Yoga is a safe and enjoyable way to exercise while pregnant.
Pregnancy is a time of enormous change. Your body is changing, your energy can shift from day to day, and suddenly movements that once felt familiar can feel completely different. But being pregnant doesn’t necessarily mean you need to put your yoga practice on hold.
At Living Flow Yoga, our regular classes are open level and we welcome pregnant students who have been given the all-clear by their healthcare provider. Your practice might look a little different during pregnancy, and that’s absolutely OK.
Yoga during pregnancy can be a beautiful opportunity to slow down, connect with your changing body, breathe, move and simply take some time for yourself.
You don’t have to stop practicing, it just evolves like you are!
One of the lovely things about continuing to practise during pregnancy is that you don’t have to step away from something that already makes you feel good. You can still come to class, move with your community and enjoy the parts of yoga that feel supportive for you. You may simply need to adapt some movements as your pregnancy progresses.
And there is no expectation that you need to do everything the teacher offers.
Some days you might feel strong and energised. Other days you might need to take more breaks, move more gently or spend more time resting. Your practice is allowed to change with you.
Listen to your changing body
Pregnancy is not the time to chase your deepest stretch or your biggest range of movement. As your body changes, increased relaxin and the physical changes of pregnancy can affect your usual range of motion. Rather than seeing this as an opportunity to stretch further, think of it as a reason to stay comfortably within your range.
You may also find that longer holds don’t feel as good as they once did. Keeping the body gently moving can be a more comfortable option, particularly as your pregnancy progresses. Your body is giving you plenty of information. Listen to it
Your teacher can help you modify your practice
You don’t need to arrive at class with a long list of poses you can and can’t do. Simply let your teacher know that you’re pregnant when you arrive. They can offer modifications throughout the class and help you find alternatives when something doesn’t feel right.
Some common modifications might include:
- Avoid lying on your tummy: Skip any movements that require you to lie on your belly. Cat-cow or another hands-and-knees movement may be a comfortable alternative.
- Choose open twists: As your belly grows, avoid closed or deep twists that compress your abdomen. Your teacher can show you an open variation instead.
- Modify Downward Dog: As your pregnancy progresses, walking forward from Downward Dog can become awkward. You can lower your knees, come to a kneeling position and step forward from there, using blocks for support if helpful.
- Keep your range comfortable: Pregnancy is not the time to chase your deepest stretch. Increased relaxin and the physical changes of pregnancy can affect your usual range of motion, so stay comfortably within your range rather than pushing further.
- Take more breaks: Rest whenever you need to. There is no prize for doing the whole class without stopping.
- Modify Savasana: As your pregnancy progresses, lying on your back may become uncomfortable. Rest on your left side instead, using appropriate support to make yourself comfortable.
These are examples rather than a prescribed list. Every pregnancy is different, and your teacher can help you adapt your practice to how you’re feeling on the day.
You can still enjoy the benefits of yoga
Yoga isn’t just about the physical practice.
As your body changes during pregnancy, you may experience some of the less enjoyable side effects too, such as back or hip discomfort, tension through your neck and shoulders, cramps or simply feeling a little more physically uncomfortable than usual. Gentle yoga can be a lovely way to keep moving, ease some of that tension and maintain mobility as your body changes. Your teacher can help you find movements and modifications that feel supportive rather than asking your body to do more.
Taking an hour to step away from your day, breathe and move can also give you a valuable opportunity to check in with yourself during a time when so much of your attention is naturally focused on your growing baby.
Pregnancy can also make getting a good night’s sleep more challenging. A regular, gentle yoga practice may help you relax, settle your nervous system and create some space to wind down, which can be particularly welcome when sleep isn’t coming as easily as it once did.
Breath awareness, gentle movement and moments of stillness can help you feel more connected to your body and create some space in what can be a very busy and emotional time.
And there’s something to be said for simply continuing to do something that makes you feel like yourself.
You’re welcome at Living Flow Yoga
If you’re already practicing at Living Flow and become pregnant, you don’t necessarily need to stop attending your regular classes. And if you’re new to yoga, you’re welcome too, provided you’ve had the all-clear from your healthcare provider.
Beginners or Yin can be a lovely place to start if you’re looking for a gentler practice, and your teacher can help you modify your practice along the way.
Pregnancy can feel like a whole new world, but you don’t have to step away from your yoga community. You’re still you, you’re just practicing in a changing body, and there’s a place for you here.
A few things to remember
Before returning to yoga during pregnancy, talk with your healthcare provider and make sure yoga is appropriate for you.
Once you have the all-clear:
- Tell your teacher you’re pregnant before class.
- Listen to your body rather than pushing through.
- Don’t worry about keeping up with everyone else.
- Modify or skip anything that doesn’t feel right.
- Take as many breaks as you need.
- Stay comfortably within your range of movement.
- Remember that your practice may look different from week to week.
Most importantly, you don’t need to be afraid of yoga just because you’re pregnant.
‘Pregnancy yoga sounds amazing! When can I start?’
Feeling great and can’t wait to get started? Talk to your doctor first to make sure yoga is right for you, and once you get medical clearance, and book into a class!
[Originally published in 2020 but updated and edited in September 2026]
