Health & Exercise

Regular yoga vs prenatal yoga

I'm 24 wks pregnant and have been going to a regular yoga class once a week. The instructor will tell me how to modify moves if necessary (any abs/back/twisting that's not good for me to do), and I use a bolster pillow for laying down on my back. I feel like I'm still getting a good workout in the regular class, but i was just wondering if I'm missing anything "special" that happens in a prenatal class that I'm not getting in the regular class. I'd rather just continue with the regular class since I know the routine there, but if there is something super beneficial about the prenatal I'm not getting now, I'm guessing I should switch soon since I'm at the end of my 2 nd tri.
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Re: Regular yoga vs prenatal yoga

  • My friend who just gave birth says she HIGHLY recommends prenatal yoga.  She says there were a lot of pain management techniques that were taught in her classes that really helped her with labor.
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  • I'm 26 weeks and just doing regular yoga.  I also modify some moves (though not all -- I still do twists, just not as deeply).  I may look into a prenatal class, but I'll still keep up my regular yoga routine.  I love it.  
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  • I do both prenatal and regular yoga and to me, the main difference is prenatal focuses A LOT on hip opening and back stretching, which both feel amazing in the 3rd trimester.  They also do a lot more breathing techniques and "bonding with baby" moments.  I don't think you're missing out on anything, though, and it's not nearly as good of a work out if you're trying to actually strength train/burn calories.

  • I have done regular yoga for years, so I found the prenatal yoga to be a little slow and not as much of a work out.  On the other hand, everyone in the class is in the same boat so the instructor gives you great poses designed for pregnancy.  As your belly gets bigger, it might be more challenging or impossible to do some poses.  When you get farther along in your pregnancy, you might get some aches and I found the yoga class always made me feel better.  They also taught poses that help prepare you for labour.  So it is really good.  I would say that if you are comfortable in your regular yoga class - keep going.  Maybe start a prenatal class around the 30 week mark.
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  • Thanks ladies! Okay maybe I will continue in regular and try a couple prenatal classes closer to due date for the helpful labor techniques!
    BabyFetus Ticker
  • I think as long as you have an instructor modifying, you are doing prenatal yoga.  I notice with prenatal yoga, there are no exercises on your back or that you'd be leaning on your belly. So sun salutations are mostly standing and avoid the chatarunga altogether.  No inversions or deep back twists. Also, certain movements are saved for later when you're more warm so you don't overexcite or agitate the baby.

    Check out a video on YouTube to get a better idea. I love this video by Lara Dutta. She talks through why you're doing each exercise but  not in an overly chatty way..
  • I do chatarunga and inversions.  The advice not to do inversions is only so that you don't fall.  I do flow yoga, though, so even when I'm doing chatarunga and upward dog, I'm not holding them for long.  
  • I didn't like prenatal yoga. It was too slow and it felt more like simple stretching than an actual workout. 
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    BFP #2 4/24/2013 m/c 4/25/2013 at 4w
    BFP #3 1/31/2014 DD born 10/14/2014
    BFP #4 1/20/2016 m/c 2/12/2014 at 7w2d
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  • Lol my chatarunga right now is basically a knee plank, push-up, then downward dog again. It makes me laugh but least it's something! Thanks for the video idea @k1dub
    BabyFetus Ticker
  • I started prenatal yoga at home about as soon as I knew I was pregnant, since I typically practice at home. The home videos I tried felt too easy, more like stretching as some of you have mentioned. Fortunately, I started prenatal yoga at a nearby studio which has been excellent. It is challenging to point where I look around at 9month pregnant mamas and am in awe they are keeping up! I hope I can be that fit! I agree with others that the poses and breathing exercises appear more geared to help with labor and specific pregnancy-related pains. In addition, you get to meet other moms-to-be in your area and share tips, dr names, etc. Nonetheless, I'm sure there are good videos out there that could be more challenging, I just haven't come across them yet.
  • I have done both and I agree that prenatal yoga isn't as intense. It is good, however, for getting your hips to open which in my case made DD decend into the birth canal in the right position from quite early on which is a hupe plus IMO. I also found the stretching to be a really nice way to balance out my elliptical/weight lifting routine.

    I am 29 weeks pregnant and just started trying to do prenatal yoga at home 1-2 times per week. I also use that time to meditate on the labour/delivery going well. I realize that's not really part of the workout, but mental prep was huge for me the first time around.

  • Buti yoga is amazing when modified during pregnancy :) just not in first trimester!
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