Its not the same for every woman, but pregnancy is one of the experiences a woman may choose to go through in life. The miracle of being able to foster another life from within your own body is both an honor and privilege.

Yet of course, similar to all the other possible paths that one could take, pregnancy has its share of sacrifices that you must make to bring your bundle of joy into the world. It may be a long list, but it will surely be worth it once you cradle the baby in your arms.

As we delve further, we will be tackling the various aspects to consider along with the benefits of doing aerial yoga while pregnant and its significance to a pregnant woman’s life.

 

Pregnancy and what it entails..

Pregnancy is not a walk around the park. It involves, as we said earlier, a great number of sacrifices to be able to successfully give birth to another human being.

It is a phenomenon that requires so much from a person that it is important to be prepared in all aspects may be physical or psychological not only for your own sake but at this point, you would truly want to have and give what is best for your unborn child as well.

While you are pregnant, you might encounter at least two types of people on the topic of exercising during pregnancy: one who disagrees and another one who agrees.

The one who disagrees could typically be someone who has gone through pregnancy and has come up with some “tips” of their own. Albeit well intentioned, its more reliable to take advice from a medical practitioner, or your OB-GYN  who tend to agree that exercise when done with care, is not only positive, its also necessary for the optimal development of your healthy child.

As we said, there are a lot of factors that you should consider if ever you want to embark on the journey of parenthood. We can classify these according to the phases that you will go through if you decided to get pregnant. Lets take a look here:

 

Before pregnancy

You have a life of your own before growing another one. Your lifestyle and habits would definitely be one of the things that you might miss once the process begins.

At the beginning of pregnancy, a lot of physiological changes would occur to the point that they might overwhelm you and we want you to know that it is okay! The mood swings that we get every time of the month is something that we have been handling all our life; think of this as just one of those but with a bigger goal.

It is essential to keep yourself strong at this time and use this to prepare yourself for more challenges that are to come your way. Being able to say “no” to a lot of new restrictions is a good habit to practice.

During pregnancy

At this time, we can say that your baby has now embedded itself into you, literally, and that the need to take care of both yourself and them is becoming more apparent.

As we all know, a normal pregnancy occurs in nine (9) months and is divided into three (3) trimesters. Later, we would also give you tips on which poses are advisable for the specific trimesters as well as notable details that would impact your quality of life from then on.

During pregnancy, the physical changes might cause a toll on someone especially if not given adequate help and support. With your emotions all over the place, it is helpful to have someone who can help you pick up, gather, and refocus back on what you need to do.

After pregnancy

And it is done! You are now holding your whole life in your arms after those long, exhausting nine months of growing it in your womb!

At this point, you will then come to conclude that all the control and sacrifices that you have done and the big changes you went through in the past nine months are worth it. It is also at this phase where the after-effects of pregnancy get more and more visible.

 

Is it safe to do Aerial Yoga while pregnant?

Of course! However, with the sensitivity of the condition, there are a lot of contraindications regarding the practice of aerial yoga while pregnant, but in general it is all dependent on how you feel while doing the practice.

In times gone by, it was not really advisable for pregnant women to be engaged in strenuous activities as to prevent any unwanted accidents that may harm the baby and the mother. Yet this is still true with regards to extremely intense exercise etc, as technology and practices progressed, a lot of physicians now recommend doing specific exercises tailored for each trimester and the need of the mother.

With all honesty, practicing aerial yoga while pregnant can be dangerous but only when done the wrong way, without a professional’s supervision, and your doctor’s approval. If you did or do not have all three of these, then it would be best to skip this practice out. Yet, if you do, then read on!

Doing exercises is believed to have helped make birthing easier and smoother since the body is fit and trained from the exercising done regularly before the time of labor. Aside from this, a pregnant woman’s body also releases a hormone called Relaxin. From the word itself, “relax”, this hormone is responsible for making your connective tissues more flexible, and you as well! This helps your body prepare for birth.

Aerial Yoga uses a specialized fabric that is breathable and not harsh on the skin. This equipment can withstand up to 440lbs of weight so do not really need to worry about whether it would still be able to lift you up because it most definitely can!

When you are pregnant, it is only natural for your center of gravity to change because of your tummy. With this, you have to be extra careful when executing poses, even those that are specifically recommended for you by your instructor. It is vital that you find your balance in every move you do so that both you and your baby’s safety are ensured.

 

Things to Consider Before Flying

As we have been saying, pregnancy can be a very delicate time that also requires a delicate approach as much as possible when it comes to exercising, and certainly the same goes if you want to try aerial yoga while pregnant.

Pregnancy alone can be stressful enough, so before reaching this phase, we highly recommend researching before giving it all to any exercise routines, particularly prenatal aerial yoga.

Before flying, here are a few things that you must consider:

 

1. Your Doctor’s Approval

Considering your fragility, it is essential to secure approval from your physician first if you are capable of doing aerial yoga while pregnant. Practicing aerial yoga should not be just because you want to do it, but because you need it and you will benefit from it. If your doctor does not recommend it, then just save it for the future, perhaps after giving birth!

2. The Trimester You Are In

The trimester you are currently in is also something to consider before engaging in aerial yoga while pregnant.

In the first trimester, the recommended scope of the exercise that you should do is only those that are gentle. Contrary to some belief, the first trimester is actually the most critical of all three trimesters because this is the time when your baby is starting to embed itself in your womb.

Aside from this, the first trimester is also the time when you experience most of the early signs of pregnancy such as nausea and skin sensitivity. Poses that swing from side to side or even back and forth may cause initiate vomiting or headaches — the same way goes for poses that will put pressure on the skin. These might cause discomfort so it is very much alright to keep it light in the first trimester.

In the second trimester, your energy will start to shift back to normal and this is also the time when your pregnancy will seem and feel more and more apparent especially as your tummy grows. Now in this trimester, it is very important that you consider the position of the baby first. It is not recommended for you to lie down on your back as this might cause airway blockage for your baby.

It is also important to avoid getting too much compression in the belly because this might stretch your abdominal walls. Well, you cannot necessarily “unstretch” them so it is just better to prevent this.

Lastly, in your third trimester, you can do poses that focus on exercising your limbs and opening your pelvis. This will give you more flexibility and help you be totally ready for labor delivery. These exercises also involve those with a bit of bouncing. During this stage it is recommended to avoid inversion poses.

3. Other Safety Measures

Pregnant or not, there are still a few safety measures that one should secure before practicing Aerial Yoga.

One of those is a safety crash mat. A safety crash mat is placed below the aerial hammock or yoga swing so that you will be more comfortable about doing your routine. Also, this will provide you with the most security from any unseen circumstances. Worry less because if you do not have a yoga crash mat at the moment then a mattress would be more than enough; it is even more advisable since it is thicker.

The adjustment level of your yoga swing is also to be observed when doing aerial yoga while pregnant. Because of your physical state, we recommend using a lower setting so that even if you will be relying more on your own strength, you will have more of the floor’s surface to guide and support you. Plus, we do not really aim to execute complex poses such as inversions right now.

DO NOT STRETCH TOO MUCH. The goal of Aerial Yoga for pregnancy is to help your body relax and not strain it. Being a budding mother is already hard as it is, and we are not really in any way trying to lose weight at this moment. Remember that our goal is to ease most of your discomfort and make your birthing process as easy, less painful, and smooth as much as possible.

4. Get the most high-quality equipment!

After thorough consideration and you have decided to embark on the aerial yoga journey, now’s the time to find a class that caters to pregnant women so you can be guided and supported.

Also, you may consider to choose your very own companion! Here at Gravotonics, the authentic products that we offer are made ethically from Bali artisans who also pioneer in the practice so you are assured that you are getting the best from the number one supplier in the market!

Our company dates back to 2003 and all of the years we spent in the aerial yoga community is what has made us successful up to the present day. Our testimonies of customer satisfaction include the likes of Fitness First, the largest gym chain in the world, along with some of the best yoga studios!

The Gravotonics Bali Yoga Swings and Aerial Hammocks are made from breathable and easy-to-manipulate parachute fabric with triple stitching. The swings are also padded for that added comfort when doing asanas. The set also includes manuals that will initially guide you through the practice and directions on how to install your aerial equipment and more…

Also, our customer relations do not end after purchase! You can easily connect with us through our website and even take some time to visit our helpful blogs to learn more about the beautiful practice of aerial yoga.

 

Making Miracles

Aerial Yoga has been one of the pioneer practices when it comes to the aspect of restorative health. It has provided comfort to a lot of people with different conditions and even pregnant women!

As you are in the process of making a miracle with your body and at some point need a little bit of lifting up in trying times, trust that aerial yoga is here for you.

It can seem scary at first, but with the right supervision, it could be your best friend in and through this roller coaster of 9 months!

So before anything else, we at Gravotonics promote inclusivity with the versatile products that we sell, that is why we want you to know that we are here to help you achieve the new goals you set for yourself with the aid of aerial yoga while pregnant, as well as before and after baby is born.