While pregnant, you’ll experience some pretty drastic changes to your physiology—for starters, your body has to learn to pump almost double the volume of your normal amount of blood. Your joints, especially in your legs, may become swollen and stiff, you may experience intense back pain and acid reflux, and thanks to a hormone called relaxin, the muscles, tendons, and joints in your pelvis, hips, and pretty much everywhere else become super, well…relaxed!
You’ll need to adjust your exercise routine to ensure you are comfortable and safe.
If you have been practicing Yoga regularly before your pregnancy, you may continue to do so until the third trimester. However, you should always consult with your doctor regarding what type of exercise you should be doing during pregnancy. Also, avoid these five poses!
Inversions
It’s a given that any pose or activity that puts you at risk of falling will put you and your baby in danger. Inversions that have your feet off the ground are particularly dangerous.
You will also want to avoid poses that drain blood away from the baby, as you’ll want to keep “blood (and therefore oxygen”)”>blood (and therefore oxygen/a> flowing into your uterus. Avoid poses that draw blood away from your baby. You want (and oxygen) to flow to the uterus.
Inversions that are gentler and more stable, such as Downward Facing Dog, are still safe. But later in pregnancy, after your baby has been flipped over to face down in preparation for birth, it’s best to avoid inversions of any kind, even the gentler ones like Down Dog. The inversions may disrupt the alignment of the baby as it prepares to enter the world.
Closed Twists
Closed twists, such as Twisted chair and Twisted high lunge (pictured), may restrict veins, which carry oxygenated uterine blood, that the baby must breathe. The twists can also be used to constrict the arteries that carry waste away from your baby, keeping its environment healthy and clean.
Open your chest and not the abdomen to perform gentler twists that are more open.
Poses in the fully prone or dorsal position
The same thing happens when you lie on your stomach or back. This includes poses like Savasana and Happy Baby. They will constrict the inferior Vena cava and reduce the room for the baby to move and grow, especially in the second and third trimesters.
It also applies to extreme forward folds, which can constrict and make you feel uncomfortable. Try doing variations on all fours.
Overstretching
During pregnancy, your body produces a hormone known as relaxin. This hormone prepares your body, primarily your pelvis, to pull apart when the baby is delivered. Relaxin affects your entire body, which may cause you to feel very flexible.
Be aware of your changing flexibility. It’s easy to overstretch your muscles or ligaments in yoga poses.
It is important to remember this when doing standing balance poses. This new flexibility makes it easier to lock out your knees and shaky in all of your leg joints.
Intense Backbends
You know your body the best. If you have always been comfortable with deep inversions, then you may be able to do them safely during pregnancy or at least in the first trimester.
It is important to note that most of us will avoid deep backbends such as Wheels to prevent diastisrecti or separation of abdominal muscles. It may happen during pregnancy, depending on the situation. However, deep anterior pelvic inclination can increase your risk of Diastis Recti and even abdominal muscle tears.
Many modifications are available, most often involving a bolster. Gentle backbends can be nourishing, especially as your stomach grows.
This is important both for you and your baby. These seemingly intangible improvements can lead to tangible physical benefits, including a reduced resting heart rate and decreased hot flashes.
You can also use Yoga to help you sleep, monitor your mental health, and maintain balance if hormonal fluctuations are affecting your mood. Yoga can help you maintain a low weight and blood pressure during pregnancy. But be gentle and listen to your body.