Yoga during pregnancy
Pregnancy is a wondrous journey of constant mental and visible physical change in a short period of time. As women growing a new life inside our womb, we experience a myriad of emotions, sensations and feelings that can lead to many intricate questions to which we may not always have the answers. When it comes to the question of practicing yoga during pregnancy there are many different opinions, but ultimately we at OM Yoga Stuttgart believe it to be a very personal decision.
We recommend that you do what feels right for you: if you feel fatigued and sluggish then rest, after all your body is growing a new life and uses a lot of energy to do so. However, if you feel energised then it may feel right to practice yoga as it teaches you to be more mindful and aware of your body. Listen to your body and do the things that make you feel good.
If you have a regular yoga practice and wish to continue while you’re pregnant, we think that’s a great idea and we are happy to support your journey as your body changes. Join our Pregnancy Classes to learn how to get in and out of adjusted postures for your pregnant body. If you are new to yoga, our recommendation is to wait until after at least 6 Months postpartum to begin with the more strenuous and active yoga styles such as Hot Yoga or Vinyasa. However, we welcome you to join our Yin Yoga classes and take the Pregnancy Classes.
Pregnancy yoga at OM Yoga Stuttgart
Our pregnancy classes are held in a relaxed setting where we encourage you to ask questions and express your concerns. Please don’t be shy, you’re in a safe environment. We start with a guided meditation to arrive and centre and continue with asana practice, first warming up the spine, lungs and heart then going into each asana with little breaks for questions and explanation with respect to the postures and their pregnancy variations.
Hot Yoga: The pregnancy class is offered so you learn how to practice variations (also known as the Hot Yoga Pregnancy Series) during a regular Hot Yoga class. The pregnancy class will prepare and cultivate confidence in you to practice your yoga in a relaxed way with other not pregnant hot yogis.
Breathing: You will also get a chance to learn a few breathing exercises that we don’t practice in a Bikram hot yoga class, such as the 9 Clearing Rounds or Nadi Shodanam. These breathing exercises are a great way to connect with your breath and cultivate deeper awareness for your body as it is changing constantly during your pregnancy. They will also come in handy during labor.
Yin Yoga & Vinyasa: We’ll show you adjustments for Yin Yoga and Vinyasa class, this way you are free to attend any of the classes offered on our regular schedule and your baby will be happy to practice inside of you.
Post-partum yoga
At OM Yoga Stuttgart we don’t offer specific classes post-partum. Our philosophy is: take your time, grow a deep connection with your baby in your arms and allow some time for your body to rest, heal and adjust after labor and during breast feeding.
Whenever you feel good, strong and rested enough to practice yoga, then join our regular classes and allow for the first few times to just feel into your new body. As we believe the post-partum period to be “same same, but different” for every woman, we absolutely encourage you to “practice compassion” for yourself as you go through yet another intense change once your baby is in your physical world. Patience, love, compassion and self-care.
We are happy to support you in any way we can on your journey to yourself during pregnancy and as a Mother.
Here you find the Schedule with the next pregnancy yoga classes.