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Yoga and pregnancy - The do's and don'ts
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Yoga offers a lot of benefits to pregnant women, but there are some “do’s and don’ts” to be aware of. Personal trainer Andrew Cate offers some tips to ensure your yoga workouts are safe and effective.
Yoga is a type of exercise for strengthening, stretching and toning the muscles, making it a good choice for pregnant women.
Of special benefit is its role in stress relief, as yoga is said to bring the body and mind together through a variety of stretches, breathing exercises and postures.
Yoga may help to relieve some of the stress pregnancy places on women, who have to adapt to many physical, emotional, hormonal and social changes.
Some of the other benefits of yoga during pregnancy include:
improved body flexibility
decreases muscular tension and stiffness
calms the mind
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The research
In research published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine the benefits of yoga during pregnancy were examined.
The study divided over 300 women into a daily yoga group, and a daily walking group. The yoga group participated in a 60 minute prenatal class, while the walkers walked 30 minutes twice a day.
The yoga group experienced significantly fewer premature babies and small-for-age babies compared to the walking group. The researchers also reported there were no women who reported adverse events related to yoga therapy during the trial.
It appears that the right type of yoga is a gentle and safe way for women to stay active during pregnancy. In fact, it may actually promote better health for both the mother and unborn child.
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The Guidelines
Women are often advised to ""listen to their bodies"" during pregnancy, but this generic advice can be confusing at best. Below are some specific things to include, and things to avoid when performing yoga during pregnancy.
Yoga do's during pregnancy
Check with your doctor or obstetrician before starting an exercise program.
If you feel the slightest pain or discomfort, stop immediately.
Seek out gentle forms of yoga such as hatha (there are many different styles)
Look for instructors who are experienced in prenatal yoga. Inform your instructor that you are pregnant, and ask advice on any precautions and modifications required.
Practice slow continual breathing during yoga (instead of holding your breath).
Pace yourself and keep things at a comfortable level. Make continued modifications through each trimester, making it gentler and easier the further you progress into your pregnancy.
Yoga don'ts during pregnancy
Any form of yoga or exercise if you have a high risk pregnancy.
Poses or stretches that work your abdominal muscles.
Intense twisting movements.
Inverted poses like the downward facing dog.
Lying on your back or stomach after the first trimester.
Deep forward bends that can compress blood vessels and nerves in your uterus.
Yoga in a heated room (Bikram yoga). Don't risk becoming dehydrated or over-heated.
Overstretching. Your soft tissues become more elastic during pregnancy as your body prepares for child birth. Be careful not to strain any muscles or ligaments.
One-legged poses, or difficult poses which place you at risk of falling
Parighasana- Gate pose
Side bends (also known as the gates pose) are a suitable yoga posture through all stages of pregnancy. The steps below can guide you through this gentle movement.
1. Using an exercise mat, adopt a kneeling position
2. Extend your left leg out to the side
3. Extend both arms out to the side with your palms facing down.
4. Bending from the side, reach your left arm towards your left thigh
5. Reach your right arm upwards and to the left, holding for 1 minute
6. Breath slowly and evenly throughout, and repeat on the right side"
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