FAQ #10

There are different opinions about practicing hot yoga during pregnancy. Many of our students who become pregnant choose to continue to do hot yoga throughout their pregnancy. So far, all of our students who have had a regular practice during their pregnancy have delivered healthy babies. As with any physical activitiy, the two general rules of thumb are to check with your doctor and to listen to your own body and heed any warning signs that you are in a danger zone either for injury, overheating or overwork. Having said that, yoga can be practiced by anyone, as long as modifications are done to accommodate for any individual's issues. Also, if you had a strong practice before you became pregnant, it does help. It's usually not a good idea to start a yoga practice as a beginner when you're pregnant. Additionally, there are some poses such as inversions and lying on the belly that are truly contraindicated for pregnancy. As we practice in a heated room, again, it is best to discuss with your doctor your interest in continuing your yoga practice when you are pregnant. Most doctors are going to be conservative about it (especially if they have never practiced hot yoga), and assume that if the room is hot, mom’s internal temperature will go up too. Hot yoga experts usually suggest that pregnant women first talk to their doctor and confirm that the doctor's actual concern with the heat is the risk of elevating the mom's internal body temperature. If the concern is with mom's core temperature only, then experts usually suggest that moms bring a thermometer to class and monitor their temperature throughout to gain a level of comfort. Strenuous yoga is not ideal for some (high-risk) pregnancies, and to be perfectly honest, isn't worth the risk. If you are new to yoga, we recommend that you do Prenatal Yoga only. If you are a seasoned practitioner and decide to continue your regular practice during pregnancy, we highly recommend that you also take Prenatal Yoga as a complement to your regular practice so you can learn modifications and prepare your body for a healthy delivery. Ultimately, you must do what you believe is right and safe for you based on your own experience.

Click here for more information about Prenatal Yoga.