PRACTICING YOGA SAFELY DURING YOUR PREGNANCY:

There are varying opinions on how to practice yoga safely during pregnancy and certainly one should always consult their physician to find out what the precautions are specific to the expecting mother. The general rule is usually that a woman can continue with movements that she is accustomed to practicing before pregnancy (some may need to be modified) and not to take on any new challenging poses during pregnancy. Also, it's important to be aware of any other pre-existing physical limitations. Not one yoga practice will suit all pregnant women. Each woman must work according to her conditions. For most women, they may find that they can do most yoga without much modification during the first 17 weeks of pregnancy. See below for modifications and precautions. During the first trimester, both beginning and experienced yogis should only do a gentle practice or none at all as the fetus is still implanting and the risk of miscarriage is highest.

How yoga can help during pregnancy:

Yoga can be a great way to prepare for the physical demands of being a mother. As the new mother carries the baby around, she will need a lot of upper body strength. If you are looking to continue your existing yoga practice while pregnant, make sure your instructor is aware and trained to help you with modifications or any questions you may have.

A personal experience from a friend: Having only attended a few yoga classes prior to pregnancy, Jacqueline Burke, former federal prosecutor and current mother of two, took up prenatal yoga during her first pregnancy. "The poses relieved the pains of pregnancy and helped me to embrace the changes in my body. It is vital to be strong and flexible in order to prepare for the birthing process. Through attending a prenatal yoga class, my strength and flexibility improved according to my body's needs." Jacqueline also said that prenatal yoga classes were a wonderful release from the daily stresses of her office as well as from those of pregnancy.

"Also on a social level, it was great to be with other women who were also experiencing the same trials and tribulations of a pregnancy. For example, one woman and her husband had been trying to have children for years, while another experienced a successful breech birth."

"When you are pregnant, the three ligaments that hold the uterine in place become worked in new and challenging ways. The instructor offered modified poses that were so relieving to the pains of pregnancy, that I often found myself reading or watching TV in squat."

"The breathing techniques were helpful as well. It is so important to breathe through the actual birth. Breathing is the essence of giving birth." Not only did prenatal yoga aid Jacqueline in the birthing process, but it also helped her to experience a speedy recovery, which enabled her to completely appreciate and enjoy the new lives of her two vibrant children.

Some recommended poses for pregnancy: - mandukasana (modified frog pose with toes touching) - upavistha konasana (seated with straddle legs, upright and forward bending) - baddha konasana (bound angle pose) - squatting - best to prop up heels on blanket or mat - Raja kapotasana (pigeon)

These are some poses/actions to be cautious with during pregnancy:

1. Avoid deep abdominal exercises/crunches or putting any pressure on abdominal muscles, including uddiyana bandha (abdominal lock), nauli (abdominal churning). As the belly grows you will notice movements such as lowering to a push up or standing up from bending forward can put pressure on abdominals- modify to use leg strength and not abdominals. Many women find it difficult to part with their abdominal exercises. Consider pregnancy as a 40 week abdominal exercise. There certainly is no need to try and flatten or tone the tummy. Your belly is the home where you baby is growing, give it space to grow and feel nourished. 2. Avoid poses lying directly on the belly Alternatives to being on the belly: Resting: use child's pose instead. Back Strengtheners: get on your hands and knees extend one leg and opposite arm. 3. Avoid twists that cause legs or arms to press against belly.Twisting can be a great relief for an aching upper back however being mindful to create space for the belly. Twist gently and keep belly open. The emphasis should be on shoulders and upper back. 4. Careful with forward bending. Keep the legs open in forward bends (standing and seated) so as not to press against the belly. 5. Back Bending- It is advisable to modify and use gentle back bends in order to not over stretch the already expanding abdominal muscles (rectus abdominis). Additionally, as the baby grows, the back is in a more vulnerable (swayback, lordosis) position and deeper backbends could causes more pressure on low back. Pregnant women will also feel a lot of tightness in the psoas (hip flexor area) which will make backbending more difficult. This becomes more important as pregnancy progresses and the belly grows. 6. Inversions - inexperienced yoga practicioners should avoidinversions during pregnancy. Experienced practitioners may choose to continue with inversions such as head stand or hand stand till the 7th month (some maybe longer) but this is generally only advised for very advanced practitioners. 7. As the pregnancy progresses the body releases the hormone 'relaxin' to loosen the ligaments of the hips. Women may feel vulnerable in this area and should be cautious not to overstretch when doing poses that involve opening the hip area ie. deep lunges, splits, pigeon etc- go to only 80% of your maximum to be safe. 8. Step back, don’t jump back in any of your poses to avoid jarring- especially during the first trimester.