During pregnancy the suppleness of ligaments can impact upon yoga poses and create challenges for maintaining comfort in everyday activities such as sitting, standing and walking.  Spinal curves alter during pregnancy, as a result of the increasing weight of the uterus, the hormonal effects on the joints, and the changing position and size of baby.  As baby grows, the weight of the womb pulls on supporting ligaments and muscles of the which can increase the strain in the lower back.

Approach yoga poses with care and attention. Stay with what feels comfortable and if discomfort creeps in, modify so that you return to comfort or stop. Some suggestions for modifications; are use support, eg, padding under knees if on all fours, hands further forwards than shoulders to decrease the angle through the wrists or turn fingers outwards so thumbs are parallel. If the wrists don’t like this, then rest upper body on a ball or on a cushion on a chair, bending the elbows as necessary for support.
Try varying the size or speed of movement, sometimes staying small and slow feels best, other times a wider range can be explored. In general, don’t go too fast so that you feel rushed or too slow that it feels laboured, let your body find a pace that feels just right, like the Goldilocks effect!!
Let your movements flow, gently, fluidly, feel your way around them.
AVOID INCREASING THE CURVE IN YOUR LOWER BACK AS THIS CAN INCREASE DISCOMFORT, MOST NOTABLE IN CAT’S BREATH.
FROM ALL FOURS FIND A NEUTRAL, COMFORTABLE BASE, THIS IS YOUR PLACE TO RETURN TO.
EXHALE – ROUND YOUR BACK, SLOWLY, GENLTY, SMOOTHLY, HUGGING BABY TOWARDS YOUR SPINE
INHALE – RETURN TO NEUTRAL

AVOID SAGGING BELLY DOWN, WHICH LIFTS YOUR TAIL AND CAN INCREASE DISCOMFORT IN LOWER BACK

When standing or sitting try to feel the weight travelling down evenly through the legs and feet into the ground or through sitting bones onto seat. Keep this in mind as you go about your daily activities. Bring in movement often throughout the day (whilst waiting for kettle to boil) such as rocking, swaying, circling or scooping to help reduce a feeling of pressure or discomfort that creeps in when we remain in the same position for any length of time, desk work, car journeys, sofa surfing.