The Life-Changing Art of Pregnancy Yoga
Claire and her son, Samson, find a moment for some garden yoga/cuddle time.
Local yoga teacher and mum of two Claire Grundy wasn’t always a yoga bunny, but finding her practice helped her gain much more than just strength and suppleness. Here she talks about the change in her mental health brought about by yoga, how she fits it in as a busy parent, and shares her tips for yoga in pregnancy.
ABOUT ME
I've been practising ashtanga yoga for 14 years, since my sister dragged me along to a class as she was convinced I would like it. Suffering from depression at the time, I had previously been using exercise as a kind of punishment. In my first ashtanga class I was totally bowled over by how physical it was, yet how people were encouraged to be kind to their bodies. I loved it.
Practice for me has always been a moving meditation - creating a space every day where I can mentally process everyday life stuff, explore whatever comes up in the moment. It has always been a very healing practice for me. I have two children and as selfish as it sounds, I always prioritise getting my practice in everyday - whether that means getting up super early before they wake up, calling in family or friend favours, or putting them in front of the telly for an hour - I always make it work. I'm certain that my practice makes me a better mother - on the days that I practice I notice I have a little more patience, and I'm perhaps a little calmer.
Over the years I have been lucky enough to practice and study with some wonderful and inspiring teachers including John Scott, David Keil, Manju Jois, David Swenson, Graeme & Leonie Northfield, Nancy Gilgoff and Paul Dallaghan. I completed my formal ashtanga yoga teacher training (Yoga Alliance RYT200) in 2010 with Ryan Spielman.
QUESTIONS FOR CLAIRE
I’VE NEVER DONE YOGA, SO WHY START IN PREGNANCY?
Practicing yoga while pregnant is a great way to prepare your body and your mind for birth. It can help you cultivate a stronger and more flexible body, and give you focussed breathing techniques to help you cope with challenging moments before, during or after birth.
HOW CAN I GET STARTED?
If you've never done yoga before, your best bet is to find a qualified pregnancy yoga teacher and go to specific pregnancy yoga classes. It's best to wait until the end of the first trimester before starting pregnancy yoga, depending, of course, on your doctor’s advice. These classes will be gentle and cater for all body types and levels and are great to guide you safely into the world of yoga. If you already have an established yoga practice, then after the first trimester your regular teacher may feel comfortable guiding you through the modifications necessary for you to continue with your practice in a way that is safe for you and your baby. I have guided many women through modifications necessary in their ashtanga practice - often these are the times when we need our practice most, so being able to modify and practice safely can be a huge help to mental and physical health in pregnancy.
Claire practicing with a little help from her daughter, Ione.
SO DOES YOGA IN PREGNANCY REALLY HELP YOU?
Practicing during pregnancy helped me stay calm and grounded when I was feeling very apprehensive about giving birth. Having a daily practice that brought me into the moment each time, helped me keep a sense of my own identity - it was something entirely for myself, particularly in my second pregnancy when I had a toddler to look after while pregnant, having time to myself to practice every day - some days only for 20 mins, some days for 90 mins - became crucial for my state of mind. I also really felt the benefits of my practice in terms of how quickly I recovered after giving birth. Compared to many of my friends my recovery was a lot faster.
WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND IF I CAN’T AFFORD A CLASS?
If you are an ashtanga practitioner then there’s a book called, Yoga Sadhana for Mothers: Shared experiences of Ashtanga yoga, pregnancy, birth and motherhood by Sharmila Desai, which is a great guide and full of insights and wisdom. There is also so much free content available on YouTube - You can find all sorts of pregnancy yoga classes but, as a starting point it's worth looking at the hugely popular Adriene who has a great video on 5 poses for all trimesters here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cKnStmV1dI
WHAT ABOUT AFTER THE BABY ARRIVES?
As with any high impact exercise it's best to wait at least six weeks before returning to your regular yoga class. If you have a caesarean birth you may have to wait a little longer - take your doctor’s advice here. As soon as your doctor gives you the go ahead, getting back to exercise can feel wonderful. Start with no expectations and take your time building your practice back up slowly. Your body has been through an amazing process creating a new human so be kind to yourself and ease back in gently. If you had a regular practice prior to pregnancy I promise you that over time it will come back!
Claire feels the benefits of finding the time to practice no matter how tricky it might be.