If you want to learn more about how to embrace your first trimester through yoga, join this month’s Live Online Yoga Workshop, or watch the recording (How To Embrace Your Yoga Practice During The First Trimester).

**Trigger warning – this episode talks about miscarriages**

I heard both sides of the story when I got pregnant.

My midwife told me to carry on with life as usual, there was no need to change any daily activities or sports. Carry on cycling, teaching yoga, etc. Stop if you’re feeling nauseous, but otherwise, carry on as normal.

On the other hand my yoga teachers said: you can come to class, but you have to practice something different to the rest of us. Especially during the first trimester.

What to do during the 1st trimester can be very controversial. Different people will give you different advice. When it comes to yoga, it is generally recommended not to attend a general Yoga class or even a prenatal class during your first trimester.

I asked myself why? Surely during the first trimester the body and the belly is most like everyone else’s, and my practice should change more during the 2^nd and 3^rd which is when I should be more cautious?

During the first trimester, there is an increases risk of miscarriage. I’m stating this clearly here, because I feel the word is often avoided, as if it’s taboo.

We say things like there is an ‘’increased risk’’ or ‘’be careful’’ but we avoid the word ‘’miscarriage’’. Yet, this is the main reason why it’s not recommended going to a general Yoga class or a prenatal class. However, like most things in life, it’s never as simple as yes or no. I’m here to share why we have a fear around practicing yoga during the first trimester, and how we can change that.

In this episode, I talk about:

• My personal experience during a miscarriage
• What’s actually happening during the 1^st trimester?
• The side effects of these rapid hormonal changes can trigger in us
• Why do we adapt the yoga practice during the 1^st trimester?
• What are the benefits of practicing yoga during the 1^st trimester
• What type of yoga practice can we do?
• why we should change the way we approach our yoga practice during the 1st trimester

Instead of seeing the practice during the 1^st trimester simply as one to avoid any risk, we can change the way we look at it overall. Instead of modifying our practice because of fear, it can become a practice of nurturing and growth.

Observe the changes in the yoga practice as an opportunity to slow down and listen and witness the changes taking place in the body. See this new practice as a preparation to learn how to breathe and relax deeply and effectively, to prepare yourself for rest of the pregnancy journey and eventually for the even bigger journey of what comes after the birth.

If you want to learn more about how to embrace your first trimester through yoga, join this month’s Live Online Yoga Workshop, or watch the recording (How To Embrace Your Yoga Practice During The First Trimester).