Prenatal yoga tones the muscles, relaxes the body and improves balance. Regular practice may also help your circulation and improve your overall wellness. Yoga also focuses on deep breathing and relaxation, which can help you relax during childbirth. While yoga is generally a low-impact, gentle form of exercise, precautions keep you safe as you perform the moves.
Choose an Experienced Instructor
Many gyms and yoga studios offer classes specifically for pregnant women. These classes accommodate the restrictions and safety precautions associated with pregnancy. If you can't find a specific prenatal class, look for an instructor who has experience working with pregnant women. If you are taking a general yoga class, inform the instructor of your pregnancy. Avoid hot yoga classes like Bikram because the room is overheated, sometimes in excess of 90 degrees. This could cause overheating, which poses a danger to your baby.
Stay Off Your Back
Some yoga positions require you to lie flat on your back, a position that is dangerous in pregnancy. A prenatal yoga class omits these moves, but if you're taking a regular class, opt out of the back poses. Once you reach the second trimester, your growing uterus presses down with all of its weight onto your inferior vena cava. The decreased blood flow to both you and the baby is potentially dangerous. Lying on your back can also result in nausea, dizziness and breathing difficulty.
Skip Risky Poses
Your pregnant body has a different center of gravity, causing you some difficulty maintaining your balance. Poses that require balancing on one foot or inversion moves increase the risk of falling, so should be avoided. Avoid any moves that can be a challenge even for people who aren't pregnant. Leaning against a wall or using a chair for support can help you maintain your balance while exercising as your abdomen grows. Avoid moves that focus on the abdominal muscles, which are already loosened and expanding.
Listen to Your Body
Slow, gentle movements reduce the risk of injury during your prenatal yoga practice. Your joints become loose starting in the second trimester to prepare the body for birth. This can increase your risk of exercise injuries. Tune in to your body to avoid injury. If you become exhausted or feel unusual pain anywhere, scale back your exertion. Other signs that you need to slow down include dizziness, headache or abdominal cramping. If any of these symptoms don't go away after you stop your yoga practice, or if you experience any vaginal bleeding, call your physician immediately.
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