Is pregnancy yoga right for you (and why you should try it)?

Pregnancy yoga is a widely recommended form of exercise in pregnancy. Research shows that practising yoga during pregnancy on a regular basis offers many important benefits, including making your pregnancy more comfortable, reducing maternal stress and anxiety, reducing pain in labour and reducing the risk of medical intervention during birth.

But pregnancy yoga might not be at all what you picture it to be, or experienced the last time you found yourself on a yoga mat in a studio.

Here are 5 common reasons that might keep you from trying a pregnancy yoga class, and why these shouldn’t concern you at all!

1. I’ve never done yoga

This is probably the most common concern I hear from women. The truth is, you absolutely do not need any yoga experience to join, enjoy or benefit from a pregnancy yoga class. Each pregnancy is a brand-new experience, and so the perfect time to embrace new activities adapted to this unique time of your life. And if you are a newbie, chances are you won’t be the only one. A lot of women first come to yoga during their pregnancy (including myself!) and immediately connect with it.

2. I’m not flexible

I cannot count the number of times I’ve heard from women that they couldn’t possibly do yoga because they’re not flexible, or ‘can’t touch their toes!’. But who can touch their toes with a bump anyway?! The fact is, despite all the images of yogi in fancy leggings bending themselves into pretzels, yoga is absolutely not about flexibility. Actually, pregnancy is not the time to explore your flexibility anyway because of a pregnancy hormone that makes your joints more flexible, and make you more susceptible to injury. What yoga during pregnancy is about is finding ease and space in your changing body, taking some deep breaths and connect with your body and baby.

3. I’m in pain/too uncomfortable

Pregnancy can take such a toll on your body, and when you’re assaulted by aches and pains in your back or hips, have heartburn or nausea, or find walking more difficult, it’s easy to think that exercise is not what you need. But what specialist pregnancy yoga is designed to do is to reduce these many physical discomforts, and help you find simple and enjoyable ways to keep moving your body, whatever stage you’re at.

4. My non-pregnancy /generic class works fine for me

If you’re still enjoying your current exercise or yoga class, that’s fantastic. Pregnancy is not an illness and you don’t have to change everything about your lifestyle the minute your pregnancy test turns positive. However, there are many benefits that a pregnancy-specific class will give you that a ‘regular’ class won’t:

• movements fully adapted and designed for your pregnant body, that you know are both safe and helpful (not just simple modifications or precautions)

• useful tools for labour and birth, and early motherhood

• the chance to access information, share and ask about anything related pregnancy, birth and early motherhood

• And the opportunity to meet and make friendships with other pregnant women too!

5. I’m just too tired

Pregnancy is certainly exhausting business, and it’s easy to be tempted to head straight to the sofa or bed whenever you get the chance, especially when the days get short and dark. However, women attending my pregnancy yoga classes always comment on how much more restored and calmly energised they feel at the end of class, however tired they were when they arrived. And how much better they sleep afterwards, which is always a huge win, and will help reduce your tiredness overall.

Any other concerns I haven’t addressed here? Please do drop me a note!

If you would like to give pregnancy yoga a go, why not join me live online or in-person in Richmond? Just get in touch to arrange a trial.
Or if you prefer to practice in your own time, my online pregnancy yoga courses are designed to support you through the 3 trimesters, and suitable even if you don’t have any yoga experience. You can even sign up for free previews including a FULL-LENGTH FREE pregnancy yoga class so you can see if it would be right for you.