Prenatal Yoga
Single Rental: $12
Lisa’s Prenatal Yoga Class is great for any trimester!
She takes students through various lunges, squats, breath, and side lying movements to strengthen, support, and calm the body and mind. This class will also offer many modifications to the traditional yoga poses.
2nd Story is working to add back Prenatal Classes in the New Year.
In the meantime, we wanted to offer women some modifications if they were to take a non prenatal yoga class. We do not recommend taking a Pilates class unless it is specifically for prenatal women, but a non prenatal Yoga class can be ok if you know the right modifications and move at your own pace. Some of our slower paced classes like Yoga Foundations, Yin Yoga, or Bhakti Yoga may feel more appropriate for prenatal women outside of a prenatal class. If you don’t know the teacher, we recommend signing in 5min early so you can talk with the teacher.
It is important to keep in mind that a non prenatal class is always going to have something that a prenatal women shouldn’t do. If you are pregnant and do not already have a regular yoga practice, we ask that you use caution before signing up to take a class that is not specifically for pregnant people. A pregnant body releases hormones that loosen muscles, joints and ligaments. If asana adjustments are not done correctly for the pregnant body while in a mainstream yoga class, injuries can occur for the pregnant body. Always consult with your physician prior to participating in any one of our classes to make sure you are in good physical health.
We ask you to be mindful of the poses being asked of students and to modify and/or not do a pose that doesn’t feel right. Especially for On Demand classes, where the student is unable to tell the teacher that she is pregnant. The most important thing is always to listen to how you feel. If you have any questions about modifications for yoga during your pregnancy please reach out to us.
General modification and tips for your practice!
Make Space for Baby
Avoid any positions that compress the belly. This might mean blocks under hands in a forward fold or lunge. This also may mean to take a wider stance with your feet.
Block under the head in Child’s Pose is a great option to make space.
Avoid lying on your belly (especially after the 1st trimester)
You can try common belly positions on all fours/via table top!
Avoid Compressive Twisting
Twisting can be a confusing topic during pregnancy. What pregnant women want to avoid is a twist from the belly and closed twists. Twisting towards the front leg in a lunge can be an example of that.
Go for more open twists (away from the front leg) and think of twisting as a lengthening and opening of the chest rather than a twist in the abdomen. Think of twisting up and over the baby! Here is a nice article on twisting.
Plank/Chaturanga
Practice these poses with your knees on the floor, which will be more stable and supportive for your lower backs than practicing the poses in its traditional forms. (And it goes without saying that lowering all the way to the floor in Chaturanga should be avoided! Stick with a few well-aligned “chaturanga push-ups” instead.)
Avoid lying on your back
You will start to feel right away when lying on your back is not an option any more. However Bridge Pose can feel ok to some women. You can try placing a block under the pelvis to take some of the pressure off the sacrum and lower back.
Tips for Modifying Savasana
Practice a side-lying savasana or a propped “incline” savasana instead. For the side-lying variation, students should lie on their left sides (since the vena cava is on the right side of the body). A block, bolster, blanket, or pillow between the knees may help make this position more comfortable, and resting the head on a pillow or folded blanket, hugging a pillow bolster, or covering up with a blanket are other ways that you can make side-lying shavasana extra cozy and supportive.
You can also incline a bolster or a couple couch cushions. Place two blocks under the bolster (one at the top and one towards the bottom to create an incline). A second bolster or rolled blanket under the knees can feel especially nice here, and may help to relieve lower back discomfort.