FAQ

Yoga throughout pregnancy  can be hugely a supportive tool and I’ve written several articles on it’s benefit (checkout my blog and the free resource hub). Ultimately staying more mobile throughout your pregnancy and cultivating a connection with your body and baby, will carry you through your pregnancy and beyond.

The World Health Organisation recommend 150 minutes of exercise a week and yoga can definitely be included as part of that. 

Exercising brings a multitude of evidence based benefits including: 

• Maintenance of weight, although we don’t want you to loose weight in pregnancy, we know that excessive weight gain can lead to a variety of complications in pregnancy and birth.

• Reduced incidence of pregnancy complications including, high blood pressure and diabetes
• Improved mood
• Better sleep
• Shorter labour times

Not only this, but yoga offers all these additional benefits:

• helping to connect to your body and your baby
• Help with symptoms of mild depression and anxiety 
• Help with common physical complaints in pregnancy such as pelvic girdle pain and sciatica
• Improved strength and flexibility
• Help to align your baby for birth
• Preparation of your body for the birthing process, giving you positions and postures you can take with you in to labour
• Improved pain scores in women that practice

Returning to exercise after the birth of your baby can often feel a little overwhelming. Yoga can provide an incredible way of reconnecting with your body after birth and having a moment of reflection in your day. In addition to the incredible emotional and mental benefits of mindful movement are the far reaching physical rehabilitation that yoga offers. Yoga is the perfect tool to help reconnect with the pelvic floor, building global strength through the body and helping with conditions such as diastasis rectus, prolapse and incontinence, in a supportive and unintimidating way.

Many yoga teachers will not allow you to join their class until after your 12 week dating scan and we haven’t really questioned this doctrine for many decades. The premise is based around the fact that sadly miscarriage is more common within the first trimester, with 25% of women going through pregnancy loss. However, it’s more the potential association women may make with yoga having caused this than any proven causal link. The evidence however is conclusive, exercise does not increase your risk of miscarriage. 

You may decide you don’t want to practice yoga within the first trimester due to feelings of nausea or tiredness, or that you’d feel more reassured to wait for your first scan before starting. These are completely valid feelings and it’s important to listen and respect what your body needs, but if you are well and wish to, you are more than welcome to practice and know that all of my classes are suitable and safe.

In short yes! There are certain things we recommend to avoid however

• Laying on your belly after 12 weeks: You are unlikely to want to as your uterus will have grown outside of your pelvis, so it will mean pressure on an area you probably want to avoid.
• Closed twists: A closed twist compresses the side we’re turning towards (normally against a leg or thigh). The main reason to avoid this is increased pressure on the pelvic organs, potentially squishing your uterus. Open (away) twists are fine. In reality we probably do these type of moments day to day and so risk of any damage is fairly minimal.
• Supine poses (laying on your back): After 20 weeks your uterus is at the level of your belly button, which is the point when your inferior vena cava forms from 2 smaller veins. This massive vessel carries blood to your heart, so when compressed by your bump, it may cause your blood pressure to drop. There’s an increased risk of still birth in women falling asleep on their back, but no proven harm from short periods of floor based movement. (Always stop if you feel something doesn’t feel right or you feel light headed or nauseous)
• Deep squats: Deep squats are great towards the end of pregnancy when you want to help your baby in to an optimal position for birth, but if you’re at risk of preterm labour, are probably best avoided from around 30-37 weeks due to a theoretical risk.

The beauty of yoga is that you can practice it any where at any time and there is no required equipment. However there may be certain things that you may want to have that may help support your practice.

Yoga mat 

If you’re new to practice, start with something basic, don’t go out and spend a fortune. Yogamatters  have affordable basic mats that have good grip and are available to buy in a whole range of colours. If you’ve been practicing for a while and want to invest, you might want something a bit more durable that has a degree of cushioning for your knees. 

We love the Manduka eko mat, which is not only nice and thick meaning no need to double up your mat or use a blanket but it’s also eco-friendly rubber, meaning it’s biodegradable and contains no nasties. You can get 10% off manduka with the code YOGADOC

Yoga props

Yoga blocks, straps and bolsters are wonderful and can support your practice, but they can be an additional investment and are bulky to store. You absolutely do not need to invest in specialist props. Have a look at these creative alternative suggestions:

Yoga Block – chunky cushion, thick book

Yoga Strap – Any kind of belt, rope or towel

Yoga bolster – Rolled up towel or blanket, two cushions stacked or pregnancy pillow

Due to infection control and Covid-19, we do not currently provide equipment during in person 1-2-1 classes.

Basically whatever feels comfortable! The key with yoga is that you’re able to move easily, so this may mean loose fitting t-shirt or trousers or perhaps some leggings or stretchy lycra sports gear. We recommend keeping a jumper and thick socks (in winter) nearby for the beginning and end of class, but would recommend you don’t wear socks during your practice.