Teaching Yoga to Pregnant Students - Yoga Practice Blog

Teaching Yoga to Pregnant Students

yoga teacher trainingBy Faye Martins

One point I want to mention right away: Pregnant students should be in a specialized class with a teacher who has successfully completed a prenatal yoga teacher training course. This is the reason why so many yoga classes begin with health warnings concerning pregnancy. You have the right to refuse to teach any person who is putting their health at risk. 

Yoga is a great way for pregnant women to stay active, limber and calm. Women experiencing a healthy pregnancy can feasibly do yoga right up to the delivery date. 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 be highly aware of the cautions and teach their mommies accordingly. 

The First Trimester

During the first trimester of pregnancy, a woman’s body is undergoing massive amounts of change. Hormones are shifting to accommodate the growing fetus. Common side effects include nausea, fatigue and tenderness around the breasts. Most of these changes occur within the body, leaving a woman’s appearance greatly unchanged. Most women can engage in yoga exactly as they did before they were pregnant. Pregnant women should make sure to drink plenty of water and to pay attention to their bodies for any discomfort. They should never push their selves 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 have finally adjusted to pregnancy. Although the belly begins to protrude, most women have gotten over the feelings of nausea and tenderness associated with the early weeks of pregnancy. There are a few more precautions for yoga practice during this trimester.

As the body prepares for the upcoming birth, women’s joints and ligaments tend to become ultra lubricated. This can be a concern because women might get into a situation where they are putting their selves 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 any poses that require lying flat on their backs to ensure adequate blood flow to the uterus at all times.

The Third Trimester

The last weeks of pregnancy can become uncomfortable for women as their bellies become unbearably large. A woman’s balance will most likely be a little of during the third trimester. She should go into balance poses carefully, with the aide of a wall or chair nearby. Props might also be useful to help accommodate the protruding belly and maintain poses comfortably. Pregnant women 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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2 thoughts on “Teaching Yoga to Pregnant Students”

  1. 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.

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