Inversions are often taken so serious for a number of different reasons. I guess just looking at a single body with its legs up in the air is enough to catch the eye.
I often go eyes wide like a "deer in the headlights" when I see someone upside down. It gets my heart pumping full of adrenaline. I become "inversion struck" you could say...
I'm not going to try and tell you how to invert or what inversions you should or should not being doing.
I'm not going to give you research by the latest OB/GYN, OBG, O&G or Obs & Gynae.
No, you can go Google or YouTube or whatever in your own time. I'm simply going to give you my " I'm Not A Doctor" thoughts or opinion in regards to inverting during pregnancy.
Here I go:
•Do it already!
•Get upside down & get your legs up over your head! Just like that!
•Hold it as long as you can and don't come down until you are red in the face and numb in your toes!
•Don't Breathe.
•Get into the most uncomfortable inversion for the very first time. Yes practice something new.
•And be sure to not to fart!!! Passing wind during pregnancy is dangerous for both you and the baby...
OMG I AM COMPLETELY KIDDING.. DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS RIDICULOUS NONSENSE... I AM TRYING TO BE FUNNY!!!
My personal feelings ( truthfully ) in regards to inversions during pregnancy has to do with listening to your body. Yes, Listen To YOUR body... As with all yoga, fitness, exercise you have to learn to listen to your own personal needs. Your bodies needs. You newly growing babies needs. I believe your baby is smart enough to let your body know whether or not a typical or non typical inversion is right for you.
I always talk to my baby & my body. I listen when my body feels tired or down right exhausted. In cases of feeling exhausted, I may choose not to invert for not only my babies safety, but my very own. During the first few months of pregnancy, I was often nauseous & headaches galore, so inverting wasn't always an option for me or only lasted 30 seconds at the most.
Now that I'm in my second trimester inversions feel quite wonderful to be honest. Well most of the time.Handstands tend to be my go to inversions during this pregnancy (which doesn't surprise me considering the amount of hand standing I practiced pre-pregnancy.)
Which brings me to the topic of: Do not be a fool and try something brand new to your practice during pregnancy. That's just common sense... Carrying a baby is more work for your body. Your body is working harder, don't forget that like I have!
I'd like to think I have a fairly adequate inversion practice. Therefore, I continue to invert during pregnancy. I practice anything from headstand with lotus legs, pincha mayurasana, handstand that meets scorpion, and on occasion the plow pose often modified into candlestick variation. Sometimes I like to just get my head below my heart with legs up the wall or uttanasana (standing forward fold.) It's a mood thing for me; what is my body feeling like practicing in the moment, what is my mood?
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| Candlestick Pose |
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| pincha mayurasana / forearm stand |
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| Handstand with a slight touch of 1/2 scorpion |
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| Shoulder Stand |
I do go through a series of warming up (that is the best for my body) before practicing inversions. I've noticed during this pregnancy my body is often more sore and needs a little more ground time stretching it out, so I stretch it out.
And you might notice my photos are using my good friend the Wall. Don't be afraid to use the Wall during your inversion practice. I don't necessarily need the Wall support, but in some situations I just want it. Yup! I just want it!! It's fun to change the shape of your inversions and relax a little longer when using the wall... Try it some time if you haven't already.
Now I've seen pregnant women at every stage of pregnancy inverting. I most recently came across a 9 month pregnant woman practicing scorpion. I'm not sure my back will allow my body to practice such an amazingly intense back bend at 9 months, let alone 6 or 7, since I'm only at 5 months. Just the other week I was able to fully control my body from a press handstand into a gentle scorpion connection. I didn't feel the need to hold the posture for minutes, nope just a few moments was all my body needed. It felt great!!!
We are all different, each pregnancy is different ( I'm beginning to fully recognize) and really for myself I'll take it one practice at a time, one breath at a time... and I recommend you do the same. Remember what another pregnant woman can do, doesn't necessarily mean you can do.
You have to dig deep within yourself, respect yourself enough to know when enough is enough and most of all LISTEN. Listen to your body, listen to your baby. Listen to you and what feels good or right in the moment. How are you feeling? How does it feel on my body in this particular inversions? Take a moment to ask yourself questions in regards to how you feel.
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| Remember Not to Be So SERIOUS!!! Have fun with your Pregnancy!! |
If you still do not trust yourself with inversions during pregnancy, then go
do the research for yourself. Take the time to ask questions, read, and study. You will eventually come across something that strikes a nerve with you, resonates with you.
I did the research, I still do. I read. I try and take time watching other pregnant yogi's via social media and in person when I can. If I don't like what I read or see, then I continue to research some more. Everyone will have an opinion. That is just the truth of it. Some individuals will even try and pass their opinions off as facts, but there will be no supporting evidence to back it up.
Since this pregnancy, I have been told directly by a prenatal teacher that I should no longer practice inversions at 7 months pregnant. It kind of seems to be the common piece of advice given by prenatal teachers, if you will. I have heard from other pregnant yogi's, they too have been told this very same thing. Why? For there is a possibility of the baby rotating within the womb. Do you want to know what I am thinking??? I think I am more concerned with practicing the Goddess Pose or Malasana later in pregnancy due to the possible push of my baby out of my vagina. I had to have a c-section with my first pregnancy and will be having another c-section with my second pregnancy, so a baby coming out of my vagina in such poses as the two mentioned above, FREAK me out more than the idea of my baby flipping at 7 months.
Let me just say, I love inversions and will listen to my body. I can assure you of this! I will not intentionally place my baby in harm, nor will I pretend to be the "KNOW IT ALL" of pregnancy, let alone, inversions. I am simply leaving you with my OPINION. For those of you who been asking how long I will be practicing inversions & yoga in general during this pregnancy: I say I would love to continue to practice all the way up to the moment I give birth. I can not give you an exact time frame, just my thoughts of what I hope to accomplish, what I hope my body can accomplish. I promise you this: I WILL LISTEN TO MY BODY ALL THE WAY THROUGH THIS PREGNANCY and there after, just as I tend to do.
So yeah, Invert Already!! LOL
Much love & Respect to all of you and your (Opinions too!)
- Brooke
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