Pregnant yoga students

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Lotus Girl	Pregnant yoga students	Lead	[-]
Posts: 8 (10/15/09 02:03:11) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tags : None Hi everyone I'm after some advice, I have two students who are pregnant, one at 4 weeks, so very early, and another at 16 weeks. My understanding of yoga postures during pregnancy is somewhat limited apart from the obvious, closed twists and lying on the belly are obviously a no-no. So I wondered if any of you would be kind enough to give me some guidelines on what these students can or can't do. One student has been practicing for a few years and another just a few months. I have already decided to enrol on a course specifically for yoga for pregnancy to enhance my knowledge. I look forward to your hints and tips. Many thanks LG
Lillylulu		#1	[-]
Posts: 3545 (10/15/09 04:35:29) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Gurmukh's book is very precious... even though it is kundalini yoga, what she shares is so helpful and moving. she does a TT too. She is one of the best in this field. have you look under the health thread? a few discussions there, plus this. lil Last Edited By: Lillylulu 10/15/09 04:44:06. Edited 2 times.
ma data		#2	[-]
Posts: 3842 (10/15/09 05:15:51) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	She also has a video, I did when I was pregnant! The first thing is to make sure the students are OK by there docs! I can add a few tips, the bigger the belly the wider the legs in all fwd folds, both seated and standing to make room for baby! For savasana, when they are BIG, they can lie on one side with a pillow between the knees and one for the head. Squats are very valuable! wall squats on the back using feet against the wall are nice in the early stages! standing twists with ankles crossed, so the whole torso turns easily are usually OK. If a student is comfortable and been practising prior to pregnancy and all is well, they can continue to practice with practical modifications, and doctors consent. Best wishes edited to add, dont forget the breathing!!! Last Edited By: ma data 10/15/09 10:04:51. Edited 1 times.
purnayoga		#3	[-]
Posts: 373 (10/17/09 10:30:02) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	The approach would be slightly different for each student as one is in the first trimester and the other, in the second. You've got two things going already; no weight or pressure on the abdomen and no closed twists. Also no jumping. Surya Namaskar is not advised, however if a student is insistent, as some are, modify them at the wall. Coming out of supine poses they roll to the left while others roll traditionally to the right. In the first first trimester the focus is on containment of the fetus and therefore no open pelvis poses please. Additionally, a gentle ENERGETIC mulha bandha is appropriate (not a physiological one). As the middle of the second trimester passes and the third is approaching, the focus shifts to opening rather than containment. Bear in mind that relaxin levels tend to peak around the 13th week and by the latter part of the pregnancy all of the ligaments are loosey-goosey. Gentle breath work and pranayama is nice as are bolsters and other props for support. I'm delighted to hear you've signed on for a training. So frustrating to me when we, as teachers, are not skilled in an area AND will not go get skilled nor pass students to someone who is. We, of all people, must be able to admit when we don't know. ========================== The spoken word is your master, the unspoken word your slave.
ma data		#4	[-]
Posts: 3845 (10/17/09 13:15:38) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	wow purnayoga , very specific and informed advice, so much to learn from you senior teachers! I would agree that each person and each pregnancy is different and should be factored in! With my second baby I had to lie still in the first trimester, for different reasons, but after I was cleared by my doc, I did pre natal yoga with gurmukh kar khalsa as she is an expert in the field... Ma Last Edited By: ma data 10/17/09 13:52:22. Edited 1 times.
Rambling Yogini		#5	[-]
Posts: 2991 (10/18/09 04:01:02) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	The thread Lil linked to and which was started by Scott, is an excellent place to start. I also did the same course as Scott and found it be very educational and a lot of fun. Françoise Freedman, the founder of Birthlight, has this book which is divided into the trimesters with plenty of advice to get you started: http://www.amazon.com/Pregnancy-Beyond-Francoise-Barbira-Freedman/dp/1405300566/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255865813&sr=8-1. It would be an excellent companion to Lil's suggested book. If I lived in the US, Gurmukh Khalsa's TT would have been my choice so if you do take that one, I hope you will report back here Thanks for the link to the book, Lil, which I will be ordering - I have only one of her books and have always had in the back of my mind to buy more and this one will be perfect for me at the moment. The suggestions from Purna are along similar lines to the ones I would suggest. You do not say which student is the one who has been practicing for a few years so I would just add that if she is the woman who is only four weeks pregnant, it would probably be best to keep to a very gentle restorative yoga with the emphasis on breath work. If this is not possible to arrange in the general class, perhaps you could suggest a private weekly class? One other suggestion, this time on breath work, would be a book called Mother's Breath by Uma Dinsmore-Tuli: http://www.amazon.com/Mothers-Breath-Definitive-Breathing-Post-natal/dp/0955424909/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255866590&sr=1-1 The foreword written by Mukunda Stiles. It is a remarkable book and imho is a must read for anyone teaching prenatal and postnatal yoga. Suzi
Rambling Yogini		#6	[-]
Posts: 2992 (10/18/09 04:33:29) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	PS If you usually teach pranayama in your classes, you may not know that pregnant women should be encourage not to participate in any part of the pranayama where one is supposed to suspend or retain (kumbhaka) the breath. They should be encourage to practice following their own natural breath rhythm.
Lillylulu		#7	[-]
Posts: 3546 (10/18/09 12:00:52) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	i haven't taken a class (yet) with Gurmukh, but i will one day. i don't teach prenatal yoga, although i have subbed for one teacher a few times. the last time i was going to sub, i purchased this book and it helped me plan the class. it is not just for teachers, so i would highly recommend it to students. One of the chapters that moved me, was the one on Birthing At Home. A woman is telling her story and when her time was very near she wrote this after hanging up the phone with her mom becuz the conversation went to fear/negativity: "I lit a candle and started walking back and forth. I felt this intensity. I focused on the candle and all of a sudden I was struck by the need to pray to all women. So I did. I sat down and I prayed to all women who had ever given birth throughout all time to please come and help me and be with me and support me in this moment. And I am not kidding you, the room filled up with women. First one, then another, and it felt suddenly like I was in a crowded room." i love that.
Erich Schiffmann		#8	[-]
Posts: 4055 (10/18/09 12:22:04) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I love that, too!
Rambling Yogini		#9	[-]
Posts: 2995 (10/19/09 02:42:51) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts
ma data		#10	[-]
Posts: 3850 (10/27/09 10:05:01) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Lil When I gave birth, I some how knew I was not alone, that the creator of all creation had a hand in the delivery, other wise it would have been to hard to do myself Lil, at my first OMEGA, I treated myself to an 8 hour intensive with Gurmukh, I was so high from the experience! It lasted for days!! Trusting you will get a chance to be with her... Erich was at that one, I didn't know him then

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