Pregnancy Yoga Dos and Don'ts

Whether you have a serious yoga habit or just picked it up while the baby was out, adjusting your yoga practice for pregnancy is a must. With all the changes in your body and the little baby growing inside you, you need to be smart and safe every time you hit the mat. And while there are certainly some great prenatal yoga classes out there, many of us already have some yoga addiction or just can't find a prenatal yoga class that fits our schedule.

To help us understand the course of our pregnancy - and to make sure we avoid anything unsafe during our yoga practice - we reached out to pregnant NYC yogi Anna Gannon. Below, she tells us the 5 yoga movements to avoid during pregnancy and walks us through a luscious pregnancy-friendly low lung open twist. In addition, stay tuned for Anna's favorite yoga poses for pregnancy over the next few weeks, photographed by Ana Schechter.

Why is yoga so important during pregnancy?

Yoga promotes blood circulation, which helps reduce swelling during pregnancy. It helps you stay connected with your body and breath, which can help you feel more balanced, grounded, and calm during the hormonal changes during pregnancy. It keeps your body strong and open and prepares you for the future birth.

If you aren't taking a antenatal class, how can you be sure you are safe?

I think the most important way to stay safe in any yoga class is by paying attention to how you are feeling in each moment. If you feel good about yourself, what you're doing is probably safe for your body, if you don't feel good, or something doesn't feel right, then don't do it. Yoga is an individual practice and every body and person is different. While you should always let a teacher know that you are pregnant, know that a teacher cannot tell you exactly what is right or wrong for your body. Only you can know, so remember to feel.

What Should You Avoid During Pregnancy?

1. Deep turn. An open twist that doesn't compress your stomach is okay.

2. Deep back bends or a lot of back bends. Instead, try a supported bridge with a block under your sacrum for a few breaths, or a camel pose with your hands on your lower back.

3. Lie on your back. As your belly gets bigger, avoid lying on your back in the savannah or other poses that involve lying on your back for more than a few breaths. Instead of meditating in the savannah or lying on your left side, try to meditate.

4. Lie on your stomach for obvious reasons. Instead of bowing on your stomach in class, try getting on your knees and doing a camel pose, it's the same stretch.

5. Inversions. If you did inversions before pregnancy, it may be okay to continue as long as you feel balanced and secure. However, continue to pay attention to how you feel as your belly grows, as the increase in weight can affect your balance. If you didn't do any inversions before pregnancy, wait until after pregnancy to try them.

How can you incorporate this concept into your own pregnancy practice no matter where you are?

During pregnancy we experience many physical changes as our belly grows and we need to adapt and give our new body the support it needs. The same goes for yoga during pregnancy. Where we used to have our feet together, we now open them wide to create more space; where we used to lie on our stomachs, we now lean back into the child's pose. Don't be afraid to find your way around a pose, especially during pregnancy. I learned this during my time as a guide at Strala Yoga and I still use it today in my classes and my own practice. Move as it feels good to move and make the pose your own, your exercise will look different from that of the other people around you and that's a beautiful thing.

How To: Low Lunge Open Twist (pictured above)

The lunge opens your hips and strengthens your legs to prepare you for childbirth, and it's also a chest, shoulder, and back opener that feels really great as the weight of your belly can make you bend over and do to compress.

1. Begin in a low lunge with your right foot forward and left foot back. Make sure your right knee is above your right ankle to protect your knee.

2. Slide your left hand far to the left, press it into your left palm, and slide your right arm to the left just above your right ear.

3. Sit back and let your chest, shoulder, and stomach open forward, arching your back slightly to give it a nice stretch.

4. Repeat the process with your left foot forward and right foot back.

Anna wears Beyond the Bump By Beyond Yoga maternity tank top with a crew neck and frilled maternity crop leggings with adjustable belly

Photography by Ana Schechter for Well Rounded NY.

https://thedailyhealthjournal.com/pregnancy-yoga-dos-and-donts/