Can I do Vinyasa Yoga if I am pregnant?

With doctor approval Vinyasa, and any form of yoga, can be practiced safely with modifications all the way through your third trimester, especially if you have held a strong practice or exercise routine prior to or early on in your pregnancy. This type of practice will help you with breathing during labor, flexibility and expansion in the hips, building strong core muscles, and enhance a speedy postpartum recovery. Always remember to let the yoga teacher know of your stage of pregnancy. Any knowledgeable yoga teacher will help with various modifications and will advise you to generally avoid any low twisting in order to keeping any twisting high in the chest above the belly. Avoid long durations of lying on the back, especially after 20 weeks of gestation. You can stay elevated using a blanket or bolster to prop yourself upright. Remember to make space for the belly during forward folds by keeping your feet and legs wider than normal. Avoid extreme backhanding and inversions and an overly heated room.