Yoga in Pregnancy
I should just say that I’m not specifically trained in pregnancy yoga (although something I would love to do!), this is just my personal experience of yoga throughout my pregnancy.
Yoga has interwoven itself into my life in such a huge way in the last couple of years, culminating in my yoga teacher training that I completed a little over a month ago with Yoga London. I really can’t imagine my life without yoga now — it is like a best friend that is always there for you however you are feeling, never judging and you always come away feeling better.
When I got pregnant I have to admit I was a little worried about how my yoga practice would fit into my new pregnant state — would I still be able to practice? Would I lose all the strength I had spent so long trying to build in class? I wouldn’t be able to do some of the ‘harder’ postures that I had worked hard to achieve… Those fears were even more solidified in my first trimester as I felt so ill and exhausted– everything was a struggle, there was no way I could hold a downward dog or a plank. I felt pretty low, not only did I feel constantly nauseous and weak but I couldn’t do the one thing that made me come back to myself. I managed some very gentle practice but even that was a struggle most days.
But then the first trimester passed and I started to feel SO much better (mainly due the fact I didn’t just have to survive on white carbs and oat cakes). Finally I could eat a vegetable again! I could look broccoli in the eye and say come to mama! I slowly started returning to my yoga practice and looking more into pregnancy yoga and the modifications that come with it. At first I mainly did pre-recorded You Tube classes (we’re talking height of lockdown so there were no in-person classes to go to!) and then I started to find some live Instagram and zoom classes to join.
My fears about being able to keep up my yoga practice in pregnancy melted away. I could of course still practice I just had to modify and make it a little more restorative — no bad thing! No longer could I push myself into poses and test my strength, striving for the next pose and the next. I had to learn how to be quieter in my practice, move slower, use the breath always and BE KIND to myself and growing baby.
My second trimester I could be a little more active in my practice, doing fairly gentle Vinyasa flows with modifications and props, I still had some energy and not such a huge bump. But by mid to end of the third trimester (where I am now) you feel as if you are carrying a rather heavy watermelon in your stomach a lot of the time so bending over becomes pretty challenging. Floor based work or more upright standing postures such as Warrior two or Goddess become your go to practice. I can just about manage a Trikonasana and a Prasarita Padotanasana with a block for support but forget trying to touch my toes!
I think what has surprised me most though is how much I have enjoyed modifying my practice and slowing it down. I finish a pregnancy yoga practice feeling so relaxed and at ease. I’ve been gentle and kind to my body and challenged it the right amount, never over-straining just so I could get into a posture that maybe I wasn’t physically ready for but that ‘looked good’. You HAVE to tune into how you’re feeling when pregnant as it’s not just about how you feel now, there is another little life to think about and you need to be safe and considerate to baby as well. You are forced to step back from your own yoga ‘goals’ and think about the greater good and purpose of the practice. Why am I practicing? What is really important here? Is it to ‘look’ good or is it to feel good for me and baby, creating space for this little life to grow? I can tell you without a doubt feeling good trumps physical glory every time. That is the essence of yoga for me, the way it makes you feel from the inside out.
Don’t get me wrong at times I miss being able to do a stronger Vinyasa Flow which leaves you energised and ready for the day, I wonder if I can still push up into a wheel, do a proper Caturanga or crow pose (highly likely not at this point!). But now instead of beating myself up for not being able to do the stronger classes I have tried to accept this period of my life is not for that type of yoga and one day I will practice it again just not now and that’s ok. Because the yoga I am practicing is just as important, just as good for me and right now far more beneficial for this stage in my life. Now is for restorative flow, meditation, breath work, connecting with body and baby and preparing for the greatest journey I will ever go on.
If I could give one piece of advice to any mothers to be it would be do yoga. Even if you have never practiced before and even if you can only do 10 mins a day and that might just be a couple of side stretches and some breath work. I truly believe it will change your mindset, connect you to your body and growing baby on an even deeper level and create an openness in the body not only physically but mentally. I am so glad my baby girl has come on this yoga journey with me, she helped me to complete my 200hrYTT and taught me to slow down and move with intention rather than ego.
