Can I Do Yoga Teacher Training if Pregnant?
If you are expecting, you may wonder, ‘Can I do yoga teacher training is I’m pregnant?’ This is an important question and should be addressed since the safe delivery of your baby and your ongoing health as a mother needs to be insured. In theory, you can learn everything you would need to know about yoga from observation, and very little actual practice of asana, but there are things you cannot do as your baby develops and your pregnancy advances in stages.
The following are asana and yoga practices that should not be done if you are pregnant:
- Generally, you should be careful not to overstretch. That this is advice for all yoga students, even those who are not pregnant, it is especially so for those who are. When you become pregnant the body immediately starts to produce a hormone called relaxin. It isn’t a made up name – and it does exactly what it sounds like it would do. It starts to allow bones and ligaments to shift and soften to accommodate the birthing of a baby. If you do too much yoga, you can over stretch muscles already loosened by this hormone and cause an injury.
- Twisting asana, like Matsyendrasana or Supta Matsyendrasana in later stages of pregnancy can put pressure on the internal organs, which normally is good and helps to increase digestive fire and reduce toxic build up in the organs, but while pregnant, this extra pressure is also exerted on the uterus which is not good for a developing fetus.
- Jumping or fast movements can cause an egg to become dislodged from the uterus and cause an early pregnancy to be affected negatively.
- Certain pranayama should be avoided because they can even bring on premature labor or Braxton hicks contractions in advanced stages of pregnancy. Fast breathing should be avoided, instead practice alternate nostril breathing or deep yogic breathing which will help you to remain calm and centered when you are experiencing contractions in labor.
- You shouldn’t be trying to strengthen the abs while pregnant. The belly muscles need to soften to allow for the stretching of the skin and the growing baby to more easily reside in your belly without causing you undue discomfort.
- You should not be practicing hot yoga if you are pregnant. Raising the body’s temperature too much while you are expecting can be dangerous for you and the baby. A hot yoga teacher certification is out of the question while you are pregnant.
- As your pregnancy advances, you will naturally want to slow down. Carrying the extra weight of a baby and the numerous hormonal changes that the body has to go through in order to prepare you for birth can cause fatigue. You should honor your body’s need to take it easy, rest often and avoid strenuous yoga practices like Ashtanga or Vinyasa Flow yoga, which are more cardiovascular. Practice gentle, restorative, or prenatal yoga instead.
- Inversions are not always recommended during pregnancy. There have been eight-month pregnant women doing headstands in yoga classes, but it is not wise for some women. You should take it easy and not chance an injury while you are far along in your pregnancy. If you must practice an inversion, use a wall for safety. If you experience heaviness in your pelvis or difficulty breathing you should discontinue practicing inversions. Geeta Iyengar actually states that inversions can be practiced by seasoned yogis up until the third trimester to relive venous pressure in the legs and to help make more room for the baby in the pelvic, but you can also practice more simple inversions like Vipareet Karani or legs up the wall.
Ideally you would only get a yoga teacher certification when you can practice all the asana and pranayama practices yourself. If you are interested in becoming certified while you are pregnant, why not try a prenatal yoga certification. You are likely to take the teachings to heart since you are a mother-to-be yourself.
Other Yoga articles you might like:
Homepage
Yoga Teachers Training
