Pregnancy Yoga

Katie Brown is a Yoga teacher and a pre&post natal Yoga specialist. She is based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney and lives with her husband Alec, her son, Lucas, daughter, India, and Leo.

More and more mums-to-be are turning to Pre-natal Yoga to help them through pregnancy and prepare their mind and body for childbirth. It's one of the safest forms of exercise a pregnant woman can do*, it's a wonderfully nurturing practice for you and your baby - and of course it's a great way to meet other new mums in your local area.

Yoga means union, or to join together, and that union or bond between you and your child is probably the greatest union you will ever experience. Yoga has been used for centuries as an aid to pregnancy and childbirth, but it's only in recent years it has gained popularity in the West.

You don't have to be as bendy as a contortionist - it's for every woman, whatever her level of flexibility, and in fact many women find Yoga for the first time when they are pregnant. It's about learning to focus on yourself and letting go. Postures can always be adapted to be more or less challenging depending on your flexibility, experience and stage of pregnancy.

How Pre-Natal Yoga Can Help

Pre-natal Yoga works on a mental and physical level, creating a sense of peace and lightness in your mind and body. This inner peace is achieved by combining postures (asanas) and breathing practices (pranayama) with meditation and relaxation.

Practising pre-natal Yoga encourages us to focus inward - to be in our body. In pregnancy it's particularly important to be in tune with our bodies. With regular practice, you'll find it easier to adopt a feeling of deep relaxation and calmness. You'll find it easier to let go of worries and take deep, full diaphragmatic breaths - increasing oxygen to all your cells and of course providing oxygen-rich blood to your baby through the placenta.
 Yoga may also help you deal with the emotional rollercoaster of hormones. You should feel calmer, become more in tune with your body, your pregnancy and your baby. And of course the regular practice will really pay off during your labour. This is a time when it's important to "let go" and have faith in your body to birth your baby. The Yoga breathing practices should help you deal with your contractions and direct your focus to your baby. Pre-natal Yoga also includes chanting – this helps to release your throat, and will help to ‘open’ the body, releasing the pelvic floor muscle and letting go of tension.

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Tension can cause your muscles to tighten and slow your labour, so Yoga also has the potential make your labour quicker and less painful.

During pregnancy, the hormone relaxin softens the ligament and muscles. This, combined with your ever-changing centre of gravity and your baby's weight, can lead to poor posture, which in turn can cause muscular aches and pains.

Regular Yoga practise will help improve your posture and maintain your general levels of fitness, strength and stamina.

Pranayama helps to calm the mind, ease tension and increase oxygen supply to both you and your baby. Some of the breathing practices have even been known to lower blood pressure and ease insomnia – a huge bonus if you're constantly running to the toilet during the night!

Asanas and Pranayama also help you cope with varying symptoms of pregnancy, such as sciatica and heartburn. Relaxation and meditation encourage you to feel centered and instill a sense of balance and peace. These practices help to increase the release of oxytocin - a relaxing hormone, which is soothing for your nervous system, and will also help when your contractions begin.

And finally, Pregnancy Yoga should help your body to recover after childbirth and cope with those demanding first months with a newborn.

Pre-natal Yoga Classes

Different schools of Yoga follow different philosophies. The Pre-natal Yoga described here is based largely on Hatha Yoga, with gentle, flowing asana sequences, strongly linked to the breath (Prana). Some Dru Yoga techniques, which are based on energy block release sequences and the heart charka, can also be incorporated.

Generally Pre-natal Yoga classes begin with a few minutes of relaxation, then some gentle limbering stretches (Vinyasa) followed by asanas, (and of course pelvic floor exercises, known as Mula Bandha or Kegel’s contractions), Pranayama, Meditation and a deep relaxation (Yoga Nidra). The relaxations can also include visualistions, to help you connect with your unborn baby, chanting, and positive affirmations (Sankalpa) to help you remain focused and optimistic about your pregnancy and labour.

Pre-natal Yoga classes tend to be very relaxing, so if you have good fitness levels and feel well, there's no reason why you can't begin attending classes as soon as you discover you're pregnant. However some teachers prefer you to be in your second trimester, or at least 14 weeks, before you attend classes. If you've experienced any blood loss, spotting or have a history of miscarriage, it is advisable to wait until you're in your second trimester, and if you're at all unsure, double check with your midwife or obstetrician.

It's always best to find a purely Pre-natal Yoga class, as this is designed specifically for pregnancy and it's also a great way to meet other new mums. But if that's not possible, you can attend a general class – just make sure you let the teacher know you are pregnant – or follow a routine at home.

Postures to Practise at Home

These asanas are not designed to replace regular pre-natal Yoga classes, but to enhance your general fitness and wellbeing throughout your pregnancy and labour, and to help you cope with different symptoms. It is advisable to attend a class first to learn how to practice these postures correctly. Please warm up first and remember to relax before and after. Please respect your body and never force yourself into a posture. And always check with your healthcare provider before embarking on any exercise regime.

Postures For Fatigue

According to the British Heart Foundation, there is an increased demand on the mother for oxygen during labour, and your blood pressure and heart rate will rise, putting more demands on your body. In the third trimester, your heart rate will increase by up to 10 to 20 beats a minute.

It's been said that the three trimesters should be called weary, cheery and teary… so postures for fatigue are especially important for the first and third trimester.

Relaxation and Meditation

Begin with a short relaxation, either lying or sitting, ensure your spine is straight and practise the Yoga Breath (deep diaphragmatic breathing). Breathe from the diaphragm to the outer ribs and sternum. Exhale and feel the breath flow out from the sternum to the outer ribs and diaphragm.

Pranayama Practice: Ujjayi Pranayama

This is known as the King of Breath. It reduces blood pressure, relieves insomnia and helps to calm your mind. It also strengthens the lungs and diaphragm, provides greater oxygen to the brain and of course, to your baby. Partially contract the valve at the back of your throat and inhale and exhale through the nostrils, so that you hear a slight hissing sound, like a baby snoring! Practise for at least one minute.

Pregnancy Yoga Exercises DVDs

Check out our online store where you can buy a range of pregnancy exercises DVDs. Pregnancy Yoga DVDs as well.

Asana: Ardha Svanasana - Half Dog Pose

Stand about three foot away from a wall and with your feet parallel and a little more than hip distance. Bend forward from your hips, keeping your legs straight and place your hands on the wall at hip height. Imagine your upper body and legs are like two sides of a square, hinging forward from the hips. Roll the upper arms and shoulders away from one another, keeping your head and neck in line with your spine. Ensure your weight is evenly distributed on your feet.

Extra benefits include:

Release and lengthens the hamstring muscles.
Releases tension from the pelvic floor.
Helps to improve circulation.
Releases spinal tension.

A Word of Warning

In Pregnancy Yoga the following postures and practices are not recommended: 

Double leg lifts (strong abdominal work)
Extreme bends (side/back/twists etc..)
No long breath retention.
No inversions (eg: shoulder stands) Basically postures where your head is below your hips.
No squatting after week 34 if your baby is breech (feet first).
No poses lying on the abdomen (eg: Cobra)
And lastly, after about weeks 16-20, lie on your side for relaxation (in the Yogic sleeping pose). This is because when you lie on your back, the weight of the uterus restricts the blood supply and can make you feel dizzy and nauseous.

  * As with all physical activities you do need to check with your midwife or obstetrician before starting Yoga.