Home General
Information		 Schedule Teacher
Training		 Pricing Television
& Video		 Prenatal Yoga
& Pilates  
Congratulations on your pregnancy! And thank you for considering classes at Namaste!

Many women turn to yoga and pilates to stay in shape and feel better throughout their pregnancy. Whether you are new to classes or already an experienced practitioner, you can enjoy the benefits! Yoga and pilates classes are a great way to help yourself through your pregnancy, prepare for childbirth, and feel better after your baby is born. The earlier you start in your pregnancy, the better!

Namaste does not offer specialized Prenatal Yoga or Prenatal Pilates classes. Instead, we open up our entire schedule to you. Join any of our regular classes, choosing whatever works best for your needs and your schedule. In order to serve you best, we ask that you:

1. Consult with your prenatal healthcare provider before starting any exercise program
2. Inform the instructor that you are pregnant at the beginning of each class you attend
3. Read the guidelines below and adapt your poses accordingly

Most importantly, remember that you need to take responsibility for your own body and your own actions in each class! Our instructors cannot watch you in every pose, so it's important for you to listen to what feels good for you, and make necessary modifications (listed in the chart below).
Yoga Guidelines:
Trimester By Trimester

Pregnancy is not a time to try to advance your practice, but rather a time to become more in tune with your body and really listen to what it wants to do.

First Trimester
The first three months of pregnancy are a time of major changes in your body. Long before any outward changes begin to get in the way of doing poses, things feel differently on the inside. This is the challenge of first trimester yoga. But this is also the challenge that is at the core of any yoga practice: listening to your body. You may think you know yourself and what your body can do, but on any given day you have to really tune in and respect the cues your body gives you. Taking the attitude that your body knows best and will guide you is also the best way to prepare for childbirth.

If you are experiencing morning sickness / nausea in the first trimester, this is your body telling you to take it easy. If you have been attending yoga class regularly, give yourself permission to miss classes or take a less vigorous class if you don't feel well.

During the first trimester, the uterus remains fairly small and is protected by the pelvis, so belly compression is not really an issue. However, if you feel any discomfort, even in the first trimester, you should always err on the side of caution. Resting in a comfortable pose or seated position is completely acceptable at any time during class.

Another important note: You may not feel ready to discuss your pregnancy with many people in the first trimester. It is important, however, to tell any yoga teacher that you are pregnant so they can keep a special eye on you and assist you with modifications when possible. Ask the teacher to be discreet if you are not yet ready to let others know about your pregnancy.


Second Trimester
In the second trimester, your morning sickness has probably passed (or will soon) and your belly is growing, but hasn't yet begun to hamper your ability to move freely. If your nausea is lingering, continue to take it easy.

This is the time to get into a rhythm of regularly attending classes. If you have never done yoga before, the second trimester is the perfect time to start. If you are an experienced yogi, you may find that the more advanced yoga classes are too intense. Remember, this is not the time to push your self!

The size of your belly can vary greatly throughout the second trimester, but chances are you are starting to show, which means the uterus is no longer protected by the pelvis. Be sure to start modifying your poses accordingly.


Third Trimester
As the third trimester progresses, yoga may become more difficult (just like many other daily activities). Your belly becomes a real factor, as do general tiredness and feeling cumbersome. If you were able to practice yoga with some vigor in the second trimester, give yourself the leeway to ease up now. Take an increasingly cautious approach as your due date nears, but there is no reason to stop practicing yoga as long as you feel up to it.

Even more than physically preparing you, yoga will help you prepare mentally for the birth of your baby by teaching you to listen to your body and be in the moment without anticipation. The best way to do this is to focus on the breath, using long inhales through the nose and exhales through the mouth.

Some women find they only have time to start taking yoga classes when they go on their maternity leave. If this is the case for you, you can still benefit. Just make sure you take it easy -- this is no time to overdo it.


Prenatal Pose Modifications

There are certain yoga poses that you should modify and/or avoid during each trimester of your pregnancy:

  First Trimester Second Trimester Third Trimester
Twists For all trimesters, avoid deep twists from the belly that compress the internal organs, including the uterus. Instead: Twist more gently from the shoulders, or take an open twist, which means twisting away from your forward leg.
Forward Folds Folding forward is acceptable, until you start to show. Once you start to show, avoid any pose where you may contract or compress the growing abdomen. Instead: Forward bends can be done with legs opened hips-width apart.
Jumps Jumps pose a slight risk of dislodging the fertilized egg from the uterus and should be avoided. Avoid jumping.
Breath Work Any breath work requiring breath retention or rapid inhales and exhales (such as Kapalabhati breath) should not be practiced. Instead: Practice the birthing breath: deep inhales through the nose and exhales through the mouth.
Inversions To avoid the risk of falling over, do inversion poses against a wall, or avoid inversions if you don't feel comfortable doing them. Instead: Practice Legs up the Wall Pose / Viparita Karani, until the 36th week (see Additional Third Trimester Modifications below).
Back Bends Avoid deep backbends like Wheel pose. If you performed this pose easily before your pregnancy, however, you may continue to do it in the first trimester if it feels good to you. Instead: Try Bridge Pose or Supported Bridge Pose with a block under your sacrum, until the 36th week (see Additional Third Trimester Modifications below).
Abdominal Work Poses that are purely abdominal strengtheners (such as Boat Pose) should be done with caution. Poses that are purely abdominal strengtheners should be avoided. Your abs should be allowed to soften a bit to allow for the stretching that is to come.
Lying on the Belly Poses which you lie on your belly should be avoided as soon as you start to show and/or if you feel any discomfort.
Lying on the Back In your first trimester, it is acceptable to lie on your back. Starting in the second trimester, your doctor may advise against lying on your back for long periods, even encouraging you to sleep on your side. Start doing Corpse Pose / Savasana lying on your left side with the knees bent. As your belly grows, you may want to use blankets or bolsters for support to make yourself comfortable. If you eventually cannot get comfortable lying down, you can also sit up in a cross-legged position.


For a printable version of this chart, click here.


Additional Third Trimester Modifications:
At around 36 weeks, you are advised to decrease the number of inversions. The baby is moving into the birth position at this time, so you don't want to do any poses that may alter his or her position in a negative way. You should stop doing Legs Up the Wall and Bridge Pose unless your baby is breech, in which case these poses can help the baby to turn. Poses done on all fours are also good for turning a breach baby. You should also decrease the number of Downward Dogs you do, since Down Dog is a mild inversion, substituting hands and knees pose. In general, stop doing any pose that becomes uncomfortable. Squatting poses continue to be appropriate to the end of pregnancy, unless you are at risk for preterm labor.

General Cautions:
The body produces a hormone throughout pregnancy called relaxin, which is intended to soften your inflexible parts (like bones and ligaments) to make room for the baby and prepare for birth. This softening of the ligaments can make them vulnerable to over-stretching. Try to avoid going further into poses than you are accustomed to because an over stretched ligament is a serious injury that takes a long time to heal. Be especially aware of your knees.

Hot Yoga:
Raising your body's core temperature is not recommended during pregnancy; therefore hot yoga should not be practiced.

Recommended Poses:
Throughout your pregnancy, hip openers like Pigeon, Warrior II, Triangle, Half Moon, Butterfly and Knee to Ankle will help create the flexibility that will make giving birth easier. In addition, positions on all fours (hands and knees) like Cat / Cow can help get the baby into the optimal position for birth.
Pilates / Core Guidelines:
First Trimester Only

Many women find pilates to be one of best exercises to do, both during and after their pregnancy. One the top reasons pilates and pregnancy go together so well is that pilates is great at building core strength. If your abdominals, back, and pelvic floor/Kegel muscles are toned, they will support a more comfortable pregnancy and delivery. Pilates is also famous for helping new moms get their figures back after baby is born!

Pregnancy could be a very rewarding time to tune inward and connect with the core of pilates: centering, concentration, control, precision, breath and flow. Working with these principles will not only enhance your workout experience, but they also offer skills to bring to the birth and care of your baby.

When taking pilates classes, make sure to pay attention to your body (and baby) and pace yourself. Your energy levels will be changing and you don't want to over-do it.

About the Scoop
At a certain point, not too far along, your "scoop" / imprinted spine movement just isn't going work or look like it used to. When this happens, work to keep a sense of the engagement of the abdominals and pelvic floor, and do what you can without working too hard. After all, there's a baby in there!

Past the First Trimester
Once you are into your second trimester, it is recommended that you discontinue pilates classes. This is because most pilates exercises are done lying flat on your back, which has the possibility of obstructing blood supply to the baby. If you'd like to continue exercising, we recommend you switch to yoga instead.

After Your Pregnancy

After you have your baby, you may be eager to resume your yoga and/or pilates practice. Doctors usually recommend six weeks of recovery time for new mothers after a vaginal birth and longer after a cesarean. When you have been given approval from your doctor and have no significant bleeding, you are ready to do yoga and pilates again.


Reference source: Yoga.About.Com
(813) 505-1850
tampa florida yoga studio
Contact Us