If your inbox is filled with one-size-all “New Years” fitness suggestions and you’re wishing someone would show you what to do if you are pregnant, this is your lucky day! Pregnancy is an incredible time of transformation and your yoga practice can be a powerful tool to support your journey -you just need some structure. That’s where I come in! I’m going to give you the keys to crafting and adapting those New Year’s resolutions into an effective practice for a pregnant body!
These are the key points that I use when creating prenatal yoga programs, and they can help with ANY movement practice you might be drawn to explore.
Yoga teachers, take note - are you following these guidelines when designing prenatal programs?
#1 Think balance, not range of motion
It’s the secret god of the yoga world, but always looking for a “deeper” stretch or finding a way to “open” your hips may not actually bring the lasting stability and body comfort you’re hoping for. When I say Balance here I’m not talking about standing on one foot. I’m talking about getting certain muscles to engage, so that others can release, not just stretching the tight ones and then leaving it there.
I see so many students come into classes complaining of aches and pains that are actually the result of muscles not being able to support the additional weight and postural shifts. During pregnancy we have increased mobility in our connective tissue due to hormonal changes. This means that if you were moderately flexible before, you may find that you actually need strength, not stretching at least as a start. Building strength into certain muscle groups allows those muscle groups (ironically) to relax more because they aren’t always at their max engagement. So check in with where you might need tone and then look at where things might need to stretch (and spoiler alert- it might be the same place)
#2 The pregnant body is not sick or injured- but it is changing.
It’s so easy to get anxious about hurting the baby with movement during pregnancy but the truth is the body is amazing at protecting that little person! The bigger point to be aware of is that the body is changing, and that everyone will change in slightly different ways. So we need to keep in mind the main shifting spots, and then tune into our own physical experience to see if we are holding more tension than needed.
Common areas of tension during pregnancy:
Shoulders and neck
Hip flexors
Lower back and back muscles in general
Hip rotators (inner and outer)
Hamstrings and calves
Side body and ribs
Pelvic floor
Common areas which need support and strengthening:
Hip rotators (inner and outer)
Pelvic Floor
Core body (but gently)
Back muscles
Arms and shoulders
Hamstrings and calves
Finding balance within these areas helps to not only restore better body function but also helps with the position of the uterus which can then impact the labor process. You probably noticed that some of these areas overlap. So the postures below are chosen not just because they stretch, but also because when done well they strengthen other areas. Strength means the body isn't borrowing from other muscles to get support, and that's better for overall body function as well!
The postures which address the above areas:
Calf stretches
Hamstring stretches (Parsvottanasana, Prasarita Padotanasana, Downward Dog)
Hip movements (hip circles standing, sitting, from Table, or supine if in early pregnancy, Cat/Cow)
Pelvic floor toning (strengthening active Malasana, stretching Prasarita Padotanasana, Pelvic Floor Breathing)
Psoas release (Bridge Pose, Anjaneyasana, direct psoas release on block)
Side bending and release (Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana, Windmill, Reverse Warrior)
Hip strengthening and stretching (Ankle to Knee, Baddha Konasana (active and passive), wall squat with blocks
For those who want something more concrete to use as a home guide, I have compiled these together in a free e-bookjust for you! Click here to download your own copy and start relieving discomfort and preparing for birth with confidence!
#3 Be flexible mentally + inclusive of different birth experiences
Many of us want to envision a perfect birth, and for many of us “perfect” means fast, unmedicated, and joyful. But the reality is that birth is unpredictable and so one of the best skills we can cultivate as we explore and move through pregnancy is how we can work with uncertain circumstances. This means we must find ways to work with our mind and notice what helps us to feel less fearful, more seen, and more held and supported.
For some of us this might mean finding and reading books that offer information about the choices available during childbirth- though I always caution students to stay in touch with their body as they read as well. Some resources try to instill safety by listing everything that could go wrong or by trying to control every possibility (in birth or even in parenting). As many of us can see, this is recipe for disaster because we cannot control every aspect of what life will throw our way. So while gathering information is important, the other piece is to learn to look at your own thought patterns and make friends with the type of person you already are. Within your existing habitual patterns is actually the key to how to gather the support you need. (And a note to you movement professionals reading- this is doubly important for you. We cannot dictate anyone’s experience, and we have to find ways to support all of them).
We can make the pathway more open through our body balancing, but we can also adjust our expectations by working with our fears and learning to stay in the moment.
What does this mean? Yes it means learning some simple meditation practices. Truly this is what is taught in nearly every childbirth class- especially those focused on unmedicated birth! If you read my blog post on how fear influences the birth process then you know that approaching labor in an anxious, cautious, or doubtful way influences the physiology of how the cervix opens and creates more discomfort via the Fear-Tension-Pain cycle. The more we learn to examine our images and feelings around birth, the more we are able to find our own middle ground of not too tight, and not too loose- physically and mentally.
#4 Don’t squish the baby!
Ok I think you knew that one already, but it’s one of the principle guidelines when adapting a yoga posture. Does the pose compress the belly? Then we shouldn’t do that one. Does it leave space for baby to happily come along? Ok then consider the rest of the points about body balance and individual adjustment to decide if it’s appropriate for your practice or not. There is no one size fits all, and sometimes that “contraindicated” pose can actually be the very release you need- just do it mindfully and gently.
It can be easy to get focused on achieving only one goal- like having an easy birth, or getting rid of that sciatica, but the ability to work with a wider range of experience is the skill that goes beyond the edges of the postures, and beyond the edges of the mat.
This might be a totally different way of thinking about designing your own movement practice for the New Year!
Pregnant yoginis, what further questions do you have around movement and pregnancy?
Movement professionals, do you have further questions about how to adapt your classes for your pregnant clients? If so, drop me an email! I actually want to know and I absolutely LOVE talking about this stuff!
Happy New Year everyone!
