Yoga In Pregnancy & Postpartum: Safety Guidelines & Our Top Poses

It’s international yoga week, mamas! To inspire you to get out there to try some yoga, we’re sharing everything you need to know about yoga during pregnancy and postpartum, plus our top 3 yoga poses you can do during both. Let’s get straight into it!

What to know before doing yoga during pregnancy & postpartum:

Chat with your doctor: It's always a good idea to talk about your planned exercise routine at your first prenatal appointment & your postnatal check-up — just so you can discuss any pre-existing conditions or complications that might impact your workouts.
Make sure your instructor knows you are pregnant or postpartum: If you go to yoga classes (or any workout class!) let your instructor know what stage you’re in and is trained in pre/postnatal yoga.
Remember relaxin! That lovely little hormone that makes your ligaments loosey-goosey so baby has room to grow also makes you more prone to over-stretching and potential injury – Keep any stretches to 90% capacity or less to avoid this. Relaxin also stays in your body for up to 12 months after birth – so this applies to postpartum too!
Stay hydrated! Water, water, water. During any exercise, you'll want a bottle of water on hand to stay hydrated. This is just as true for your yoga practice.
Comfort is key: Make sure you feel comfortable and well-balanced through all of your flows and poses. If anything hurts or makes you feel dizzy or off-balance, stop right away.

Yoga guidelines for each trimester

These guidelines will differ slightly depending on your previous yoga experience, so that's important to keep in mind and speak to your doctor or instructor about any worries you have. But here are some general guidelines you should consider when practicing yoga during pregnancy and postpartum:

1st trimester yoga guidelines:

If your pregnancy is considered non-complicated you can usually continue with your usual yoga routine during your 1st trimester. Just remember that Hot Yoga/Bikram is never advised during pregnancy.

2nd trimester yoga guidelines:

In the 2nd trimester, it’s important to avoid intense core work, deep backbends, deep twists, and inversions. You should also avoid any pose that requires lying flat on your front, or flat on your back for an extended period of time. Be sure to watch for doming/coning at the midline in any pose as it can be an indication that there is too much pressure on the abdominal wall.

3rd trimester yoga guidelines:

All the same guidelines as the 2nd trimester still apply as you enter your 3rd trimester! Your growing bump may restrict some of the poses, so you may have to make modifications to find a comfortable position.

4th trimester yoga guidelines:

Guidelines for the 4th trimester (typically the first 12 weeks after birth) depend on the individual. The postnatal stage should be treated as rehab whether you had a straightforward birth or not - so strip your yoga routine back to basics for at least the first 3 months.

If you have diastasis recti, you should continue to avoid deep twists and intense abdominal work until you have good tension across the midline. Our CEO and Founder, Melinda Nicci, is breaking down What Diastasis Recti is & how to tell if you have it in our Youtube series — so be sure to check it out!

3 simple yoga poses suitable for pregnancy and postpartum

1. Downward Dog

How to do downward dog:

Come to an all-fours position with your wrists below your shoulders and your knees below your hips. Push back through your hands to lift your hips and straighten your legs. Be sure to engage your quads to take some of the weight off your arms!

Doing Downward Dog in pregnancy:

A recent study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology found that this pose is well tolerated and deemed safe during pregnancy when done properly and under observation. It encourages blood flow to the brain, improving moods and relieving mild depressive feelings. Plus it can release tension in the lower back by elongating the spine.

Doing Downward Dog in postpartum:

Downward Dog may feel a bit different postpartum as your glutes and hamstrings have likely tightened from balancing your baby bump during pregnancy. Start with your heels lifted and focus on getting into a comfortable, sustainable position. Slowly shift your weight between each foot, and if you want to add a little extra stretch for your calf muscles, bicycle (peddle) your feet back and forth.

In postpartum, downward dog is great for strengthening your arms, shoulders, and back, increasing blood flow to the brain, boosting mood, and decreasing anxiety!

2. Wide-Legged Child's Pose

How to do the wide-legged child's pose:

Spread your knees while keeping your toes together so that your legs form a "V" shape. Lower your chest to the floor, press your forehead toward the mat, and extend your arms while spreading your fingers.

Doing the wide-legged child's pose in pregnancy:

The wide-legged child’s pose is a great modification of the traditional child’s pose that makes room for your growing bump. This pose is great to work on breathing control during rest periods, which proves helpful once labor contractions kick in! It will also help open up your hips and stretch your back, and this extended position is good for opening the chest as well.

Doing the wide-legged child's pose in postpartum:

During postpartum, the wide-legged child's pose will help release any neck, upper back, and chest pains or tightness you may have. It can also help loosen up stiff your hips whilst gently stretching glutes and lower back pain.

You can also try adding kegels into your wide-legged child’s pose! When you’re comfortable in your position, contract the muscles you'd use to "hold it": squeeze for 5, hold for 5, then release for 5. Repeat this 5-8 times.

3. Cat/Cow Pose

How to do cat/cow pose:

Starting on all fours, on an inhale, drop your belly while lifting your chest and shoulders — this is cow pose. When you exhale, draw your belly button into your spine and round your back, pulling your tummy upward into cat pose.

Doing cat/cow in pregnancy:

Gentle rocking in this position can help relieve any light back pain you may experience during pregnancy – a common symptom as baby grows and puts pressure on your back.

Doing cat/cow in postpartum:

In postpartum, cat/cow poses are beneficial for regaining good posture and balance, it increases spinal strength and flexibility. This pose is also known for helping to create emotional balance!

Note: If you're suffering from diastasis recti, skip the cow part of this exercise. Instead, switch between tabletop and cat, being sure to breathe through each movement. Even if your abs are intact, be careful to not overstretch your abdomen during cow pose--we want to strengthen your core muscles, not overextend them!

Have a question about pre or postnatal yoga? Leave it in the comments!