Congratulations on your pregnancy!
If you are reading this you are probably thinking about starting some healthy lifestyle changes or adjusting your current activities now that your body is going through some massive changes. If you are unsure about how prenatal yoga can benefit you and your baby, see my previous post “Why Prenatal Yoga?”.

I get the question often “When can I start practicing Prenatal Yoga?”

While this is totally an individual assessment, I hope to answer some common dilemmas people have. Over the many years of teaching prenatal yoga I have seen people start as soon as they have a positive pregnancy test all the way to coming to their first class at 41 weeks when labour was delayed! As with most things in life, consistency is key to seeing the benefits. A regular practice started early can have wonderful benefits for both you and your baby during your pregnancy and also during birth (see my post “How Prenatal Yoga prepares you for birth”.) I don’t want to discourage anyone from starting mid to late pregnancy as some yoga is better than no yoga!

First trimester:
If you have a history of high risk pregnancies or miscarriage it is wise to speak to your health care practitioner and discuss your intent to start yoga. Exercise during pregnancy has been shown to reduce complications and improve birth outcomes when the risk is low. If you have a health concern that is a relative contraindication but you have been approved for moderate activity, it is wise to let your yoga teacher know as he/she may need to offer you some modifications so that your practice is safe and enjoyable. Often times in the first trimester people feel ill and very tired. This is common and normal and should be honoured! If you feel like rest is what you need then that is what you should do. You can start yoga when you are feeling much more energetic. Listen to your body mama!

Second trimester:
This is commonly when most people start or renew their yoga practice. Some energy has returned and most will say that they get the urge to move their bodies as sitting or lying down for long periods only causes more discomforts. If you have never practiced yoga or it has been a while, let your teacher know and they can give you some extra guidance in class. Yoga teachers will remind you to listen to your body. This is important during and after class to see if you may have overdone it a bit. Remember not to compare yourself to others in the class. You are unique and your pregnancy is special so adjust when you need to.

Third trimester:
Guess what?! It’s not too late to start prenatal yoga! Take things slow and remember that your body has changed A LOT. If something doesn’t feel good, take a rest. It may take a few classes until you feel more comfortable but you should never feel pain or ill. Pregnant bodies are amazing and they can still move in wonderful ways but everyone is different and pregnancy can feel different from day to day. The mindful aspect of prenatal yoga means that you can truly listen to your body throughout class and respond to your its needs.

I urge you to have a conversation with your health care provider and let them know that you want to start prenatal yoga. If you have questions about what a typical class entails please reach out to me!