Prenatal yoga tips for both newbies and pros

What is prenatal yoga?

Breathe in, breathe out: Prenatal yoga is a safe – and beneficial – form of exercise during pregnancy.

Between engaging the mind and spirit, focusing on gentle stretching and strengthening, and developing a greater awareness of the breath, yoga is great for your physical and mental health before, during, and after childbirth.

It can help tone your muscles, improve circulation, and help with balance as your body changes. During pregnancy, yoga can be adapted for pregnant women and can even help you prepare for labor and reduce pain.

What are the benefits of prenatal yoga?

Prenatal yoga is effective exercise. Prenatal yoga classes are very popular, and when paired with a cardiovascular exercise (such as walking), yoga can be an ideal way to stay in shape.

Whether you're a newbie or a veteran, yoga can keep you limber, tone your muscles, and improve your balance and circulation during pregnancy – all with very little impact on your joints.

Yoga helps you face the physical demands of labor, birth, and new motherhood. Yoga teaches you how to breathe deeply and consciously relax. Learning to breathe fully is one of the first things you'll learn in a yoga class.

To use a breathing technique known as ujjayi that's practiced in yoga, take in air slowly through your nose, fill your lungs as you expand your belly, and exhale completely through your nose until your stomach compresses.

Yoga primes you for labor and childbirth. Learning breathing techniques can help you stay calm when you need it most. When you're in pain or afraid, your body produces adrenaline and may produce less oxytocin, a hormone that makes labor progress.

A regular yoga practice will help you resist the urge to tighten up when you feel pain. By practicing relaxation in yoga, you'll find yourself better equipped to handle stressful situations – childbirth being a biggie!

Yoga lowers risks for you and your baby. According to researchOpens a new window, prenatal yoga lowers your chance of having pregnancy complications, your pain and stress levels, and possibly even your risk of having a baby who is small for their gestational age.

You can find a healthy community. The benefits of yoga aren't limited to your pregnancy and physical well-being.

"Taking a prenatal yoga class is a great way to meet other pregnant women and to become part of a community," says Cynthea Denise, a registered nurse and prenatal yoga instructor in Oakland, California.

Being in a positive, supportive environment with others can give you a regular emotional boost and keep you motivated to continue exercising – not to mention get that much-needed parent friend group up and running early.

Prenatal yoga poses

The following poses, or asanas, are helpful and safe throughout pregnancy:

Cobbler's or tailor's pose

This sitting pose helps open the pelvis. If you're very loose-jointed in your hips, make sure your "sit bones" are well grounded on your mat or blanket. Place pillows or rolled-up towels under your knees to avoid hyperextending your hips.

• Sit up straight against a wall with the soles of your feet touching each other.
• Gently press your knees down and away from each other, but don't force them apart.
• Stay in this position for as long as you're comfortable.

Pelvic tilt or angry cat

A pelvic tilt, also called cat pose, helps relieve lower back pain, a common complaint during pregnancy.

• Get on your hands and knees, with your arms shoulder-width apart and your knees hip-width apart. Keep your arms straight, but don't lock your elbows.
• Tuck your buttocks under and round your back as you breathe in.
• Relax your back into a neutral position as you breathe out.
• Repeat at your own pace.

Squat

Doing a squat pose every day can help you relax, open your pelvis, and strengthen your upper legs. As you start to feel heavier in pregnancy (especially during the third trimester), rest your behind on props such as yoga blocks or a few stacked books. Focus on relaxing and letting your breath drop deeply into your belly.

• Stand facing the back of a chair with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes pointed outward. Hold the back of a chair for support.
• Contract your abdominal muscles, lift your chest, and relax your shoulders. Then lower your tailbone toward the floor as though you were going to sit down on a chair. Find your balance – most of your weight should be toward your heels.
• Hold the position for as long as it's comfortable.
• Take a deep breath and, exhaling, push into your legs to rise to a standing position.

Another squatting position for loosening the hips during pregnancy is goddess pose.

• Stand with your feet a comfortable distance apart. Start with shoulder distance, but go further if you like. Tuck in your pelvis and engage your pelvic muscles.
• Slowly inhale as you raise your arms above your head.
• As you slowly exhale, bend your arms and knees outward, lowering your hips as far as is comfortable. Stretch your fingertips and breathe in and out.
• Hold the position as long as is comfortable for you.
• Straighten your arms and legs on an inhale.
• On an exhale, return your arms to their natural position at your sides.

Side-lying position

Side-lying position is a good resting pose for the end of a practice.

• Lie on your left or right side with your head resting on your arm or a blanket.
• Put a body pillow or blanket roll between your thighs to give your hips some support.
• Breathe slowly in and out. Hold the position as long as you like.
• If you're in a yoga class, your instructor may guide you through some breathing exercises.

Yoga safety precautions during pregnancy

As with any exercise, it's important to be extra careful when you're doing yoga while pregnant.

Talk to a prenatal care provider. First, check with your healthcare provider to make sure it's okay for you to start or continue a yoga program. If you get the go-ahead, try to find an instructor trained in prenatal yoga. If that's not possible, make sure your instructor knows you're pregnant and ask for help modifying poses when necessary.

Take general precautions. Follow the rules of safe pregnancy exercise such as drinking lots of water before, during, and after exercising to stay hydrated.

Take it easy. Breathe deeply and regularly as you stretch. If you're already a pro at yoga, recognize and accept that your regular routine will require modifications as time goes on.

If you're feeling pain or discomfort, make an adjustment or ask your instructor to recommend an alternative position. Hold poses only for as long as you're comfortable, and don't push yourself to the point of pain or exhaustion. Learn the signs of when to slow down or stop exercising.

Be aware of how your body changes. Your joints loosen up during pregnancy, so settle into yoga positions slowly and carefully. Your growing belly will also affect your sense of balance, so take your time.

In your third trimester, do standing poses with your heels to the wall, or use a chair for support to avoid losing your balance and risking injury to yourself or your baby. Also use props such as blocks and straps to help you move through different poses with greater stability.

Avoid lying on your back, especially after the first trimester. Lying on your back can put pressure on your inferior vena cava (the vein that returns blood from the legs to the heart) and reduce blood flow to your uterus. It can also make you feel dizzy and cause shortness of breath and nausea.

Use a wedge or pillows to raise your upper body when you're lying down. Limit the time you're flat on your back to one minute, and roll over onto your side for 30 seconds between each exercise on your back.

Skip headstands and shoulder stands. The risk of falling or feeling faint from having your head below your heart makes these poses unsafe for most pregnant women.

Don't hold poses for a long time. It's important to keep moving, because standing still for too long slows the rate of blood flow back to the heart in some pregnant women.

Skip positions that require extreme stretching of the abdominal muscles. Deep forward and back bends as well as deep twists can lead to injury. Avoid stretching moves that feel uncomfortable or cause muscle soreness.

Avoid doing yoga in hot, humid conditions. Don't take Bikram or hot yoga classes (in which the room is heated to 90 degrees or higher) because this could cause dangerous overheating.

How do I choose a prenatal yoga class?

Yoga is for everybody, and there's a prenatal yoga class out there for every expecting mom. Look for personal recommendations, and if you don't like the first class you try, find another instructor. Prenatal yoga should feel great for your body, mind, and spirit.

Here's how to find a prenatal yoga class:

• Search online for pregnancy-friendly yoga videos or courses.
• Search Yoga FinderOpens a new window or YelpOpens a new window for an in-person class.
• Check your local mom groups (Facebook is a great place to start) for trusted recommendations in the area.
• Ask for a recommendation from your healthcare provider, social media network, or friends.
• Check for advertisements posted at your local hospital or prenatal health clinic.