Yoga is a great way to stay in shape during pregnancy. It will help you feel more relaxed, ease tension, keep muscles loose and keep the body flexible. Yoga, combined with a healthy diet, will make your pregnancy more enjoyable. At the end of your pregnancy, yoga can help ensure an easier delivery. Mastering prenatal yoga is easy, if you follow a few simple tips.

First Trimester:

During your first trimester you will want to follow these important tips:

• Do not push yourself. You may have been able to do advanced poses but during pregnancy is a time to take it slow.
• Avoid getting overheated. Do not attend hot classes and if you feel yourself becoming too hot, take a break.  A good option, if you need a break, is resting in a comfortable position or resting in the child’s pose. It is also a good idea to avoid breathing work, such as breath retention and bellow’s breath. These breathing exercising can make your body heat up quickly. During pregnancy, you will notice that your core temperature is above average without doing any exercise.
• Stay hydrated. Always have a bottle of water near you when performing prenatal yoga.
• Do not overstretch. You may feel more flexible during this part of your pregnancy, but it is important to avoid overstretching. A pose that should be avoided is the butterfly pose to prevent injury. During this pose, it is easy to overextend your muscles, especially in the pelvic region.
• During this time, you will want to focus on standing poses. These poses will help to increase circulation and strengthen the leg muscles. A few standing poses to try are the Mountain Pose and the Tree Pose.
• Focus more on your shoulder and upper back rather than your torso area.

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Second Trimester:

During your second trimester, all the tips that you were following during the first trimester still apply. Here are a few new tips to remember:

• For many, back bending poses will start to feel uncomfortable. Try a gentler back bend, such as the Cow Pose, or the Camel Pose. They will provide you with a nice stretch in your shoulders, neck, and chest, but will keep you from bending too deep.
• Modifying the Child’s Pose or the Chair Pose will create more room for your expanding belly. This modification can be done by simply moving your legs wider apart.
• When doing balancing poses make sure you are near a wall to avoid losing your balance and avoiding a fall.
• A good substitute pose for the supine or strength poses is the Goddess Pose or squat variations. These will still help you strengthen your hip and pelvic muscles that will aid you in childbirth. It is a less stressful version to perform.
• Focus more on breathing techniques, such as the Bee Breath. This will help to calm your mind and relax.

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Third Trimester:

As with the two trimesters before, continue using those tips. This is the final stage of pregnancy, so there are a few things to keep in mind when practicing yoga at this stage.

• This is a good time to focus on slow, meditative poses. The faster class may make you feel uncomfortable with the size of the baby now. The slower more meditative poses will help you to focus on important muscles that will be used during delivery.
• Inversions are to be avoided in this trimester. They could affect the positioning of the baby.
• Focusing more on breathing exercises is recommended.
• Keep in mind how you are sitting, standing and walking. As the baby grows bigger, it will put more pressure on your shoulders, neck, back, and legs.
• Listen to your body and only do as much as you feel comfortable doing.

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Regular practice of prenatal yoga can help you to improve your body, balance, and posture. It can help you stay relaxed and flexible. Your mind and body will be better prepared for the delivery. It will make you feel better during your pregnancy, aid in the delivery and help you to feel better post pregnancy. Enjoy this stage of your life while incorporating yoga into it.