Pregnancy : keep a good energy level with yoga and fitness

While you may not feel like exercising as much as before during pregnancy, maintaining a regular physical activity is important. The more active you are, the easier it will be for you to adjust to body changes, stay fit for labour and keep a good energy level.

Note: always ask your healthcare provider which forms of exercise are safe for you to do, some medical conditions may require you to limit your movements. 

Learn about prenatal yoga & fitness

  1. Which kinds of exercises are safe during pregnancy?
  2. What is prenatal yoga and how can it help?
  3. Why should I avoid yoga or Pilates during the first trimester? 
  4. Prenatal yoga or prenatal Pilates, what should I choose? 
  5. Are there other types of prenatal workout and fitness classes?
  6. Can I continue practicing yoga after having given birth? 

1. Which kinds of exercises are safe during pregnancy?

If you are used to practising intense sport activities, like tennis, discuss with your midwife (or other assigned health care professional) if you can keep practicing your sport. Towards the end of the pregnancy, you might want to switch to more moderate activities as your belly grows bigger.

In general, avoid high impact sports and activities that might cause you to fall. To name a few: boxing, horse riding or judo should be skipped. Typically, safe and adapted prenatal workout includes: 

  • Walking 
  • Swimming
  • Prenatal Yoga class
  • Pregnancy Fitness class
  • Prenatal Pilates class

Pregnant woman doing yoga online

2. What is prenatal yoga or Pilates and how can it help?

Prenatal yoga can help you stay active in a relaxed way. It is a gentler form than standard yoga, specifically designed to meet the needs of pregnant women. Poses will be adapted and props will be used to make practice comfortable and safe. A prenatal yoga class traditionally combines meditation, yoga postures as well as breathing and relaxation exercises. You will also learn breathing practices which you could use during labour. 

Good news for the non-yogi: prenatal yoga is open to everyone, no need for you to have practiced yoga before. 

3. Why should I avoid yoga during the first trimester? 

Most yoga teachers or prenatal Pilates studios will recommend you to not attend their prenatal yoga class in the 1st trimester. During these first pregnancy months, the foetus is implanting, the placenta being built and risk for miscarriage at is highest. Although there is no clear consensus around the fact that yoga should be avoided during the first trimester, extra cautiousness is fundamental. Discuss both with your healthcare provider and your yoga teacher whether you can practice yoga during your first trimester.

4. Prenatal yoga or prenatal Pilates, what should I choose? 

Prenatal Pilates is another example of a perfectly safe and adapted form of exercise during pregnancy. Yoga and Pilates are very close practices since they both focus on body and stress relief, flexibility, strength, control and endurance, with an emphasis on breath. While there are multiple interpretations of yoga today, it always includes a spiritual aspect. Prenatal Pilates, on the contrary, focuses on the body only. 

Prenatal fitness on pregnancy ball5. Are there other types of prenatal workout and fitness classes?

Some teachers also offer prenatal workouts tailored to the needs of pregnant women. Always make sure you chose an expert who can design a workout that is adapted to your needs and make you exercise responsibly. Prenatal workouts will help you stay fit, energetic, positive and strong.  

6. Can I continue practicing yoga after having given birth? 

Yoga is a great practice to help you navigate through the intense physical and emotional adjustments of postpartum. Postnatal yoga, just like prenatal yoga, uses movement, breath and relaxation to help you reconnect with your body after pregnancy and birth. It will help you relax, get back in shape, and regain strength. 

Always check with your midwife if you are ready to start exercising again after birth before booking any class. 


Browse through our network of selected prenatal yoga, prenatal Pilates, and fitness teachers and book a class now! 

Want to book a prenatal Pilates or Prenatal workout class now? Browse through our selected network of trustworthy teachers, select the one who most closely meets your needs and book a class when you are both available. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to our team at hello@parentally.nl. Help is just around the corner! 

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Looking for other types of Pregnancy support? This related article might be relevant for you : perinatal massages.