Your Guide to Safe Yoga Poses in Pregnancy

4/11/2022

Pregnant women have a lot to think and dream about.
From tracking how baby grows every week, to creating your perfect nursery, there’s so many special moments you'll experience in every stage of pregnancy.

But like many women you also may be wondering what are some health and exercise routines you can safely add to your daily regimen now that you're pregnant? What yoga poses are safe to do in pregnancy? You want to make smart healthy choices, but you don’t want to start anything that may be harmful to you or your baby.

Prenatal Yoga is a one safe practice that keeps you moving, while helping you connect with your baby and prepare for labour. Below we’ve created a quick guide on nine safe yoga poses, three for each trimester

Safe Yoga Posses For Your First Trimester

The Easy Pose

The Easy pose is all about connection. A safe yoga pose to do in your first trimester, you’ll begin by finding a comfortable seat and gently bring one hand to your heart and the other to baby. Grow tall through your spine and start to breathe. Let every inhale fill your belly, making space for your little one. With every exhale, draw baby up into a cozy abdominal hug. This is the perfect time to contemplate a special wish or intention for your pregnancy journey. Continue for 5-10 breaths.

Pose Tip: Get comfy! Sitting on a bolster or block will keep your hips comfortable and relaxed so you can focus on connecting with your baby and enjoying the moment.

Cat/Cow Pose

Cat/Cow is a favourite warm-up posture, which promotes spinal mobility while gently working core strength. Begin with a neutral spine, palms beneath shoulders and knees beneath hips. On an exhale, curl your spine into Cat pose, drawing Baby in & up as you drop your gaze to your belly. Really empty your lungs before your next energizing inhale! As you breathe in, return to a long neutral spine. Continue for 5-10 breaths.

Pose Tip: Go Easy. Many women experience lower backache as their growing bump may cause them to sway their spine throughout the day. Make a conscious effort not to exaggerate the arch of your “cow” pose, and instead focus on a strong neutral spine position.

Low Lunge

Open your hips and lengthen your thighs with a low lunge pose. Beginning in Tabletop, step your left leg to the outer edge of your left hand. Inhale to sweep both arms up, fingers extending towards the ceiling. As you exhale, focus on lifting through the crown of your head and sliding your shoulder blades down your back to create a nice long neck. Be sure to draw baby in & up throughout the pose in order to protect your lower back from over-arching. Hold for 3-5 breaths, then repeat on the other side.

Pose Tip: To focus on strengthening rather than stretching, vary this pose by simply lifting the knee to straighten the lower leg for a High Lunge.

Safe Yoga Posses For Your Second Trimester

Warrior II

Alright mama, you made it through the first trimester. You've earned warrior status.
Use Warrior II to build strength and endurance by firing-up your legs and arms! Standing at the top of your mat, step your left foot backwards into a wide stance. Your right toes point forward while your left toes point to the side of your mat. Bend deeply into your right knee and grow wide through your chest as you reach your arms towards either end of your mat. Direct your gaze over your right fingertips, breathing deeply for 5-6 cycles of breath. Repeat on the left side.

Pose Tip: Invite some movement into Warrior II by straightening both legs and sweeping your arms overhead on your inhale. Then exhale as you re-bend the right leg and return your arms to shoulder height.

Tree Pose

Including Tree Pose in your regular practice encourages stability and balance which is especially important as your baby's growth changes your centre of gravity week by week. Standing at the top of your mat, bend your right knee and position the sole of your right foot along the inner seam of your supporting leg. Position your arms in a way that helps you feel most stable, whether reaching towards the ceiling or in a prayer. For an added challenge, experiment with closing you eyes for a moment or two {have a chair or wall nearby in the event you need extra support with balance}. Enjoy 5-6 cycles of breath before repeating on the other side.

Pose Tip: There's power in words. Add a simple meditation to your Tree Pose by contemplating the following mantra: “Mother Earth is wise and my roots run deep.” Know that just as nature is wise, so is your body Mama!

Pigeon

Pigeon is often found towards the end of practice, when your body is warm and your mind is ready to face the challenge of resting in this intense stretch. A safe yoga pose to do in your second trimester, sit on a bolster or pillow, swing your left leg behind you, extending your toes towards the back of your mat. Your front leg should run roughly parallel with the top edge of your mat. Inhale, finding length through your spine before you exhale to bow your chest forward. Find complete relaxation in your upper body by resting your chest and forehead on several blocks or pillows, making sure to leave enough room for baby. Enjoy 7-8 cycles of breath before repeating on the other side.

Pose Tip: Take care of your hips! Many yogis believe negative energy can accumulate in the hips over time. Without judgment, notice how your thoughts and feelings are influenced by the deep stretch.

Safe Yoga Posses For Your Third Trimester

Goddess

In case you haven't noticed by now, your body is an absolute wonder. Congratulations beautiful, you're in the final stretch!
And while the final months of pregnancy feel anything but divine, a little time spent in Goddess Pose helps you build strength, challenge your mind, and open your hips. Step your feet wide along the length of your mat, toes pointing outwards. Bend your knees, making sure they don’t overpass your toes, and let gravity guide your tailbone downward. Place your arms anywhere they feel comfortable; resting on your thighs, in a prayer, or palms turned upward. Stay low in this pose for 5-7 cycles of breath, before straightening your legs and gently stepping your feet together.

Pose Tip: Bring a swaying side-to-side motion to your Goddess Pose in order to cope with the challenging stance. This movement is also a great tool to use during labor!

Bridge Pose

May we remind you, within your core lives a growing baby, a nourishing placenta, amniotic fluid...and that's on top of everything that was already there: your organs, fluids and digestive system.
In other words, your pelvis and lower back are bearing quite a load!
Bridge Pose elevates your hips, temporarily alleviating pressure in the pelvic bowl. From a lying position with fingertips reaching towards your feet, bend your legs and ground the soles of your feet close to your seat at hip-width apart. Slowly lift your hips by rolling through your spine, one vertebra at a time. Imagine your spine is creating a long line extending from your thighs all the way to your shoulders. Enjoy 3-5 cycles of breath before slowly lowering your hips back to the mat.

Pose Tip: For a more supportive version of this pose, use a block or a stack of pillows under your seat to support the weight of your hips.

Savasana (On your side)

Ready, set, rest! This side-lying version of Savasana is safe yoga pose to do in your third trimester and is a classic position for prenatal yoga practice and another great option for relaxation between contractions during labor. From a seated position, gently lower your body, coming to lie on your left side. Place a bolster or pillow in front of your hips. Keeping your left leg extended along your mat, bend your right knee and rest your leg on your prop. Place a pillow under your head and make any other small adjustments necessary before settling into stillness. Give yourself permission to relax here for 5-10 minutes.

Pose Tip: It takes two, baby! Ask your doula or birth partner to give you a massage while you rest. Be sure to let them know of any achy areas that need special attention.

A little goes a long way

Bringing a new life into the world is no easy feat. As you progress in your pregnancy your energy levels will go up and down. But it's important not to neglect your body's movement. You will need your strength, stamina, and mental clarity now more than ever. Now that you know some yoga poses that are safe to do in pregnancy, set aside a little bit of time each day to practice these poses. Commit to keeping your body in motion, while making space for you to clear your mind and just breathe.

You're processing a lot of changes over the next nine months, but remember, a happy healthy mama helps create a happy, healthy baby!