already pulling you into a back bend all day. Side stretches / side angles will give you relieve, as will side-lying poses and forward bends.
- Squatting - Start this practice closer to the 36th month. Some yoga teachers prescribe squatting throughout pregnancy, however, Ayurveda suggests waiting until you are closer to full term, as squatting increases downward flow. Again, follow your gut on this one, but if you have a history of miscarriage, do wait until you are well into the 3rd trimester. Then go for it! It will increase your strength and stamina and is a good birthing position!
- Kegels - totally unnecessary and potentially damaging to the health of your pelvis! I'm SO happy that many other professionals are coming around to this. I did one single kegel during pregnancy {out of curiosity} and had a healthy birth and recovery with no pelvic floor issues that are common among so many women who do kegels. There has never been ANY proof of their value or effectiveness. You are much better off spending your time hiking in nature, swimming in the ocean or doing actual yoga. Want more on this? Check out an article from Katy Bowman.
BONUS! DUE DATE breathing practice!
This is something that I do with my pregnant yoga students when they reach their due date to stimulate labor.
It is NOT safe to do BEFORE you reach your due date, but otherwise is a safe way to start natural induction once you reach your due date.
This is a rough recording that I did literally while I was teaching a group class. I plan to re-record soon, but I wanted to get it up for a few of you who have due dates this MONTH!
You can do this practice seated, or lying down on your side... you can do this practice a couple times a day if you like. It has 2 main practices embedded into one - you can do one, or both, as you like!
The recording cuts in a little late - the first line is "SLOW down your breathing".
Enjoy and happy birth Mama!
Love,
Kaya
It is NOT safe to do BEFORE you reach your due date, but otherwise is a safe way to start natural induction once you reach your due date.
This is a rough recording that I did literally while I was teaching a group class. I plan to re-record soon, but I wanted to get it up for a few of you who have due dates this MONTH!
You can do this practice seated, or lying down on your side... you can do this practice a couple times a day if you like. It has 2 main practices embedded into one - you can do one, or both, as you like!
- The first is to HOLD the inhale for a count of 4, and exhale naturally. This can be done for 2-5 minutes.
- The second practice is to send your breath down on the inhale, and further down on the exhale. This can be done for 2-5 minutes as well!
The recording cuts in a little late - the first line is "SLOW down your breathing".
Enjoy and happy birth Mama!
Love,
Kaya