In the initial stages of pregnancy is when the mother's body is working at its capacity in order to support the new life that is forming. Estrogen at this time increases and the pliability of connective tissues, increases blood flow and for some morning sickness and mood swings. The progesterone also increases which can slow down the digestive system and increase body temperature. The uterine wall is being built up, while hormones are released, and the volume of blood increases in order to support this change. All of these changes affect a mother's energetic levels, which is why the type of practise required is dependant on the mother to be. A modified regular Yoga practice or something more restorative.
During this time a mother must avoid any mental or physical stress and ensure a positive mindset and attitude, which will assist in the development of the brain and mind of the child.
Before week ten of pregnancy there is a high risk of miscarriage and during this period means avoiding physical activity that may disturb the uterus, as its imperative at this stage the implantation of the embryo to attach properly to the placenta. The mother will however need to adapt to a gentler version of Yogasana even though practise in the past may have been much more vigorous. In the first trimester a mother is generally able to do most basic postures, however bringing self awareness to herself and knowing their is a beautiful life growing inside of her, even if it’s not visible yet precautions must always be taken, listen to the body and rest when needed.
As all expected mothers go through a different pregnancy and each individual must trust their own instincts. I would recommend If something doesn't feel right, stop immediately and rest. In the initial stages of pregnancy strengthening muscles of the legs and pelvic floor is quite important in preparation for the stages of pregnancy ahead. As the baby grows the mother must have the strength to support the extra weight. It will promote good circulation throughout the body and in particular to the uterus which is necessary for the babies growth and the legs to resist cramping due to lowered blood pressure throughout pregnancy.
Mothers to be will need to adapt to a gentle style of Yoga with implementing the use of props as she progresses such as, bolsters, blankets, wall and chair due to the many changes in her body. Change may affect, balance, aching of the lower lumbar spine, reduced blood pressure as well as the relaxin hormone which is responsible for softening the joints. I would suggest avoid poses that stretch the muscles too much, particularly the abdominals. There is a higher risk now for strains, pulls, and other injuries because the pregnancy hormone relaxin, which allows the uterus to expand, also softens connective tissue.
Pros/cons before joining class.
Caution must be taken on not overstretching in order to avoid any dislocations due to the softening of the joints, and new postures never practised previously should also be avoided.
We would suggest to the student to keep in mind that while pregnant, you may experience increased flexibility due to an increase of relaxin in the blood, a hormone that loosens the joints and muscles. You may feel hyper-flexible, but make sure you don’t push any stretches or poses too far.
Precautions of overheating the body. Ensure the student does not overheat as the core body rate rises quickly in pregnant women. Heat also loosens ligaments further and increases the risk of overheating and dehydration.
Ensure student has a comfortable cooling posture to rest when needed and placed somewhere close to exit, away from heat where there may be a breeze. Even turning down the heat.
Basic asana posture with modification which encourage stability, strength and flexibility rather than endurance.
Have props available should the student require (bolster, blanket, block, chair).
I would advise student to avoid closed twists, backbends and most inversions. Inversions increase circulation away from the uterus as well as lowering blood pressure even further than what it was. This can cause severe dizziness and lightheaded when releasing our of the posture.Adho Mukha Svanasana is an exception to the rule and can benefit the pregnancy when holding the posture for no more that 3-5 breaths. Also show student variations with props.
High intensity and strong practise should be avoided in the first trimester such as Sun Salutations or intensive Vinyasa with jumpback/throughs should be avoided.
The abdominals muscles should not be stretched deeply, therefore most backbends should also be avoided also.
Twists: Avoid deep twists--focus the twist in the upper back instead of deep in the abdominals, such as standing twists due to the amount of pressure placed on the abdominal cavity. (Parivrtta Trikonasana, Parivrtta Parsvakonasana
Savasana should be modified to a side-lying Savasana. Firstly all side lying postures preferably should be engaged on the left side to avoid any stress or pressure on the vena cava vein. (Precaution must be taken here as this vein is responsible for moving blood from uterus to the heart). However some students do suffer from reflux being on their side, therefore allow student to choose a side preferable for them. Advise student left side theraputic for low blood pressure and right ior high blood pressure. Take a bolster or blanket and placing under the right knee, right arm, head and belly if she is starting to show. This provides support to the entire side of body.
A long relaxation, breathing and mindfulness at the end of class is highly recommended.
Assist the student with focussing attention on power and strength in her body. Even offering different asana options will also give her the power to choose.
An alternative to a seated crossed leg position, or even laying on the side in savasana could be virasana (even seated on a bolster or blanket under the pelvis for height. When laying on the side some expecting mothers suffer from nausea or heartburn,
I feel providing the student with all the safety and precautions is absolutely fundamental. Many women choose not to practise within the first 13 weeks due to the risks involved initially. Ultimately in the end it is the choice of the expectant mother to listen to her own body and trusting her own judgement and instincts.
2nd Trimester
In the second trimester the pregnancy will now be visible, the baby is growing and breasts become much fuller. The joints of pelvis are now loosened and round ligaments of the tummy are quite stretched, in order to make room for the growth of the baby.
At this point a mother may have overcome nausea and dizziness that accompanied the first trimester, which will result in feeling much more like her normal self with energy levels back up. This is a great time to include some of the poses in which they enjoyed before pregnancy, however again with modification and avoidance of certain positions.
The weight of the baby does however put strain on the muscles of the back which means including a well balanced practise works to keep the body balanced and alleviate some of the strain. The mother will also still present symptoms of lowered blood pressure, to further accommodate the supply to the placenta. Symptoms such as headaches, dizziness and swelling of the hands and feet may occur that is why it is important within this trimester to work around helping the expected mother to feel comfortable.
Within asana practise I would suggest to the student to modify postures that place a great deal of strain on the pelvis such as virabhadrasana II (Warrior 2). Sitting on a chair and extending the legs into warrior II whilst the things are completely supported by the chair allows the mother to still gain benefits of hip opening and light weight bearing. The upper back muscles have increased weight placed upon them from the new breast tissue which can cause tension. Hip and chest openers at this stage in pregnancy are among the favorites as they release pent up tension.
Recommended poses could include Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose) and Viparita Namaskar (Reverse Prayer Pose). Supta Baddha Konasana (reclining bound angle pose) and Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining big toe Pose) or Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero Pose) all have wonderful benefits with increases circulation of the legs, encourages the hips to open and assists in relieving back pain and opens the hips. When elevating the students upper body to at least 20 degrees on the incline with bolsters and blankets is a wonderful and therapeutic way in which mothers can engage the therapeutic aspects of these postures. I would suggest modifications to the student prior to class that it is ok to recline however with the support of a bolster or blanket . Supta Virasana by sitting on a bolster lengthwise to alleviate the body, Supta Baddha Konasana or Supta Padangusthasana placing two bolsters in a T shape under the body to support the spine and the pelvic region.
I would need to advise of the negative association in such postures as Paripurna Navasana (Boat Pose). The tummy is taut as the baby grows which means the abdominal muscles and ligaments are very stretched, avoiding postures which lift the legs and place extra tension on the tummy as it can cause muscle separation or even tears. There are only a very few pronated postures which can be engaged in the upper body only such as (Bhujangasana [Cobra Pose], or Salabhasana [Locust Pose] however modification with a blanket must be placed under the pelvis to make room for the growing belly.
I would recommend standing postures with support and give her the option whether she would like to use a chair, wall or props for safety reason. The expectant mother may feel dizzy or weak, however trusting her own instincts and taking regular breaks when needed.
There are further considerations with regards to postures and modifications which can be applied as follows: Essential Guidelines
I would suggest modifying vinyasa between poses: eliminate jumping, jump-throughs, jump-backs, chakrasana, or rolling. Step or crawl instead is much more appropriate.
Ujjayi Pranayama: should be ok however restriction of holding the breath should be avoided.
Being mindful of the strength of the bandhas Bandhas: A mother to be can alter the way in which she activates the bandhas.
The following recommendations have been made which should be quite useful. Mula bandha: if the muscles can be engage near the cervix without causing uterine contractions. When the baby rises higher throughout the pregnancy such as (5 or 6) mula bandha may be of more comfort to the mother.
Uddiyana bandha: If a mother was to practise engaging uddiyana bandha downward this could be beneficial in preparation for labor. A mother's belly needs room for growth there for actively tightening or even lifting at this stage is quite unnecessary and can bring on nausea.
Suryanamaskar A [sun salutation A]: In tadasana keep the feet hip width apart to ensure there is sufficient room for the baby and bend the knees slightly. Forward bending modification, knees bent and hip width apart, instead of having the hands placed inline with the feet, place the hands in front. Step back gently instead.
Suryanamaskar B [sun salutation B]: From downward facing dog it is best when stepping through to virabhadrasana I to allow the back heel of the foot to be raised off the floor, however ensure the ball is firmly planted. In avoidance of compression of the belly avoid triggering uddiyana bandha and use the arms and hands to take on some of the weight. Once the front foot is grounded securely it is then a good time to now place the back foot entirely down onto earth at 45 degrees or what feels comfortable, even stepping the stance out quite widely.
Extreme twists must be avoided such as; Utthita trikonasana B, Utthita parsvakonasana B, Marichyasana C and after the second month Marichyasana C should be avoided.
Any poses which encourage movement of the heel into the uterus whilst in a fold or sitting is generally uncomfortable for an expected mother. For example a modification to Ardha baddha padmottanasana [half-lotus bound, standing forward bend] could be dont fold and instead wrap the arm gentle behind to grasp the big toe if this is suitable and the belly and tightening could cause discomfort.
Further posture which compress the belly and should be avoided such as: Kurmasana [tortoise pose], Supta kurmasana [sleeping tortoise pose] and Bhujapidasana [arm pressure pose]
Standing or Seated forward bending it has been suggested it is a safer option to keep the chest area at least 80 to 85 degrees from the floor when folding. If prefered and more comfortable it's best to take the legs out wide and keep the chest/heart lifted. In order to avoid compression of the belly in a seated bend avoid holding the toes in a forward bend, instead on place on the shins whilst still keeping the foot flexed.
Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana [standing leg raises]: As the belly grows its very difficult to engage the standard posture. A modification could be to take the leg out to the side rather than in front. A challenge here would be to work on lengthening the leg opposed to folding toward it.
Pornated postures on the back should be avoided in order to avoid blood flowing away from the uterus. If mothers do practise they may find symptoms of nausea, dizziness and problems with breathing.
Supta padangusthasana should be avoided - it places too much compression on the belly. If a mother insists on still practising a modification could include not forcing the leg to meet head and just place concentration on the extension of the heel of foot in flexed position which will assist in firming the inner thigh.
Setu bandhasana [bridge pose] should be avoided after month 4 as it does place stress and overexertion on the abdominal muscles due to uddiyana bandha in order to create stabilisation. This stress can cause imbalance, or even falling and neck strain.
Backbends should be avoided - Due to the increased weight of the belly, the lower back naturally tightens over time to support the front of the body, so avoid inadvertently tightening the lower back during backbending as well. However, even slight backbending will help "pop" the spine and alleviate backaches from the weight gain. Do not do drop-overs or flips, since there is a risk of overstretching the abdominal muscles in these movements. An alternative to full backbending is the modified bridge pose.
Inverted postures: Since inversions will normally trigger uddiyana bandha during the entry and exit of the pose, there could be strain to the abdominal area. If you experience nausea or strain in the abdominal area while entering or exiting an inverted pose, do not continue with the pose.
Savasana [corpse pose]: Lie on your left side in a fetal position to avoid compressing the blood flow to the uterus. Use a rolled towel or mat under your head to make the neck more comfortable. You can also place a rolled blanket or bolster between your legs and hold one between your arms to make your belly more comfortable.
I would further encourage the student to focus on mindfulness, ease off strenuous postures that make her feel uncomfortable, rest when needing into a comfortable cooling position as well as keeping well hydrated. Never overdo any aspects of her practise to raise heat in the body. This should be a wonderful, relaxing and refreshing experience to relieve discomfort.
A caution I must advise the student of after twenty weeks is to avoid lying flat on her back in a prone position for an extended period of time as the weight of the uterus and baby can restrict blood flow from the vena cava vein from the lower body to the heart.
Third Trimester
The mother is now on the home stretch! At this point probably starting to feel the fatigue that plagued her during the first few months. Importantly a mother should listen to the clues her body is telling her. One or even two yoga classes a week might feel really good, and will do wonders to a mother prepare for labor.
The body is now preparing for the birth and extra weight at this point in pregnancy can cause great discomfort for an expected mother. Because of the pressure due to the crowded uterus against the internal organs can cause frequency visits to the toilet, heartburn, cramping in the abdominal,shortness of breath, interrupted sleep, difficulties in moving as well as clumsiness. The joints are still very unstable as the pelvis widens so that she can deliver as well as swelling of the hands and feet due to lack of circulation caused by progesterone.
The mother will experience tightening of the uterine muscles known as Braxton-Hicks contractions which prepare the mother in knowing how the contractions on the day will feel in order to give birth. Just a few weeks prior to birth the cervix will slowly dilate as the pelvic floor softens in preparation.
It is important in the third trimester to encourage relaxation and strength which will assist a mother through her labour. I would suggest to a student caution must be taken in order to protect the joints and maintain stability in balance. The joints are very flexible and with all the additional weight stability must be highly considered to keep mother and baby safe in preparation for the birth ahead.
I would suggest to the student to practice very basic standing and some balancing postures which will help establish further strength and alignment of the spine, whilst also increasing circulation which will further relieve inflammation and swelling. Practising near a wall would be highly recommended.
The lower back now presents a great deal of tension and it is very important in the third trimester to assist in relieving some of this discomfort. Hip openers such as Baddha Konasana or Upavistha konasana with support of bolsters and blankets will help to relieve lower back pain and create more space in the pelvic region. Releasing tension of the lower lumbar spine and opening the hip joints is wonderful preparation to make the mother much more comfortable in labour. It has also been suggested that pelvic tilts such as Marjaryasana (Cat Pose) can actually place the baby in the lower uterus in good positions for birth.
In the third trimester I would highly suggest a mother concentrate on mindfulness and suggest pranayama techniques in conjunction with all asana practises which will promote relaxation and prepare her for birth. Correct alignment, include hip and chest opening postures and avoid all inversions, intense abdominal postures and backbends. The mother will now struggle a great deal with getting into many postures however she must be mindful not to overstretch the ligaments or joints. Support the student in every way to experience relaxation, comfort, stretch and mindfulness in preparation for her labour.
Following the Essential Guidelines in trimester two with further modification when necessary due to the belly size and restricted movement and stability. Always include pranayama with a more restorative approach is highly recommended. I would advise the guidelines again to the student and ensure constant communication to see how the pregnancy is progressing.
Always keeping in my Intuition and Baby and if something does not feel right, or if your baby seems to object to a certain pose, do not do the pose. Every pregnancy is different.