8 Mindful Tips for a Prenatal Yoga Program

June 19th, 2014 • BY WM

Are you pregnant—or thinking about joining the roster of expectant mothers? No matter where you’re at in your pregnancy journey, prenatal yoga will help you maintain a healthy, baby-friendly body—and a healthy outlook.

Here, we check in with nationally certified prenatal yoga guru Amy Griffith—a former Radio City Rockette, Broadway musical dancer, and current leading prenatal fitness and lifestyle expert—to get her best tips for launching a safe and healthy prenatal yoga routine.

Amy also provides free advice, including eBook and video content, to an army of followers and fans at www.AmyGriffithworkout.com. Her effective fitness video, “Active Prenatal Yoga,” also offers a safe, well-structured physical workout for expectant mothers.

WM: How is yoga beneficial during pregnancy?
Amy Griffith: Yoga is not just about gaining strength and flexibility, and finding calm in moments of stress; it also helps slow down our busy lives. And, prenatal yoga is a very safe form of exercise. Executed with the use of props to support the pregnant woman as baby grows, the mother can maintain the standard yoga poses but in a modified way. Prenatal yoga also teaches the powerful connection of breath and movement, encouraging the woman to let go of tension trigger points in her body. All of these elements combine to cultivate a deeper understanding of how the woman’s body moves and what she can do to relax in an uncomfortable situation, both physically and mentally. Many of the elements of a prenatal yoga class can be utilized by the mother as she moves through labor and delivery, including poses to ease labor pains, breathing techniques, and meditation.

WM: What if I’ve never done yoga before?
Amy: There are various modifications for a gentler practice or for those mommas who are new to yoga. It’s a good idea to follow third trimester modifications in particular until you feel comfortable adding more challenge to your practice. Move slowly during the transitions between poses. Trust your body and listen to it if you need to come out of a pose or simply take a break. Check in more often on how the pose feels versus how you think it’s supposed to “look.”

WM: Can I practice yoga in my first trimester?
Amy: This is completely up to you. Some schools will say to rest during your first trimester as your body adjusts to this new state. Others say it is perfectly fine to continue your exercise program as you begin your pregnancy. Personally, I always needed a bit of exercise to help me feel better. I certainly took many naps and rested when I needed to, but I enjoyed maintaining and modifying my yoga practice during my first trimester. As long as there is no medical reason to stop your practice, it is an individual preference. Your body is changing daily, if you need to rest during your first trimester, we look forward to you joining us during your second!

WM: How long throughout my pregnancy can I practice yoga?
Amy: Again, as long as there are no medical contraindications, you can practice yoga up until baby arrives! Obviously your practice will be very different than it was in the beginning of your pregnancy, you will learn to instinctively trust your body and how it needs to move. There are many modifications we can take during the third trimester to accommodate our growing baby. You may choose to simply stretch or meditate as you await baby’s birth day. Allowing yourself to slow down and find those moments of quiet is a yoga practice. It is not only physical poses. Listen to your inner voice, you will be amazed how it guides you throughout the final weeks and days of your pregnancy.

WM: How will prenatal yoga help to prepare me for labor?
Amy: In my opinion, this is one of the best reasons to practice prenatal yoga! As we physically move on our mats, we are not only gaining strength and increasing flexibility, we are becoming very aware of how our body moves and what helps us to feel good. We recognize that we have an incredible strength within us, even as baby grows and our bodies change. We connect in the most amazing way to the power of our breath, recognizing how it can create a sense of calm and peace throughout our bodies, yet it provides us power when we need it. Gaining a greater understanding of your body and trusting that it is designed to grow AND birth your baby is one of the most amazing gifts you can receive from your prenatal yoga practice.

WM: What happens if I get dizzy when moving from an inverted pose (head below the heart) to standing?
Amy: With increased blood volume, we can feel dizzy or lightheaded when coming up to stand after having the head lower than the heart. First try moving very slowly up to standing. Allow your knees to bend softly, and let your hands find support on your thighs as you stand. If this still bothers you, remain at a flat back, head in line (parallel) with the heart. You can accomplish this by placing your blocks at the highest level underneath your hands for support. You will still benefit from the stretch without dipping the head lower than the heart creating dizziness.

WM: What poses can I do to alleviate sciatica?
Amy: A growing baby and shifting pelvis can cause the sciatic nerve to be compressed. Deep hip stretches such as pigeon, or cow face pose may help to relieve some tension in this area. Chiropractic adjustments, massage or acupuncture may also be helpful. Unfortunately for some women, due to the level of relaxin loosening the pelvis and baby’s position, relief from sciatica does not happen until baby shifts or is born.

WM: Can I practice inversions during my pregnancy?
Amy: This is also something that is an individual preference. If you had a strong inversion practice before pregnancy, you may feel comfortable continuing this practice. Keep in mind, your body is releasing relaxin, the hormone that helps your joints to loosen, this may create extra pressure on wrists, shoulders, or your neck. Keep your muscles engaged as much as possible to support your inversion. I would recommend not holding the inversion as long as you normally would since the increase in blood volume will be moving to your head and away from baby. Also, as baby grows your balance will be ever changing and shifting, making it easier to fall out of your regularly solid headstand or handstand. Use the wall for support if you choose to invert during pregnancy.

[Please Note: *The above should not be construed as medical advice. Individuals should consult with their own physicians before starting any fitness or exercise regime.]

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