Prenatal Yoga with Lela is a long-established class that is very popular and can be hard to get into. The Sunday and Wednesday classes are often full 4 weeks in advance. If the current series is full, here are some other ideas:

• Contact Lela to join the waiting list for the current series. People do drop out, and are often absent. She will let you know as soon as space becomes available.
• Set up a few private yoga sessions with Lela in the meantime, while you are waiting to get into the prenatal yoga class. She has availability on the weekdays and some weekend times as well. Share your private with a few friends and pay less! Contact Lela for rates or visit this page. 
• Join one of our Level 1 yoga classes. View our full schedule here. All of our teachers can make modifications for you iin Level 1. The pacing is similar to prenatal yoga. 

If you have done some yoga before, you can certainly continue at your regular yoga class for as long as you are comfortable. Make sure your instructor knows how to help you modify the poses (or come to one of Grateful Yoga’s classes, where both Lela & Nick are very familiar with modifying for pregnancy).

However, if you are new to yoga or are starting yoga further along in your pregnancy (past 20 weeks), you may just want to stick with a prenatal yoga class. I have found that students who are pregnant and haven’t tried yoga before are definitely best off in a prenatal yoga class, especially when they are further along. 

 

Modifications

• No breath retention or kapalabhati breathing (rapid exhales through the nose)
• No hopping back and forth in a sun salutation
• Inversions- a contentious point among yoga teachers. Only do what feels right for you. Generally, pregnancy is not the best time to learn headstand or handstand. If you are used to practicing these poses, you may find they become uncomfortable after just a few breaths. I recommend only holding any inversion (even downward dog) for no longer than 5 deep breaths. Shoulderstand is usually not considered to be a fun pose while pregnant, neither is plow.
• No deep twists- you can do mild seated and supine twists, but deep twists are not recommended, especially past 12 weeks.
• No belly down poses past 12 weeks without a blanket under the hips. I teach cobra and sphinx pose to my pregnant students in my regular yoga classes, but have them place a blanket under the pelvis to avoid putting pressure on the belly.
• Don’t lie on your back for longer than a minute or so, unless you feel comfortable there. If you feel lightheaded, don’t lie  on your back.
• As you get into your third trimester, hold back a little on side bending, to not overstretch your ligaments.
• No deep backbends- poses like updog and camel and wheel can strain the SI joints and stress the rectus abdominus muscles, contributing to diastasus rectus (splitting of the abdominal wall).

 

I understand that life can be unpredictable and sometimes you just cannot make it. I offer a few different options.

• If you let me know a week in advance that you plan to miss class, you can have a credit to make-up or if you can't make-up, a $10 credit off your next series. Last minute cancellations will not be credited unless you have a medical emergency that keeps you from coming to class.

• You can make up the class at one of our other regular yoga classes (Level 1 is best), or if possible, at the Sunday or Wednesday evening class within the current series dates.
•  If need to stop coming due to an emergency or because of doctor’s recommendation, I will credit you/refund you for those classes. I want you to feel at ease about signing up!

I have 4 basic themes that I cycle through each month, which I weave into different posture sequences every time. You really can join the series at any time- I make it easy to begin at any point. You will find it useful to sign up for the series as many times as you can. I say this not just for my own selfish reasons, but genuinely because it always helps to hear things again, and especially to practice things experientially more than once. You will find that the themes covered in the series (joint-freeing/dynamic movement, relaxation, focus/absorption, jaw release/vocalizing) will settle into your mind and body more and more each time you come. By the time you are ready to give birth, you will feel more prepared and more connected to your body’s strength. 

I recommend that you start practicing Prenatal Yoga once your nausea has passed and you have permission from your doctor to exercise. I have students who start with me at 8-10 weeks and stay until the very last day of their pregnancy. Generally, the sooner you feel well enough to start, the better. That way, you will become more accustomed to the postures from the beginning. However, you are also welcome to start later in your pregnancy. You will find the information that I give in my classes will compliment your birthing classes and help you with the discomforts of the 3rd trimester. I am amazed by my students' strength and commitment to their yoga practice, even right up until their due date!