Prenatal Yoga In The First Trimester
I’m sure you’ve heard people say that prenatal yoga isn’t accessible in the first trimester. While for some it might not be, it depends on the individual. It’s important to remember that each pregnancy is different as well, so what might have felt good the first time might not be in a subsequent pregnancy and vice versa.
The 3 main reasons Mamas typically don’t come to class their first trimester are:
Fatigue
Nausea / heartburn
Not ready to share their pregnancy
Let’s dive into these a little bit more:
Fatigue - First-trimester fatigue is no joke! For some, it might last further into your pregnancy as well. On days when you’re feeling tired, let me know and I will make sure to offer more restorative poses to you to make practice still accessible on those sleepy days.
Nausea/Heartburn - Two other pregnancy symptoms that are not fun. On those tough days, try to remind yourself it’s all part of the process. Talk to your doctor, midwife, or doula and ask for suggestions on how to lessen the effects. If you come to class feeling nauseous or have heartburn, I will offer other pose suggestions for you when we take our inversions (like down-dog) to keep everything at bay.
Not ready to share your pregnancy - Please don’t ever let anyone make you feel like you have to announce your pregnancy. For most, waiting until the second trimester makes them feel better before sharing their news. For others, there is never a huge announcement and they just share it with others along the way. There is no perfect timing, no wrong timing - decide what feels best for you and stick to those boundaries.
If you’re looking for movement in your first trimester but aren’t ready to share the news with a large audience, know your privacy and boundaries will always be respected in class. If you join us at the studio, no one will bring your name outside of our class. We all honor each other without judgment. If you feel more comfortable, you could always join virtually until you’re ready to come in person.
Speaking from personal experience
My everyday included naps, crackers, and deep breathing.
In my first trimester, I had fairly consistent fatigue, heartburn, and food aversions. I still taught classes based on the needs of the mamas who came to class, not mine. Seem strange? If I was creating a practice for myself and expecting others to meet me where I was on my journey, that would go against my values as a yoga instructor. As an instructor, it is my job to see how you are feeling and give you what your body needs that day. I then had the option to join in for the movement or skip the movement myself but continue cueing.
There were some days where I skipped down-dog myself but guided our yogis into that position because I know how beneficial it is for pregnancy. On other days, I was able to model all of the asana sequences myself. The most important thing was that I listened to how my body was feeling, what cues it was sharing with me, and honored where I was that day.
Most days I took afternoon naps on the couch with our dog, Zoey, who never seemed to mind. Sometimes, I had to figure out what my priorities were for the day and stick to just those, allowing myself to rest the majority of the day. On days that I taught class, I always napped beforehand. When I woke up I felt more energized, and that energy was still there when I got to the studio.
The two most helpful tools to manage my nausea and heartburn were weekly acupuncture appointments and deep breathing. I swear acupuncture helped me through these first twelve weeks. On days I went in feeling nauseous, I felt so much better by the time I left. In between, when a smell would trigger my nausea reflux, or food would trigger heartburn, I would stop and take deep breaths through my nose (& often cover my nose with my sleeve to block the smell). Usually, within 5 rounds of breath, the feeling subsided.
If you’re in your first trimester, the best thing you can do is honor yourself.
Allow yourself to make schedule changes, take more time to rest, and find professionals to support you through those first twelve weeks. Try out different things and find what feels good. That might be yoga, and if not, come join us again in your second trimester!
I will always be here rooting for you, mama.
