6 Yoga Poses to Avoid During Pregnancy — and Poses to Try Instead

Yoga is one of the best forms of exercise you can do when you’re pregnant — it can help you relax, stay strong and even prepare for childbirth, according to the Mayo Clinic. But it’s important to take precautions to keep yourself — and your growing baby — safe.

While some poses are beneficial to pregnant students, there are some yoga poses you’ll want to avoid during pregnancy. As a prenatal yoga instructor, safety and comfort are my top priorities when I’m structuring a class. You want to leave your mat feeling less pain, more openness and, most importantly, more relaxation than when you arrived.

Below, I’ll explain which yoga poses you may want to steer clear of — or at least modify — when you’re pregnant, and what you can do instead.

You don’t necessarily have to take a prenatal yoga class in order to get the benefits of yoga during pregnancy. If you’re taking a class at a studio, talk to the instructor beforehand to let them know you’re pregnant, so they can offer modifications specific to the trimester you’re in.