Short and Sweet Advice for Prenatal Yogis

Photo courtesy of Donamari D'Andrea
of Capture Fotography

I was recently asked what are the most important things to know about doing yoga while pregnant. Here is my simple answer:

1. Listen to your body and only do poses that feel good for you TODAY.

2. Don't overstretch! Your body has the hormone relaxin in it that is lubricating all of your joints and connective tissue. Overstretching can cause imbalance and injury.

3. BREATHE! Your breath is your guide and your connection to your body and your baby. Always make sure you are breathing steadily and deeply and never sacrifice the breath for a pose.

4. Be kind to yourself and enjoy your pregnant body. Think about your body as the home for your baby for this short, magical 9 months and send love to your baby AND its home. You may not be able to do all of the poses you could do pre-pregnancy but instead of thinking about this as a limitation, think about this time as a chance to explore different parts of your practice. Notice how good it feels to create space in your body for your growing baby and to move and breathe with him or her.