Baby on Board 👶🏾 ? Here are some prenatal yoga tips for beginners

 

Pregnancy is an exciting and, yes, uncertain time.  It’s always nice to get some advice, and we’re here to dish on some tips for starting prenatal yoga!

Doesn’t it seem like someone in your life is pregnant or just found out they’re going to be first-time parents?

My name’s Jamie and I’m your Featured Guest Contributor this week. I’m a Physician’s Assistant and have experience in internal medicine and pediatrics.

I also have to tell you something else: I’m 24 weeks pregnant!

The night I found out was such a sublime setting – Laying next to my husband reading as we listened to Otis Redding. One of those catchy head nod inducing songs was playing.

It might have been:

The mood felt right and I figured, what the heck, might as well take a pregnancy test.

To back up a little – My husband and I thought long and hard and decided we wanted to “pull the goalie” if you will and try to make a baby together.

My breasts had also been bothering me the last few days which is one of the 5 signs that you should take a pregnancy test.

Three tests later, we were crying like babies ourselves on the bathroom floor; laughing at the same time.

 

Prenatal Yoga is a Great Way to Stay Active and Healthy

Prenatal Yoga

During Pregnancy, Prenatal Yoga Becomes a Great Way to Stay Active and Healthy

Anyway, fast forward to a few weeks ago.

I had taken yoga classes before in the past but never really felt completely comfortable in a yoga studio. Everyone around me always seemed to be professional yogis who could balance on their head while kicking their feet back at the same time. Quite impressive but it terrified me.

If I tried this, I would break in half.

So I hadn’t been back to yoga for a little while and figured I’d start dipping my toes into the realm of yoga again.

But this time, I would give online yoga class streaming a try.

Tips for Starting Prenatal Yoga - beginners yoga

A few of my friends had mentioned recently that they started practicing yoga classes at home. I was intrigued so figured once again, what the heck, I’ll at least look into it.

A lot of streaming platforms offer a 15-DAY FREE TRIAL so you can test out if yoga at home is right for you.

I got signed up which only required me to create a password linked to my email and added a card (I was assured several times that I won’t be charged until after the 14 day trial period was over).

>>> Try Bulldog Online Completely Free Today

 

How to Get Started with Prenatal Yoga

Prenatal yoga is a beautiful and beneficial practice to connect nature, your baby, and yourself together at the same time. It’s a great way to work on your flexibility and get that all-important low impact cardio which will help you throughout your pregnancy.

It also reminds you to listen to your body.

Pregnancy is a great experience, especially knowing that you are about to welcome a brand new life into the world. At the same time, it is important to have a good sense of well-being and healthy mindset in order to provide nourishment to both yourself and the baby growing inside of you.

 

Practice More Self-Love (19)

 

Here are some helpful tips for starting prenatal yoga at home

Both benefits for you and benefits for baby.

 

Tips for Starting Prenatal Yoga

First Trimester

If you are one of the many women who come to prenatal yoga without ever practicing yoga before, then congratulations!

Just like regular yoga, prenatal yoga is highly beneficial to your body. It helps improve your sleep, reduces the amount of stress you feel, and even improves your posture at work and at home.

Prenatal Yoga - beginner yoga

Keep in mind, though, that for your first several classes you should stay near the door in case of emergencies to run to the bathroom because of morning sickness.

I learned that the hard way.

Additionally, try to keep your body adjusted to what you are doing in class. Be mindful of any poses that require you to close down on the uterine area.

You may also run into overstretching your joints. A typical phenomena during pregnancy is the ability to loosen joints around the pelvis while it prepares for childbirth.

It is important to avoid stretching this area too far in early pregnancy. Stick with what you feel most comfortable with and you can avoid any unnecessary strain in your pelvic region.

On a final note, be sure to join a class that has a teacher who may be able to help guide you on a more personal level.

Prenatal yoga classes are a place to communicate and learn as a collective, but when you have questions or concerns in these early weeks of pregnancy it can be very helpful to be able to rely on someone who is willing to talk with you personally before or after class.  

 

Tips for Starting Prenatal Yoga

Second Trimester

While your body is finally acclimating to being pregnant, you will typically find increased levels of energy and motivation.

For these next three months while your body is transforming even more than before, be sure to adopt practices that keep you from lying on your belly or putting too much pressure in your abdominal region. If you need to bend forward, keep your legs wide and open.

When working on poses such as balancing or using one leg, be sure to stand near a wall or other supporting surface. You’ll be surprised at how much your center of gravity is changed as you get later into pregnancy!

Keep any back-bending to a minimum as well, as this can often cause unwanted straining on the abdomen. Gentle back-bending or poses that have no weight on the back-bend are okay, however, and can provide a wonderful sensation in your upper body.

During this crucial trimester, being part of a prenatal yoga class is essential to remaining healthy and not going overboard with yoga.

Caring instructors will be there to take you to a safe limit that will provide you with the relaxation, ease, and exercise you need as a soon to be mom. This is a tough process, and props to you for doing all you can for your body and your baby.

Being a part of the prenatal yoga class community eases the burden of pregnancy and provides you more shoulders to lean on, so take advantage!

Learn More (YouTube Video): What prenatal yoga poses should I NOT do?

 

Tips for Starting Prenatal Yoga (1)

Third Trimester

As your body is constantly changing and you will feel more and more weight, it is important to keep your physical movements more calm and collected.

You will begin to lose your balance more often and there will be a higher amount of strain on your joints, so be sure to take care of your movements and positions during the classes throughout your third trimester.

Be sure to lay down on your sides rather than your back as well.

The positioning of your baby is important in order to have a stable birth, so be sure to avoid doing inversions during your third trimester.

Inversions could alter the positioning of your baby, which needs to be head down in the uterus.

This is where prenatal yoga helps.

Taking classes that are slower paced and allow you to focus on specific postures and breathing techniques that will prepare for labor and delivery on the day of birth.

You can even invite your friends 🙂

online yoga classes

Keep your mind and body peaceful and aware of your surroundings. You can improve this by practicing some slow breathing techniques as well as gentle meditation before and after your prenatal yoga class. 

Your pregnancy will be full of unique and important experiences.

Be sure to stay safe in everything you do, but also enjoy the time you have before birth. Also, be sure to rest frequently and keep your open and relaxed.

Give your body what it needs and your life will run much smoother – as well as your pregnancy.

 

Are You Thinking About Implementing My Tips for Starting Prenatal Yoga and Giving It a Go?

>>> Check Out My Favorite Prenatal Class for Beginners