HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

As with your pregnancy, your yoga practice will change over time Poses that seemed easy at the start will become more challenging and less advisable to practice as your belly and baby grow. How you practice depends on which trimester you are in.

First Trimester – For the most part, you can do a regular practice during this time, barring the breath retention I mentioned earlier If you are an experienced yogi, a more vigorous flow can be practiced but jumping from pose to pose is not advised as that movement can dislodge the fertilized egg from your uterus Twists and inverted poses (headstand, handstand and legs up the wall) can be done, provided you feel okay doing them.

Second Trimester. At this stage, you will likely want to modify some of the poses you’ve been practicing Avoid the deep twists, back bends and inversions and opt for less advanced variations Using props like bolsters, chairs and blocks will also be helpful This is also a stage to avoid back bends that are done on your belly You may also find it easier to do the relaxational part of yoga lying on your side with a pillow between your knees rather than lie on your back. Also, with a growing belly, you will likely find it beneficial to do standing poses with your feet a little more than hip width apart.

Third Trimester. The added weight and achiness during this time will likely leave you feeling tired and off balance. This is a time to opt for a more restorative practice that includes light stretching, hip-opening poses and meditation. The use of props will be an even greater godsend for your during this time of practice You should also avoid lying on your back during your last trimester Resting on your side during relaxation will be much more comfortable Sitting in a cross-legged position during relaxation is another good option

The general rule forprenatal yoga is the further along you are in your pregnancy, the less intense your physical practice should be. There are also a few things you should avoid doing during your entire practice.

Avoid HotYoga -It is important to keep your bodytemperature at a normalrange. The extreme heat of HotYoga can not only create general discomfort,it can lead to hyperthermia foryou as well as cause neural tube defects in your baby. And so, your practice should be done at a comfortableroomtemperature.

Avoid Over-Stretching – Stretching is normally considered to be a good thing but one needs to be careful not to over-stretch when pregnant. The reason for this is that your body produces a hormone throughout pregnancy called relaxin, which works to soften the more inflexible parts of your body (ie. bones and ligaments) to make room for the baby and prepare for birth. The presence of relaxin makes it easy to over-stretch and injure yourself.

As with any form of exercise undertaken during pregnancy, it is important to consult with your health care provider before you start a prenatal yoga practice. It is also imperative to speak candidly with a yoga teacher before doing a class. Ask for their experience in teaching prenatal yoga as well as their own experience in practicing while pregnant. You might even want to observe a class before you consider unrolling your mat.

When practicing, always work within your comfortlevel and be mindful of any unusual changes or sensations in your body. These include sharp pains, vaginal bleeding, ordecreased fetal movement. If a movement orposture doesn't feel good,ease yourself back to a comfortablepositionand let your teacher know about your experience.

Lastly, if you’ve read this and aren’t pregnant yet but are interested in doingyoga when you are, why notstart now? A regular yoga practice is a great way to connect with your bodyand prepare it forwhen you doconceive. Restorative yoga is a great way to help with conception as the longer held relaxational poses help to reduce tension, stress and anxiety. These three aspects are commonly linked to infertility as they cause your body to produce high levels of cortisol which can affect your reproductive health. Doing some of the more active poses that boost your circulation and massage your reproductive organs can help with conception.

For more information, contact Heidi at heidi@yogawithheidi or 519 755 1447 or visit her online yogawithheidi.ca