| Lately, Prenatal Yoga classes have been catching on, | | | | so. Firstly, she should not think about participating in a |
| within some hospitals, clinics, and Yoga studios, but | | | | Vinyasa style Yoga class, with her past medical |
| there are a surprising number of Yoga teachers and | | | | history, but any jumping movements could possibly |
| students, who take risks due to a lack of awareness | | | | dislodge an embryo from her uterus. We did manage |
| about potential hazards. | | | | to place her in a Prenatal Yoga class, with her doctor's |
| With what we now know about contraindications for | | | | permission, and later she did have a healthy baby. |
| postures during each trimester a pregnant Yoga | | | | Supervised Prenatal Yoga is a very good thing for |
| student should not be practicing Yoga, without the | | | | expectant mothers, but many people are under the |
| guidance of a qualified Prenatal Yoga instructor. How | | | | mistaken impression that because Hatha Yoga is a |
| can a Yoga teacher expect to address the needs of | | | | "low impact exercise class" in comparison to other |
| each student and then customize the lesson plan for a | | | | forms of fitness; there is no risk. |
| pregnant student's particular trimester? | | | | Currently, there is some open debate as to whether a |
| Pregnant students should be in a specialized Prenatal | | | | pregnant mother should be lying on her back during, |
| Yoga class, with a competent Prenatal Yoga teacher, | | | | and after, the second trimester. Compression on the |
| and have their doctor's permission to be in the class. | | | | inferior vena cava can slow the flow of blood to the |
| Why should Yoga teachers be so cautious? As a | | | | uterus. Therefore, it would be prudent to use props in |
| Yoga instructor, your number one priority is student | | | | order to avoid conventional supine Yoga postures. |
| safety and you could set yourself up for a negligence | | | | Am I too cautious? Maybe, but I would like a guarantee |
| lawsuit, if you do not have Prenatal Yoga teacher | | | | that the fetus is getting good blood circulation, if a |
| training. | | | | pregnant Yoga student is lying in a supine asana. A |
| Last year, we had a potential Yoga student, who had | | | | few blankets, pillows, and bolsters will help insure |
| two previous miscarriages and wanted to practice | | | | safety in this case. |
| Yoga. She had become pregnant again and decided | | | | Lastly, I do not want to sound any false alarms, but it is |
| to try Vinyasa Yoga during her first trimester. Upon | | | | wise for expectant mothers to seek out certified |
| asking her a few questions, it was discovered that | | | | prenatal Yoga teachers and it is wise for Yoga |
| both of her two previous miscarriages occurred during | | | | teachers to know their "boundaries." |
| the first trimester. | | | | When you are not sure, refer a student to a Yoga |
| Do you see any "red flags" with this situation? I hope | | | | teacher who is. |