How to Use Yoga for Pregnant Athletes — Trimester Practice Plans

ERIN’S GUIDE FOR HOW TO USE

YOGA FOR PREGNANT ATHLETES

Welcome to the ultimate endurance event: Motherhood.

Okay, so you’re pregnant and you’re ready to use yoga! But how? Each prenatal video description notes when to do the routine: “whenever you have the energy.” While it’s great to set goals around staying active during pregnancy and maintaining strength is super important, planning a rigid workout schedule is a trap because you have no control over how you will feel day to day. The point it is to enjoy your ability to do something active that’s relevant to what your body is going through — when you’re really up for it — rather than forcing yourself through a rigid routine when you don't have the gas. The videos are intentionally efficient (5–25 minutes) so that they're (hopefully) manageable to do amid everything else you have going on and create a real break for you to connect to yourself and your baby, rather than becoming another thing on your to do list.

That being said, here’s some ideas for how to incorporate these routines throughout your pregnancy. This is essentially the advice I gave myself during my two (very different) pregnancies, but it's so different for every woman — the most important thing is to listen to your body and be willing to accept where you're at and respond accordingly. Trust your body and trust your baby.

Before you start using the videos, (and like any exercise during pregnancy) talk with your doctor about any concerns you have.

Use Breath Support for Pregnancy to familiarize with breathing techniques before you try the other routines, and use it ongoing as needed to reconnect to and amplify your breath.

1st Trimester — Nausea and extreme fatigue are super common, especially in the early days. Rather than holding tight to your current workout schedule, give yourself permission to rest! Use meditation to help you shift gears mentally, and gentle movement to help ease nausea. Quick Reset for Preggos is a great one for helping you to connect to your baby in the early days of pregnancy. Consider anything else you do a bonus!

2nd Trimester — Now's a great time to focus on staying strong — you'll need your strength to manage the added weight, endure labor, and repair and cope on the other side. When you have the energy, focus on maintaining back strength to support optimal posture, and pelvic floor, hip, and glute strength to support your pelvis as your baby grows. 

3rd Trimester — Now more than ever is the time to slow down and rest. The final months of pregnancy can be particularly uncomfortable as your baby compresses your internal organs and it gets harder to carry around the additional weight — not to mention breathe! Focus on staying fluid, making space for baby (and you!), and resting. If you're feeling really good, the strength or squat video 1–2 x week is an added bonus.

We'd love to hear how you’re using the prenatal videos to find more balance throughout your pregnancy — share with #athletesforyoga!

And remember, mamas: You are doing great.

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