Prenatal yoga

This is yoga adapted for pregnant women. During a prenatal yoga class, we work on stretching the areas put under strain by the growing bump, strengthen the legs, the pelvic floor and the "right abdominals" to best support our baby. We favour progressive, gentle postures. 

These postures will help us relieve back problems, pregnancy-related sciatica, digestive issues, tension and anxiety… and prepare us for childbirth! It is also a moment to connect with our feelings, to relax with our baby, and to experience these months of pregnancy as peacefully as possible.

You will often be advised to start at 3 months of pregnancy, after the first scan confirming that everything is going well.

A yoga session can, in my view, be the equivalent of a workout, in terms of the physical wellbeing that is so essential to our fitness and good health, without the competitive element. Yoga postures are more or less engaging and demanding when it comes to toning, strengthening, stretching and relaxing muscles, joints, fascia… Each stage of life, each moment in the week, can correspond to a different type of yoga: Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Iyengar, Yin, Nidra… and prenatal! 

During pregnancy, it is essential to keep building strength to avoid common pregnancy discomforts (back pain, coccyx pain…) and to feel "strong" when carrying your baby with confidence and without too much effort.

To find out more on the subject, have a look at our article sport and pregnancy.

If there is a studio near you, that's great. Try it out at least two or three times until you feel more at ease.

If you have already attended a few classes, make yourself comfortable at home, light a small candle, put on some music that makes you feel good, and follow your intuition to move and stretch — standing, sitting, lying down… Trust yourself: you are best placed to know what feels good for you (both in class and at home).

There are also platforms where you can practise with good teachers via video.

If you have a high-risk pregnancy, please discuss this with your doctor beforehand.

Otherwise, I would say YES! All postures can be adapted for everyone, and above all, remember: you are entirely free to do or not do certain postures. They have different effects at each stage of pregnancy, and if something feels uncomfortable, simply set it aside for now.

There is no risk as long as you stay attuned to your body and adapt your practice accordingly. Besides, babies are far better protected than we might imagine. Some experienced yogis continue to do headstands, backbends, and other acrobatic poses throughout their pregnancy, and go on to give birth to perfectly healthy babies at full term!

Each woman has her own path, her own story, and perhaps her own fears: make the most of the yoga class to develop this inner awareness.

Do avoid postures that compress the abdomen (lying face down, twisting, etc.).

Yes, more and more studios are offering it. The postures covered in postnatal yoga are close to those of prenatal yoga and will anticipate or extend the benefits of pelvic floor and abdominal rehabilitation, while reconnecting with your confidence and strength as a woman... It is also a moment of sharing during a period that is not always easy for mothers and for which we are rarely prepared. Babies are sometimes welcome too!

I recommend « Wellbeing and motherhood » by Bernadette de Gasquet, the bible for pregnant women. Shorter and more accessible « l'attente sacrée – Yoga, maternité, naissance » by Martine Texier is great too. For the postnatal period « Mon corps après bébé » by Bernadette de Gasquet offers plenty of guidance for making the most of the first six weeks with your baby.