Yoga and Pregnancy: What poses should you actually avoid?

Pregnancy is a fascinating time. So many changes are occurring within the body, and symptoms can vary from person to person. It can be a lot to adapt to. Unfortunately, there is an overwhelming amount of information out there, and it’s hard to sort through the facts and what information just comes from a lack of research (which is a lot).

Recently, I Googled whether I could have chicory root in a caffeine-free latte. The first article warned against it entirely, while another touted its benefits for pregnancy. It’s confounding.

Now, as a pregnant yoga teacher, I jumped at the opportunity to become certified in prenatal yoga. I know this is an area of uncertainty that extends to the yoga mat. Even seasoned students may wonder what’s safe or risky as their bodies change. Here, I’ll break down the adjustments you might consider in your practice, explaining what to avoid and why. I hope this information makes you feel confident continuing your yoga journey with your growing baby!

Things to Keep in Mind

While we’ll discuss what to avoid in yoga during pregnancy, it’s just as important to highlight its many benefits. Ideally, you will continue a yoga practice since it has been proven to help during all three trimesters, labor, and recovery.

Benefits include:

· Reducing stress and aiding in restful sleep.

· Stimulating healthy blood circulation.

· Strengthening the uterus and pelvic floor while connecting more deeply with these areas.

· Building core and alleviating back pain.

· Enhancing strength, endurance, and flexibility- key for labor and delivery.

Individual Differences

Another important detail to be mindful of is that everyone’s body and pregnancy will be unique. What feels comfortable for some may not work for others, and your level of yoga experience can also influence your practice. For beginners, adding a prenatal yoga routine is perfectly safe, but your strength and alignment may take time to develop, so be patient with yourself.

Advanced practitioners, on the other hand, may face symptoms like nausea, sciatic nerve pain, and/or fatigue that affect their practice. While these can pose physical and mental challenges, it’s important to meet yourself where you’re at. There are plenty of adjustments that can be made for most poses to make them accessible for this season of life!

Consulting a Doctor

Finally, always consult with your doctor or midwife before introducing any new routine, or if you’re feeling unsure. They are your go-to resource for personalized guidance on your pregnancy journey.

The First Trimester

During your first trimester, most postures will still be accessible, but it’s essential to listen to your body and consult your healthcare provider.

Energy Levels & Movements: Your practice and frequency might shift due to lower energy levels and symptoms like nausea. Although yoga can help relieve nausea, move slowly, especially when transitioning into poses that lower your head below your heart.

Breathwork Adjustments: Avoid holding your breath during practice, even when you’re in a relaxed state. If mom is breathing, baby is breathing. Be cautious with pranayama techniques, such as Box Breathing or 4-7-8 breathing. When teaching 4-7-8 breathing in my restorative classes, I adjust for my pregnant student by removing the breath hold. Instead, I cue an inhale for 4 counts and an exhale for 6 or 7 counts- depending on comfort. This modification still provides the aiming effects and connection to breath. Feel free to adapt breath work on your own or discuss adjustments with your teacher.

Relaxin & Overstretching: Relaxin is a hormone that increases flexibility in ligaments and muscles but may cause instability, especially in the pelvis and hips. This hormone peaks at the end of the first trimester and levels off for the remainder of pregnancy. Be mindful not to overstretch, as this can lead to joint or connective tissue injuries. Even poses that once felt effortless might lead to unintentional overstretching. Using props like blocks and boosters can help you access stretches without overextending.

Avoiding Hot Yoga: Hot yoga poses risks during pregnancy, particularly in the first trimester.

It raises core temperature, which may increase the risk of neural tube defects.
Pregnant individuals are more prone to overheating, leading to symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and fainting.
Relaxed muscles in heated settings, combined with hormonal changes, may encourage overstretching and increase injury risk.
The body’s increased need to sweat during hot yoga adds stress to both mom and baby, elevating heart rate and blood pressure and potentially causing dehydration.

Second Trimester

The second trimester often brings significant changes, so you may need to adjust your practice continuously. What feels good in week 20 may feel very different by week 26. Be intentional about tuning in to your body and be ready to adapt.

Prone Poses

Lying face down places excessive pressure on your belly. Even if you’re not showing much yet, your growing baby is shifting things internally, and prone poses can feel uncomfortable.

Avoid: Postures like Locust, Bow, and Cobra.
Options: Try Upward Facing Dog (which is also a backbend, we’ll go over that in more detail later) with a blanket or bolster under your hips for support. You can also use blocks under your hands or practice the pose against a wall for added lift.

Deep Twists

Twists create a lot of compression in your midsection, which isn’t ideal for you and your baby.

Avoid: Poses like Half Lord of the Fishes, Revolved Side Angle, and Revolved Chair Pose.
Options:
- Opt for loose twists, sitting up tall and leaning back slightly to create space in your midsection. Keep baby forward and twist from just above your bra strap.
- For supine twists, use a block or bolster under your knees to reduce depth.. Lower your knees away from your chest to allow more space.
- In place of Revolved Side Angle, keep your arms open and place your lower hand on a block while keeping any additional space needed between your front hand and foot. This creates less restriction in the midsection.

Crunching Movements

Like twists, crunching compresses your midsection and should be avoided.

Avoid: This includes movements like Down Dog Crunches, Boat Pose, and Yogi Bicycle.
Options: Try movements like Alternating Bird Dogs, Dead Bugs (with breaks to avoid lying on your back for over a minute), Reverse Table, or Plank.

Deep Backbends

Backbends can exert too much pressure on your abdomen, increasing the risk of diastasis recti and lower back injuries.

Avoid poses like Camel and Wheel.

Options:
- Stack blocks behind you in Camel to support your hands and prevent going too deep.
- Alternatively, lie with a block placed between your shoulder blades, arms open to the sides, for a gentle back stretch.

Forward Fold

With the new lack of space in your midsection, forward folds will feel restrictive.

Avoid: Standing and Seated Forward Folds.

Options

Options: Widen your stance for both standing and seated variations to make space for your baby. Bend your knees as needed and use blocks to bring the floor up to you in standing folds. In seated folds, rest your forearms or forehead on a block for support.

Third Trimester

As you approach labor, the third trimester is a time to listen to your body. Movements may become more restricted, and areas of sensitivity may need extra care.

Supine Postures

Lying on your back for extended periods during pregnancy places pressure on the major blood vessels, which can affect circulation.

Avoid: Postures like Savasana, Happy Baby, and Reclined Bound Ankle.
Options:
- For Savasana, prop a bolster on blocks for an incline variation, or opt for a side-lying Savasana.
- Replace Happy Baby and Recline Bound Ankle with a seated Bound Ankle. Sitting on the edge of a blanket provides additional support.

Single Leg Balance Postures

Single-leg balancing poses become increasingly challenging as your center of gravity shifts and joint instability increases. You may choose to eliminate balancing poses earlier in your pregnancy, but throughout, there are plenty of options.

Avoid: Poses like Warrior III, Tree Pose, and Balancing Figure Four.
Options:
- Use a wall or chair for additional support during balancing postures.
- In Warrior III, place blocks on their highest setting to support your hands while extending your leg back.
- In Tree Pose, keep your hands on your hips and place the heel of one foot to the inside of the opposite ankle for a more stable variation.

Some Inversions

Poses where the head is lower than the heart may be safe earlier in pregnancy if you practiced them confidently beforehand and have proper alignment (I still recommend doing these poses near a wall just in case). However, by the third trimester, they should generally be avoided due to changes in center of gravity, stability, and blood pressure.

Some inversions are perfectly safe to do through all three stages of pregnancy unless told otherwise by your healthcare provider. They will be listed below as options.

Avoid: Headstands, handstands, shoulder stands, and forearm balances.
Option:
- Legs up the wall or Waterfall with a block or bolster under your hips for support.
- Downward-Facing Dog is generally safe to be included in your practice.
- In place of a forearm balance, try Dolphin pose with your knees propped up on a chair or couch. Be sure to keep a straight spine.

Final Thoughts

There’s no denying that pregnancy changes many things, and our yoga practice is no exception. Despite the changes, staying consistent with your practice may be more important than ever in this season of life. The mental and physical strength, flexibility, and endurance gained from yoga will support you through all three trimesters, labor, and recovery.

Knowing which postures to continue and which to adjust is key to maintaining a safe and fulfilling practice. I hope this article has provided insight to help you tailor your practice to your unique journey. Always listen to your body, celebrate transformation, and continue to flow with confidence!

Your yoga mat can be a place of strength, connection, and calm for both you and your baby. Embrace the changes and cherish this unique journey.