Childbirth and Midwifery

Yoga and Pregnancy

Justine A. Lemos

Just after I completed my 200-hour training as a Kundalini yoga teacher, a friend of mine asked me to substitute for her at a local yoga studio. The class met at 8pm on Fridays and usually only a small crowd, three or four students, attended the evening class. I don't usually think of Coyote, the archetypal trickster, as associated with yogic practices, but the evening I substituted, he ruled the roost. This class, one of the first I taught, had almost thirty students in attendance, and included every possible student- neophyte yogis mixed with advanced students, students with injuries, feisty students, families with small children in tow, and a pregnant woman who had never tried yoga. I took a deep yogic breath and tried to remain calm and serene- I mean really, one simply can't trust a stressed out yoga teacher.

The class moved along smoothly and, with a few basic pointers, the pregnant mother joined in without difficulty. Luckily, my yoga teacher training spent a good deal of time focused on the special needs of pregnant women. Different yoga styles have different specifications for what is an appropriate yogic practice for pregnant women. I always encourage pregnant women to find a yoga class specifically for pregnancy, but if none is available in their area, they can join a regular class, so long as they take some simple precautions. Any good yoga teacher will know what a pregnant woman should and should not do during pregnancy, but these are some simple guidelines that will have moms-to-be updog-ing and downdog-ing with the best.

Pregnant women should avoid all poses performed lying on the stomach or, after the fourth month on the back. Women should perform Shivasana (relaxing on the back) lying on their side. Likewise, most inversions, such as headstand and shoulder stand are best avoided during pregnancy. If a teacher gives these asanas (postures) during class, the woman may sit meditatively in a cross-leg position and perform long deep abdominal breaths.

Pregnant women should also avoid agni pranyam (breath of fire), instead use long deep breathing or "O" breath (breathing in and out of an "O" shaped mouth. Pregnant women may also like to try sitali breath (inhale through a rolled tongue and exhale through the nose). This is a cooling, calming breath. Pregnant women may also enjoy chanting, meditating, breathing, and gentle, restorative, yoga.

Standing poses, balances and squats are excellent preparation for birth. Women may practice any poses such as mountain (Tadasana), Tree (Vrksasana), Warrior (Virabhadrasana) or Chair (Utkatasana) until the last two weeks of the third trimester. It is important, however, for a woman to remember not to over-exert herself while she is pregnant.

One Kundalini yoga exercise that Yogi Bhajan (the founder of Kundalini yoga) recommended for pregnancy is Charn Japa, a walking meditation for couples. To perform this meditation, the couple walks up to five miles holding hands chanting "Sat Nam" (Truth is my name) with the left step and "Wahe Guru" (The ecstasy of the infinite universe) with the right step. A wonderful Kundalini yoga resource for pregnant women is a book by Gurmukh titled "Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful." In it, women will find meditations and exercises for every stage of pregnancy, birth, developing intimacy with their partner, generating prosperity and more.

Post-partum yoga is also beneficial and helps pregnant women strengthen their abdominals and navel center. Post-partum yoga allows a new mother to reform and strengthen her identity as separate from her child. Parent and baby yoga classes are also a wonderful way to expose a child to yoga and for a parent to continue with their practice. An excellent resource for baby yoga is titled "Itzy-Bitzy Yoga." In this book parents will find wonderful exercises for the smallest yogis and yoginis.