Throughout pregnancy, your tendons and ligaments are soft and stretchy in preparation for giving birth. Although this makes you supple, over-stretching can cause your joints to become permanently unstable. In addition, increased production of muscle-building hormones as a result of strong exercise can interfere with foetal development.
If you have never done Astanga yoga before, pregnancy is not the time to start. Instead, you will benefit greatly from going to a yoga class specifically for pregnant women in which you will be taught postures and breathing exercises that prepare you mentally and physically for labour and childbirth. Opinions differ as to exactly the best yoga practice for pregnancy, although the consensus is that gentle and relaxing yoga works best. Interestingly, in Yoga Mala, Shri K Pattabhi Jois (see pages 14—IS) gives instructions to stop all yoga practice from four months of pregnancy except pranayama (breathing exercises). Mahumudra (a seated “seal” that looks very much like inu Sirsasana; see page 79) and Padmasna
If you have never done Astanga yoga before, pregnancy is not the time to start. Instead, you will benefit greatly from going to a yoga class specifically for pregnant women in which you will be taught postures and breathing exercises that prepare you mentally and physically for labour and childbirth. Opinions differ as to exactly the best yoga practice for pregnancy, although the consensus is that gentle and relaxing yoga works best. Interestingly, in Yoga Mala, Shri K Pattabhi Jois (see pages 14—IS) gives instructions to stop all yoga practice from four months of pregnancy except pranayama (breathing exercises). Mahumudra (a seated “seal” that looks very much like inu Sirsasana; see page 79) and Padmasna
