Complete Guide to Yoga in Pregnancy for The Second Trimester

If you’re like most pregnant women, you’re probably wondering what kind of activities are safe to do during your second trimester. Yoga is a great option! Yoga can help improve your flexibility, strengthen your muscles and calm your mind. In this blog post, we will discuss everything you’d want to know about yoga in pregnancy during the second trimester.

In this article, we’ll talk about the benefits of yoga during the second trimester, and list all the modifications and precautions you need to take when practicing yoga during this stage of your pregnancy. We’ll also share 8 yoga poses that are great to practice in the second trimester. And finally, we’ll share 5 youtube videos of prenatal yoga routines that are perfect for the second trimester of pregnancy.

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Yoga in Pregnancy: Second Trimester

Before I go any further let me share that is article is part two of a three-part series. You guessed it! The previous post you might want to check out is Prenatal Yoga in the First Trimester: Everything you Need to Know. Just in case you aren’t quite into the second trimester yet and planning ahead. I’m a major planner, I get it!

And of course, you will want to follow up this article with Everything You Want to Know About Yoga in the Third Trimester of Pregnancy.

What are the Benefits of Prenatal Yoga in the Second Trimester

Yoga is a great way to stay active during your pregnancy. It can help improve your flexibility, strengthen your muscles and calm your mind. Yoga is also a great way to meet other pregnant women and build a support system if you find a local prenatal yoga class.

Doing yoga throughout your pregnancy can hold so many benefits!

Standard benefits:

Improved flexibility
Strengthened muscles
Calm mind (I’m looking at you pregnancy hormones!)
Better body awareness
Possible opportunity to meet other pregnant women
Lessen common prenatal aches and pains
Easier labor and delivery

Emotional benefits:

Increased confidence
Connection with unborn child
Lessen stress – which we ALL need during pregnancy
Relaxation
Reduced anxiety
And the list goes on!

Prenatal yoga is truly a holistic approach to taking care of yourself during pregnancy.

It not only benefits your physical health but your mental and emotional well-being as well. If you are feeling good, then baby is probably feeling good too!

That’s why it’s no surprise that the most revolutionary prenatal fitness (and nutrition) program includes prenatal yoga in each trimester of pregnancy.

So how can you get started with yoga during your second trimester?

Precautions and Modifications for Yoga in Pregnancy During the Second Trimester

Of course, as your pregnancy progresses there are a few things to be aware of and modify in your yoga practice.

Here are some general precautions and modifications to keep in mind during the second trimester:

Pregnancy is not the time to increase the intensity level of your yoga practice. If you are new to yoga, it’s best to begin with a certified yoga instructor in an in-person class. If that is not an option, there are virtual yoga classes available. And lastly, you can find some pretty good trimester-specific videos of prenatal yoga routines on YouTube (near the end of the post I link to 5 awesome 2nd-trimester prenatal yoga routines).
If you have been practicing yoga regularly, you can continue your practice but be sure to listen to your body and modify as needed.
As your baby grows, you will want to avoid any yoga poses that put pressure on your abdomen. You don’t want excess pressure on your belly (it feels horrible anyways.) This is pretty simple to determine when to take this precaution: once the bump is popping out, you don’t want to be putting too much external pressure on it
Avoid poses lying flat on your back for any length of time. Right around mid-pregnancy you are instructed to stop lying on your back because this puts pressure on the Vena Cava and can cause reduced blood and oxygen flow to your baby. As a general rule it is recommended to stop lying on your back too much once around 13-16 weeks. However, this is a very generalized rule erring on the side of caution (as things should be during pregnancy), and depending on how you carry and the size of yourself and your baby you may be able to lie on your back until right around the third trimester. But if you choose to lie on your back during the second trimester during prenatal yoga or otherwise always be on the lookout for nausea, dizziness, increased heart rate, reduction of blood pressure, and sweating. As these can be signs of supine hypotensive syndrome.
You will also want to avoid deep twists and anything that puts too much strain on your lower back. While twisting poses were just fine in yoga during the first trimester of pregnancy, now you will want to eliminate moves with much twisting.
Be sure to drink plenty of water before and after your yoga practice.
And finally, always listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel good, don’t do it! This is the golden rule when learning how to do any type of exercise safely during pregnancy.
Always take into consideration all the guidelines on how to exercise safely during pregnancy.

The Importance of a Prenatal Workout Plan

Did you know that we now know that you can actually alter the genetic expression of your baby by exercising and making the right dietary choices during pregnancy? Literally changing your child’s health FOR LIFE!

What we now know through the studies of epigenetics during pregnancy is amazing.

Working out throughout your gestation (including prenatal yoga) can actually lower your baby’s propensity towards having a metabolic disorder, diabetes, heart disease, and more. (Throughout their adult lives.)

The only prenatal nutrition and fitness program designed around the most recent studies of epigenetics during pregnancy is called The Perfect Pregnancy Plan.

It’s the perfect way to get moving through your pregnancy and learn how to eat the best you can for your baby’s health and optimal growth and development.

Plus the PPP is designed with a pregnant woman’s specific physical needs during pregnancy in mind. (After all, the certified personal fitness trainer who is also certified in lifestyle and nutrition during pregnancy was actually pregnant herself when creating the course!) Addressing any potential common weak points and strengthening them before your body changes weaken them. The Perfect Pregnancy Plan is truly is a revolutionary way to go about prenatal workouts! And you get a yoga routine specific for each trimester!

Tips for Yoga in Pregnancy: Second Trimester

There are a few props you may want to consider using during your 2nd trimester prenatal yoga practice:

A bolster can be very helpful in many different poses during pregnancy. It can be used under the head, knees, or lower back for support.

A chair can also be helpful in many different ways during pregnancy. It can be used for support in standing poses, or as a prop in seated and reclining poses.

Yoga blocks can be used under the hands, feet, or behind the back for support in many different yoga poses.

Yoga Poses to Avoid During the Second Trimester

As mentioned above, there are a few different types of yoga poses to avoid during the second trimester. These include:

Poses that put pressure on the abdomen: such as Camel pose, Cow Face pose, Half Camel pose, and any deep twists.
Poses that require lying flat on your back for an extended period of time: such as Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge pose), Halasana (Plow pose), Karnapidasana (Ear Pressure pose), and Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle pose).
Poses that require lying on your stomach: such as Bhujangasana (Cobra pose), Salabhasana (Locust pose), and Dhanurasana (Bow pose).
And as your balance suffers from the start of pregnancy and gets progressively worse as your body grows, be sure to use caution with poses that require balance on one leg: such as Garudasana (Eagle pose), Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I pose), and Bakasana (Crane pose). This is when a chair can come in handy as mentioned earlier.

2nd Trimester Prenatal Yoga Poses

There are many different yoga poses that can be beneficial during the second trimester of pregnancy. A few of our favorites include:

Supported Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Forward Bend):

This pose is great for stretching the hamstrings and lower back. It can also help to relieve any tension in the shoulders.

To do this pose, sit with one leg straight out in front of you and the other bent with the foot touching your opposite knee. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, bend forward from the hips, keeping your spine long.

Upavistha Konasana (Wide-Angled Seated Forward Bend):

This pose is great for stretching the hamstrings, lower back, and shoulders.

To do this pose, sit with your legs straight out to the sides as far as is comfortable. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, bend forward from the hips, keeping your spine long. You can reach for your toes or straight out in front of you. You can place a yoga block to reach for as well.

Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose):

This pose is great for opening up the hips and stretching the inner thighs.

To do this pose, sit with your legs in “butterfly” position. With your knees bent, feet together in front of you, as close to your pelvis as is comfortable. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, bend forward from the hips, keeping your spine long.

Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend):

This pose is great for stretching the hamstrings and lower back.

To do this pose, stand with your feet farther than shoulder-width apart. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, bend forward from the hips, keeping your spine long. Reach your hands down toward your ankles or place them on the ground (or on a yoga block) directly down between your legs. The ultimate goal is to reach your head to rest on the ground or yoga block. But don’t worry, you can work up to that!

Utkata Konasana (Goddess Pose):

This pose is great for strengthening the inner thighs.

To do this pose, stand with your feet wide apart. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, bend your knees and drop your pelvis straight down. Your arms can be out to the sides, together at your heart, or even over your head.

Eka Pada Rajakapotasane (Pigeon Pose):

This pose is great for stretching the hips and thighs.

To do this pose, start in Downward Facing Dog. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, bring your right knee forward to your right wrist. Place the knee on the floor outside of your right wrist. Bring your left knee to the floor then lower your left leg to straight behind you. You can place a yoga block under your butt if you cannot reach the ground.

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog):

This pose is great for stretching the entire backside of the body, including the hamstrings, calves, and Achilles tendon. It can also help to relieve any tension in the shoulders.

To do this pose, start in a Table Top position with your hands and knees on the ground. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, lift your hips up and back, straightening your legs and keeping your hands planted firmly on the ground. You can bend your knees if you must, raise your heels off the floor, or alternate bending each knee by “pumping” your feet.

Viparita Virabhadrasana (Reverse Warrior Pose):

This pose is great for stretching the chest and side of body

To do this pose, start in Warrior I Pose. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, rotate your torso to the right and reach your right arm up towards the sky. Let your left arm slide back down your back leg.

Prenatal Yoga Routines for the Second Trimester of Pregnancy

Wrapping Up Yoga in Pregnancy for the Second Trimester

Yoga poses are great for pregnant women during the second trimester of pregnancy. They help you stretch your joints, strengthen and calm your mind, relieve stress, improve flexibility, and increase energy levels while reducing fatigue – all without putting any extra strain on the baby! We’ve provided you with a list of 8 yoga poses that are perfect in the second trimester of pregnancy. Remember to listen to your body and modify the poses as necessary. If you have any questions, please consult your healthcare provider before practicing yoga during pregnancy.

Namaste!

Everything You’d Want to Know About Yoga in Pregnancy During the Second Trimester