There’s only a handful of prenatal yoga classes in Charlotte, but I’ve become a huge fan during my pregnancy
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As I write this, I am about a week from meeting my first child and needless to say, I am beyond excited.
With all of the wonderful things that pregnancy brings, there are also some not-so-great things, like the toll it takes on the body.
One thing you typically hear is that exercise throughout your pregnancy is an excellent way to relieve discomfort and prepare your body for labor. Being that those are two extremely enticing benefits, I was all about some exercise these past 9.5 months. However, I found that the further I got into my pregnancy, my obvious options for exercise dwindled to a mere 30-minute walk around the block. Boring!
Before I began making a human from scratch, I had a regular workout routine that I loved.
I am a ClassPass-er and enjoyed bouncing around, doing things like pilates, spin, and ballet. For a while, I was feeling really good about my fitness routine. When I found out I was pregnant, I knew that I would need to adjust my workouts. But how?
The rule of thumb is if you do a particular exercise routinely, and your body is used to it, you can keep doing it throughout your pregnancy. Have you seen the CrossFit mom that was running uphill with weights at 8 months pregnant? Incredible. However, that isn’t me. I am a normal worker-outer, in need of preggo-friendly options.
Then, I remembered yoga.
Yoga was never a super favorite of mine, but it is consistently talked about as some of the best exercise you can do while pregnant. I thought there would certainly be tons of yoga studios that offered a prenatal class! I was a little right, but mostly wrong. Most classes are heated which is a big pregnancy no-no, and anything with “Power” in front of it was far too intense.
Here is what I found (class times change frequently, so make sure to check the sites!).
Prenatal at YogaOne<br/>
Location: Central Avenue
Prenatal classes:
- Thursday at 6:15 p.m – 7:30 pm
- Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
- Sunday at noon (Baby & Co)
- Monday at 6 p.m.
Prenatal at Charlotte Family Yoga
Location: Prosperity Park Drive
Prenatal classes:
- Wednesday at 10:15 a.m.
- Thursday at 6:45 p.m.
- Sunday at 2 p.m.
Prenatal at Bellies and Babies<br/>
Location: Monroe Road
Prenatal classes:
- Monday at 6:30 p.m.
- Tuesday at 4 p.m.
- Wednesday at 10:15 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
- Thursday at 4 p.m.
- Friday at 11:15 p.m.
- Saturday at 10 a.m.
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Prenatal at Yoga For Life<br/>
Location: West Morehead Street
Prenatal classes: Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Prenatal at Y2
Location: Cotswold
Prenatal classes: Sunday at 2 p.m.
Other flows that you can modify (non-heated):
*Basically, classes that are described as “Gentle” or “Restorative” that are not heated.
- Chillax Yoga at Okra
- Yin at BeYoga, Okra or The Yoga Oasis (or anywhere that offers Yin, as long as it isn’t heated)
- Deep Stretch at BeYoga (same as above)
- Y2 Straight Shot at Y2
The biggest thing to note is that not all teachers will know how to modify poses for expectant mothers.
If the class isn’t specifically prenatal, you may need to make your own modifications.
For me, prenatal at YogaOne taught me the ropes so I felt comfortable going to non-prenatal classes and making my own changes to poses. As always, consult your doctor before starting any new routine. See you in down-dog!
Cover image via Facebook