If you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant and are curious about how your pregnancy will shape your yoga practice - you are not alone! At the beginning of your pregnancy & before heading onto your mat (and most importantly) please consult your doctor.
I practiced Baptiste Power Yoga all the way to the day I went into labor.
I did power yoga at Container Collective Yoga in Lakewood, CO all the way up until the day I went into labor with Isaac at just shy of 41 weeks of pregnancy. It was a very creative 9ish months for my yoga practice. In this workshop I share some of the adaptations I made to being able to stay in the flow of a power yoga class at the studio without loosing integrity of what was healthy for my body during that time.
Before acting on any of the information I share on this page, please, please, please talk with your doctor and follow their recommendations. I am simply sharing from my own experiences.
Below are some common questions pregnant yogis develop about their practice:
Can I practice yoga in a heated studio during my pregnancy?
At our recent Prenatal Yoga Workshop a few of the mommies shared that they’ve heard Hot Yoga can be a little tricky for pregnant women. Fortunately, at Container Collective Yoga we are a Heated Yoga studio (not Hot Yoga) and only warm our yoga studio up to 85 degrees (versus 95-103 degree heat created in other Hot Yoga studios.) Your baby is sitting in a temperature of around 98 degrees so flowing through postures at 85 degrees may feel pretty comfortable for baby & you.
Are twisting poses safe for my baby & me?
Everybody's experience through this wonderful journey is going to look and feel differently. I learned to adapt my body through professional consultation, researching prenatal yoga information, and listening to my body. Twists are sometimes not recommended during the first trimester as baby is attaching properly to the womb (again, consult your doctor first.) As my baby grew my twists became shallower in order to provide room and comfort. During the second and/or third trimester try on Chair Prayer Twist with your elbow hooked on the inside of your thigh as a prenatal modification or perform the twist vertically with arms wide open.
I’m in my first trimester & feel so tired. Will I gain the energy to return to my yoga mat?
As I experienced, I was able to participate in my practice in a much more easeful way than I could in my first trimester. I felt very tired during the first trimester. If you are currently experiencing lack of energy in your pregnancy or would like to mentally prepare for that possibility there is good news! Modify, modify, modify. Instead of pushing your shifting body through a full 60 minutes yoga practice take a 20 minute savasana at the end of the practice. Remember, 10-40 minutes of yoga practice is better than none at all and a little bit of nap time at the end of practice can be a real treat for a body working hard growing a tiny human. Happy pregnancy journey, yogis!
Can I practice yoga in a heated studio during my pregnancy?
At our recent Prenatal Yoga Workshop a few of the mommies shared that they’ve heard Hot Yoga can be a little tricky for pregnant women. Fortunately, at Container Collective Yoga we are a Heated Yoga studio (not Hot Yoga) and only warm our yoga studio up to 85 degrees (versus 95-103 degree heat created in other Hot Yoga studios.) Your baby is sitting in a temperature of around 98 degrees so flowing through postures at 85 degrees may feel pretty comfortable for baby & you.
Are twisting poses safe for my baby & me?
Everybody's experience through this wonderful journey is going to look and feel differently. I learned to adapt my body through professional consultation, researching prenatal yoga information, and listening to my body. Twists are sometimes not recommended during the first trimester as baby is attaching properly to the womb (again, consult your doctor first.) As my baby grew my twists became shallower in order to provide room and comfort. During the second and/or third trimester try on Chair Prayer Twist with your elbow hooked on the inside of your thigh as a prenatal modification or perform the twist vertically with arms wide open.
I’m in my first trimester & feel so tired. Will I gain the energy to return to my yoga mat?
As I experienced, I was able to participate in my practice in a much more easeful way than I could in my first trimester. I felt very tired during the first trimester. If you are currently experiencing lack of energy in your pregnancy or would like to mentally prepare for that possibility there is good news! Modify, modify, modify. Instead of pushing your shifting body through a full 60 minutes yoga practice take a 20 minute savasana at the end of the practice. Remember, 10-40 minutes of yoga practice is better than none at all and a little bit of nap time at the end of practice can be a real treat for a body working hard growing a tiny human. Happy pregnancy journey, yogis!