All forms of closed Twists should be avoided except for the most gentle open seated upper back and thoracic spine twists while making sure the navel continues to point forward.

We recommend no strenuous practice in the form of vinyasa yoga or holding poses to any length of time. The emphasis is on reclined and supported recuperative and chest opening poses to make space for the new baby.

Some standing postures can be practiced perhaps slowly and dynamically to continue building strength in the lower body ahead of the weight that will need to be carried later on and in preparation for an active birth.

Postures while lying on the front must be avoided from the early stages of the Second Trimester therefore other variations can be offered to help build lower back strength. Hip Opening poses can be practiced on the side, or while sitting or standing up.

The pregnancy hormone relaxin is present in the body from the early stages of pregnancy. It makes the joints and ligaments extra supple in preparation for labour.

For this reason, any leg stretches should be performed well within the limit of what could be achieved in previous time to ensure that we do not take advantage of those relaxed joints and ligaments.

As Low Blood Pressure and sometimes High Blood Pressure can be common nature for a lot of pregnant women postures with Arms above the Head can be adapted by placing the hands on the hips instead.

Postures where the Heart is higher then the Head i.e. Child's Pose, Downward Dog and inverted postures should be avoided or practiced with the head raised to the heart level (i.e. on a block for Childs pose or against a wall for DownDog and Forward Bends)

As the weight grows suddenly and the gravity centre is displaced, it is important to practice any balance postures against the wall or holding to a chair. Chairs can be used as support for most standing postures.

As the volume of the belly grows at the front, all postures should be practiced with feet at least hip width apart either sitting or standing to provide more space.

Some postures with wide stance should also be practiced with caution. Although it is common to find that students are recommended to practice wide leg stances and BaddhaKonasana (Butterfly) with a view to help the opening of the pelvis, it is actually important to hold back and work gradually.

The pelvis is particularly mobile under the effect of the relaxin pregnancy hormone and the joints can prove unstable. The relaxin effect in combination to the sudden weight gain can create issues around 20-25 weeks.

Any disruption at one end of the pelvis can cause a knock on effect to opposite direction for instance causing both pressure on the pubic bone (condition known as the Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction) or Sacro Iliac joints (giving lower back or Sacrum pain.).

Therefore, wide stances should be kept to only a bit more than hip width and BaddhaKonasana can be practiced with blocks under the thighs if there are concerns over SPD.

Low lunges and Variations of Pigeon should be practiced with this in mind and adapted to keep a 90degree angle and a wider than usual width and blocks can be used under the pelvis for additional support.

For the same reason, any leg stretches should be performed well within the limit of what could be achieved in previous pre-pregnancy time to ensure that we do not take advantage of those relaxed joints and overextend them.

In the third trimester, in addition to all the restrictions that apply for the Second Trimester, it is now also recommended to not lie flat on the back due to the pressure that could be applied to the main arteries from the heart to the legs located at the back of the body.

Hence reclined and recuperative postures including Savasana must be practiced on a steep incline or lying on the left side (as opposed to the right side). Bolsters, Blocks, Cushions and rolled blankets can all be used to build the necessary height for the support required

Now that the belly is taking a lot more room and weight, some of the postures practiced so far become more demanding even postures such as The child's pose and the Cat.

Pregnant yoga students at this stage must keep in mind to take their time, listen to their body, never push themselves and enjoy the practice whatever the level of fitness that they are used to.