Doing yoga during pregnancy is one of the hottest baby bump trends from the last couple of years.
Yoga itself is more popular than ever, and practising when pregnant has become a widespread activity.
There are books, online classes, videos, and real life classes designed just for pregnancy yoga.
It helps you relax, it’s great for your muscles, it keeps you in-tune with your body, and it is reported to help ease the pain of labour when the time comes.
So, it’s worth doing.
What if you just want to give it a go at home, at your own pace with no added pressure or cost?
Well, we’ve got you covered.
Here are some of our best tips to get started doing some pregnancy yoga at home.
Know What To Avoid
There are a couple of things that you should know to avoid before you start practising yoga at home.
You should avoid hot yoga classes. These are classes in which people practise yoga in a hot, sauna-like room in order to sweat more and release their muscles more. Don’t do this while you are pregnant as it could cause your blood pressure to raise too high and/or it could cause you to feel woozy and faint.
Don’t do inverted poses. This means poses where, basically, you turn yourself upside down. Avoid handstands, headstands and anything like that. You don’t want to faint or have all the blood rush to your head. You also need to minimise your risk of falling.
Take it Easy
Don’t go too quickly or move in and out of postures too quickly. You want to keep your heart rate and blood pressure as steady as possible, and you don’t want to risk feeling faint or sick.
Take things slowly, relax, and take your time.
Don’t see yoga as a competition or something where you have to manage to do all the cool poses you’ve seen people do on social media.
Use it as a time to relax and to tune into your body. Feel the experience of being pregnant, and enjoy it.
Don’t rush and don’t put yourself under too much pressure.
Listen to Your Body
The best way to know if what you are doing is “right” is to tune in and listen to your body.
If something is hurting, stop.
If something feels overextended, stop.
Yoga shouldn’t be too painful, and during pregnancy it really shouldn’t be painful at all.
Keep it slow and steady, and try and stay within your own limits.
Follow Videos and Tutorials Online
If you need some extra guidance at home, have a quick Google for online videos and tutorials teaching pregnancy yoga.
There are many channels dedicated to this topic alone, and lots of videos with routines for you to follow.
If you aren’t used to the poses or can’t come up with routines yourself, this is the easiest way to dive in and get involved.
Support Your Back and Belly
At all times, make sure your back and belly are supported.
You can use cushions, yoga blocks, or exercise balls. Don’t risk hurting yourself or your bump, and keep everything nice and comfortable.
Pregnancy yoga isn’t about crazy poses or about impressing anyone. It is all about calm, focused exercise that is good for both you and your baby. That’s all.
