By Faye Martins
One point I want to mention right away: Pregnant students should be in a specialized class with a teacher who has completed a prenatal yoga teacher training course. This is why so many yoga classes begin with health warnings concerning pregnancy. As a teacher, you have the right to refuse to teach anyone risking their health.
Pregnant Students and Yoga
Yoga is excellent for pregnant students to stay active, limber, and calm. Women experiencing a healthy pregnancy can feasibly do yoga up to delivery. Some expecting moms even find comfort in yoga poses and meditation during labor. It’s always important for women to check in with their doctors first to ensure that yoga training is a safe choice for them. Beyond that, there are a few other precautions to take as the pregnancy progresses. Prenatal yoga instructors must know the cautions and teach their mommies accordingly.
The First Trimester
A woman’s body undergoes massive changes during the first trimester of pregnancy. Hormones are shifting to accommodate the growing fetus. Common side effects include nausea, fatigue, and tenderness around the breasts. Most changes occur within the body, leaving a woman’s appearance unchanged.
Most women can engage in yoga precisely as they did before pregnancy. Pregnant students should drink plenty of water and pay attention to their bodies for discomfort. They should never push themselves beyond their limits during pregnancy. The top precaution would be to avoid jumping.
The Second Trimester
The second trimester typically brings a sense of normalcy and peace as women’s bodies finally adjust to pregnancy. Although the belly begins to protrude, most women have gotten over the nausea and tenderness associated with the early weeks of pregnancy. There are a few more precautions for yoga practice during this trimester.
Women’s joints and ligaments tend to become ultra-lubricated as the body prepares for the upcoming birth. This can be a concern because women might get into a situation where they put themselves at risk of injury for pushing too far into a stretch. Women should proceed into each pose slowly and with caution. Movements should be slow and calculated. They should also avoid poses that require lying flat on their backs to ensure adequate uterine blood flow.
The Third Trimester
The last weeks of pregnancy can become uncomfortable for women as their bellies become unbearably large. A woman’s balance will likely be slightly off during the third trimester. She should go into balance poses carefully, with a wall or chair nearby.
Props might also help accommodate the protruding belly and maintain postures comfortably. Pregnant students should remember to keep moving during the routine and not hold any one pose for too long. Again, women should avoid lying flat on their backs, choosing a side-lying position instead. It’s also important to avoid lying on the stomach.
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Thanks for sharing this GREAT info for physical fitness. Physical exercise such as yoga is one of our body need, doing this eveyday gives a lot of help to us to fight the sickness, stress and any other disease.