legs up the wall during prenatal yoga

Is Prenatal Yoga Better Than Regular Yoga for Pregnant Women?

You want the quick version of this blog post? Yes.

Phew! Now that’s all set, we can go back to what we were doing and I can save myself a few hundred words. Have a nice day, and book prenatal yoga right here.

Oh, you wanted to know “why?” Oh, sure I can tell you that, too.

You Don’t Have to Worry About What Is and Isn’t Safe In Prenatal Yoga

I’ve shared before that one of the reasons I got into studying and then teaching prenatal yoga is because I got pregnant and realized I didn’t really know what I could and couldn’t safely do (nor did my general yoga teachers).

Yes, you can attend “regular” (or non-prenatal yoga) classes, but you’ll have to constantly be asking yourself: “Is this safe? Should I be doing that? What do I do instead?” Maybe your teacher will offer modifications, but you will still likely feel singled out, which can be uncomfortable (especially if you’re early in your pregnancy and haven’t announced it yet).

When you attend a good prenatal yoga class, you can rest assured that the instructor will take care of telling you exactly what you should do. Because, obviously, they’re planning a prenatal-specific class! Plus, if you have particular prenatal concerns, like pelvic pain or pregnancy symptoms, a prenatal yoga teacher will be more equipped to offer modifications for your practice.

Prenatal Yoga Is About Optimizing Pregnancy

Modifying a regular yoga practice is fine if that’s all you have access to (but really, you have access to prenatal yoga right here in my online studio). But modifying a regular practice is just about making it safe enough that you can continue to do yoga.

Prenatal yoga is more than that. It is about preparing your mind and body for birth. In addition to just getting a nice workout in, you’ll:

  • Learn how to adjust your practice for optimal baby position.
  • Practice engaging and releasing the pelvic floor and abs – a valuable skill for birth and also for the rest of your life.
  • Gain practical skills for managing your mind and emotions during birth.
  • Relieve pregnancy-specific aches and pains.

Take the guesswork out of prenatal fitness! Join the THRIVE Prenatal Fitness Program for weekly workouts to keep you on track and thriving.


Prenatal Yoga is a Community

Depending on where you are in life, you may be one of the only pregnant people you know — or you could be one of many, but feel like everyone else is “doing pregnancy” differently. Prenatal yoga allows you to get outside of your bubble to meet other pregnant women you might align well with.

Plus, prenatal yoga is an opportunity to have many of your doubts, concerns, worries, and excitements about the new baby validated and normalized. Often in prenatal yoga women open up about some of the deeper concerns they may have, which you might feel uncomfortable discussing with your perfect, glowy pregnant friend.

Prenatal yoga studios are also often well-connected to your local birth community and can offer referrals for other services like chiropractic care, prenatal massage, doulas, doctors and midwives, or more. And while it’s not a substitute for medical advice (of course!) it can also be eye-opening to hear what practices are standard procedure for other providers. This information can give you a basis for conversations about your own care with your provider (like, “Is that test necessary?” “What do you do if…” and “How should I handle…”).

When you consider the benefit you’re hoping to gain from a yoga practice during pregnancy, you will probably find that prenatal yoga much better addresses your specific needs and desires. If you have more prenatal yoga questions, you can find answers right here. And if you’d like to join for prenatal yoga in Stuart, Florida, you can sign up here. Or, for the world’s most comprehensive and clear prenatal fitness program, check out Thrive.

Get My Free Tight Pelvic Floor Class

Maybe you’ve been formally diagnosed with a “hypertonic pelvic floor,” or maybe you just have symptoms that make you think yours might be too tight (like pain with sex, urinary urgency/frequency, or general pelvic pain). In this workshop you’ll learn:

  • What a “tight” pelvic floor (PF) actually is — and how it’s possible to be both weak and super-tight.
  • My 4 top exercises and number 1 breathing technique for PF tightness.
  • How to modify and adjust these exercises for where you’re at right now.
  • What your road to healing can look like.

Register for this FREE 30-minute workshop for a Tight Pelvic Floor. View on-demand as many times as you want!

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