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Recommendations for Yoga and Fitness
Exercise during Pregnancy by
Marianne Woods Cirone, M.S., Registered & Certified Yoga Teacher
Click to View a Full Selection of Pregnancy & Prenatal Yoga Videos
Experts on yoga have a wide array of
opinions on yoga during pregnancy, ranging from those who believe it is a
panacea for a healthy pregnancy to those who do not think it appropriate
for a pregnant woman to practice virtually any of the yoga postures.
Of those who believe that yoga can and should be practiced by pregnant
women, it is widely recognized that yoga practices must be widely adapted
for the pregnant woman. Experts generally indicate that after
the first few months of pregnancy any postures practiced on the abdomen or
on the back are out, as well as twists and many others that may be harmful
for the mother and/or baby, and guidelines can differ for the breech baby. Prenatal yoga should be practiced
under the guidance of someone who specializes in yoga for pregnancy and
knows the precautions to be followed, in addition of course the guidance
of the woman's health care provider and as well as her own inner guidance. (Scroll
to the bottom of this page for the general guidelines on exercise during
pregnancy which have been created by the American College of Obstetricians
and Gynecologists.) Prenatal
yoga classes can be found through your obstetrician or midwife, local
hospitals, at yoga centers, yoga publications and through the internet.
The
Prenatal Yoga video (shown left) by Rocki
Graham, prenatal yoga instructor to Annette Bening and Jodie Foster, gets
consistently high marks from its users. It features a yoga warm-up, seated
and standing poses, breathing, meditation and relaxation. Pregnant women
report feeling great after using the tape
Yoga
Journal/Living Arts offers a tape with well known yoga teacher Shiva Rea
called Prenatal Yoga. This video, which is broken in three
fifteen minute segments, shows three models (two of whom are in the
second and third trimester of pregnancy, respectively) demonstrate each
pose and the necessary modifications. Users of this video generally
find it very relaxing and useful in alleviating typical conditions
associated with pregnancy such as back pain. One viewer commented, "I love this video. I do it almost daily throughout my entire
pregnancy. I was able to adapt to the modifications as needed as my
pregnancy progressed. It's easy to follow and I feel great and relaxed
afterwards."
The Method Baby and Mom: Prenatal Yoga video with Gurmurkh Kaur
Khalsa features Kundalini style prenatal yoga, which is a different
style than some yoga practitioners are used to. Gurmurkh and ten pregnant
students participate in the video. This tape is more popular
with viewers who are comfortable with chanting, turbans and more
spirituality than some of the other tapes might suggest. Gurmurkh
also has a post-natal video tape called The Method - Baby & Mom Post-Natal Yoga.
This tape provides a yoga routine which mothers can do with their babies. The Yoga Zone: Postures for Pregnancy
DVD (image shown above right) was created by yoga master Alan Finger and his
wife Greta when she was seven months pregnant. This 35-minute video
provides a valuable section on breathing and posture, and then Greta leads the
viewers through a series of strengthening, balancing, stretching and relaxation
postures. For more information, click on Yoga Zone: Postures for Pregnancy. Colette Crawford, R.N. and certified
Iyengar teacher also has a series of yoga tapes directed toward women, including
prenatal, postnatal and women's health, including Yoga for Pregnancy Labor & Birth
and Postnatal Yoga with Colette Crawford.
These tapes are well-liked by viewers although occasionally production values
have been a concern. A newer video, Yoga Journal's Postnatal Yoga,
gives mothers a variety of routines for various stages of
post-partum. It is led by respected yoga teacher Shiva Rea and is
highly recommended by mothers who have used it.
Experienced
yoga teacher Rosalind Widdowson has written a book called Yoga for Pregnancy,
which divides the yoga programs and modifications into the three trimesters.
All the directions are accompanied by clear step-by-step photographs.
Precautions for
Exercise during Pregnancy
Every woman's
pregnancy is unique, and as such each expectant mother should
discuss her exercise program with her health care provider.
However, the following is a summary of the general guidelines
which were created by the American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists (Technical Bulletin, No. 189, February, 1994) on
exercise during pregnancy.
1. During pregnancy,
women can continue their mild-to-moderate exercise routines;
optimally exercising at least three days a week.
2. Pregnant women
should not exercise in the supine position (flat on their back)
after the first trimester, due to a possible decrease blood flow
to the uterus. Additionally, they should not stand
motionless for long periods of time.
3. Pregnant women have
less oxygen available for aerobic exercise during pregnancy, so
they should modify the intensity of their routine
accordingly. They should stop exercising when fatigued, and
not exercise to exhaustion. While they might be able to
continue weight-bearing exercise at close to their usual intensity
throughout their pregnancy, non-weight bearing exercises such as
cycling or swimming are easier to continue and have a lower risk
of injury.
4. Pregnant women
should use caution not to do any exercises that could cause them
to lose their balance (especially in the third trimester) and they
should avoid any risk of even mild abdominal trauma.
5. Pregnant
women require an additional 300 calories per day, so they need to
take this into consideration when exercising.
6. During the first
trimester pregnant women should make sure that they stay cool
during exercise, stay hydrated, wear cool clothing, and do not
work out in too hot of an environment (author's note: these
precautions are wise to follow in all trimesters, but are
particularly critical in the first trimester).
7. After giving birth,
women should resume their pre-pregnancy exercise routine gradually,
based on their own capacity.
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Prenatal Yoga Exercise
