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| hello,
i am not currently pregnant, but hope to have children in the near future. i know Guruji has some guidelines about what asana to continue, modify, and leave out during a pregnancy. there are also guidelines for when to practice i.e. not until after the first trimester. i plan to follow these rules very strictly because i don't want to take any risks. (i will be in my later 30's and want to take every precaution.) anyway, i was wondering if any of you have had a baby, while practicing ashtanga or know of anyone who has. my biggest questions are: did you continue to practice? how much did you change your practice? how long did it take you to get back to where you left off in your practice after giving birth? and did you, ever, or had things changed so much that you permanently changed your practice?
i realize this is different for everyone, but i'd love anecdotal information and individual stories.
thanks in advance!
namaste |
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Location: London, England | Hi there,
I've taigth acouple of women in a hard astanga class up until the week they gave birth, and others have continued with it for some time. I don't think there's ant way of telling which individuals are going to benefit or continue-it's entirely personal. The important thing is to be as fit as possible at the time you give birth. Do whatever it takes-from walking, to biking, to aqua aerobics, to yoga, to weight training-this way, you are fit not only for birth, but for the next few months, which can both take a toll on your health. I think that if a pregnant woman only relies on one form of exercise, and then that exercise becomes difficult to continue for whatever reason, then she's in trouble-develop a broad range of appreciation for keeping healthy and fit-and good luck 
Take care
Nick |
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| My suggestion is: Do NOT do Ashtanga Style Yoga Exericise during the pregnancy.
If you want to know all about relation between pregnancy and Ashtanga exercise, you shall need to do research. And, that should be done on at least 100 or more ladies who are observed very carefully doing Ashtanga, another 100 or more who do other. Then, compare, etc. A waste of useful time of at least 5 years, may be.
Have a wonderful baby or babies, enjoy the pregnancy, and then do ashtanga when you are NOT pregnanat.
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| Hi,
I was in the best shape of my life before my 2nd pregnancy and practiced power yoga. I went to a prenatal class, had a private instructor go over the essentials, and I went at it. I was thrilled to be doing the modified poses, knowing it was safe and I was getting all the wonderful benefits (even more, as I was intensely more focused than before). And then my sciatic nerve acted up. I kept going. I tried to be "gentle" and talk to the instructors about it, I even went to a local yoga instructor who specializes in prenatal and sciatica pain. She couldn't even help me. The pain got worse and worse and I had to quit 100% (I couldn't even do simple chair asanas). NOTHING. So I started meditating for the first time in my life. I was initially depressed to give up my asana practice, but I gained this new practice which I still continue and love. Looking back, I realize I had put such a high stock in my asana practice and being "fit" for the birth that I became unable to listen to my body and do what it was screaming at me to do. And now I still have pain in my left side and injuries that keep coming and going. I know it's from pushing through the sciatica pain during the yoga. If I had been doing a much gentler yoga instead of such an intensive practice, I don't think this would have happened. Just be careful! |
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| Everyone has given you good advice.
My wife gave birth last Nov. She was practicing Ashtanga and power, etc. She did Ashtanga including Guruji's world tour in NY until about the 3rd month. After that she switched to prenatal.
She stopped doing vinyasas in the seated series and gave up postures quickly. You can't predict what will happen, so it best not to be so attached to your practice. Easier said then done...
Her practice is not what it used to be, but everyone is different.
It's such a wonderful thing. Take care,
Eric
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| I practised Ashtanga during the whole pregnancy until the last day. But I only practised the primary series after 4 months and cut the 2nd series. I didn't follow Guruji's guideline at all. I didn't have any modification and didn't miss any vinyasa. I still practised hand standing the last day. But unfortunately, I had C-section because of the previous placenta. Also my baby was two weeks early. I am wondering if these are related to the Ashtanga practise.  |
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| thank you for all of the responses! they varied some, just iike i imagined- since each individual is so unique. i just wanted to get an idea of what different people had experienced. i've read guruji's advice as well as read some blogs from pregnant ashtangis, but it's nice hearing a variety of responses from other forum members.
i'd like to think i'm not too attached to my asana practice. i would be able to let go of parts of my asana practice of the whole thing, if needed. i'm fully ready to do so when the time comes. i posted because i'm just curious what others have experienced...
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pregnancy and ashtanga
