Everybody has a different pregnancy, but like many moms, I found prenatal and postnatal Yoga to be very helpful. I loved going to Yoga when I was pregnant. It really helped with all the changes in my life both physical and emotional.

The 1st trimester you rest a lot until your body gets used to all the changes. Like many, your energy level can be very low in the first three months. The days you aren’t feeling that great, practice with a lot of props using blocks and pillows even chairs, and mostly breath work (pranayama). This is a good time to learn to take care of yourself, take walks, eat healthy, read books, etc.

The 2nd trimester is the most fun, because you usually feel better and certain hormones that your body produces make you more flexible. This is a great time to do standing poses (asanas) to strengthen your legs and inner thighs muscles. It’s also wise to strengthen your entire body because labor and babies require a lot of strength and endurance. Doing even gentle to medium level activity in the long run is better for moms. You have to be careful though to listen to yourself and not go to far. Pregnancy increases our intuition, which helps us know what to do and what not to do. This is a good time to take a lot of walks, maybe use gentle hand weights to strengthen your arm muscles, do Yoga with a teacher and even some breath work and stretches at home. Even if you do 15-30 mins a day, it all helps you feel better. This is the time to decide what kind of birth you want. We are all capable of natural birth; it’s the most beautiful thing a woman can do. But know all your options and be prepared for all complications. Don’t be hard on yourself if you must have a c-section. Do what’s best for you and your baby.

The 3rd trimester is exciting! Only a little while left until you get to meet your baby. Your baby is growing inside of you and you can feel the little being more and more each day. Talk to other moms about their birth stories. Don’t be scared of the “horror” stories. If you prepare yourself mentally and physically, then you go into labor more aware and more at ease. Still take walks but perhaps shorter ones because you will probably have to use the restrooms a lot more often and you will get tired easier as your baby gets bigger in your belly. This is a good time to do gentle stretches and asanas. It’s also a good time to work with a partner maybe the daddy or a friend on relaxation techniques for labor. These techniques include massage, propped postures, chanting, and breath work.

Cemre’s Prenatal Yoga Classes

Ask your doctor about Yoga because everyone is different and every pregnancy is different. If you are healthy and you have practiced Yoga before you can start when you wish. But for other moms-to-be it’s smarter to come to classes after the first trimester is over. Give your body and mind some time to adjust to all the changes.

We must be careful with ourselves during pregnancy. Pregnancy increases your intuition; use it to help you decide what’s best for you and your baby. Asanas (yoga postures) strengthen the body and increase endurance. Pranayama (breath work) help us increase our lung capacity and are used in relaxation techniques.

Prenatal Yoga classes are a great place to practice Yoga with other moms-to-be. You can learn a lot from each other and be comforted by one another. We practice at a gentle to medium intensity. If needed we use props such as pillows and blankets to help us ease into postures. We do pregnancy specific exercises as well as pregnancy safe asanas. You learn relaxation techniques such as massage, propped postures, chanting and breath work. My intention is to prepare my students both mentally and physically for labor and beyond.

Prenatal Yoga
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