First and foremost, this is a practice in listening to your body and what feels right and acting accordingly. You can absolutely practice in a regular studio while pregnant, as long as your doctor is comfortable with it! Below are a few things you  may choose to keep in mind:

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1. Your body is producing relaxin to allow for your ligaments to loosen so your body can soften + make space for your baby - that relaxin, can allow for you to feel more flexible than usual. Be mindful of this when you practice - it’s recommended to not go to your full degree of flexibility in various asanas to avoid injury. It can also cause tightness because your body may tense up a bit to try to stabilize your body due to the softening that is a result of the relaxin being produced. Give yourself and your body grace as this practice evolves alongside your body. As a note: relaxin can still be produced in your body after birth especially, if breastfeeding - so something to be mindful during postpartum as well!

2. Your body is making space, so crunching corework done on the back that targets the superficial core isn’t helping do that. Obliques, planks and deep core strengthening can be very helpful for stabilization and support for your body! 

3. Notice what feels good and natural to you and what doesn’t at the different points in your pregnancy. Deep twists and big backbends may not feel great during your pregnancy so there are great ways to modify those shapes and still participate in practice! One that I recommend avoiding is upward facing dog - it’s a big backbend that can add a lot of load to the low spine and stretch the front body in a way that may not feel comfortable. It’ll be clear in your body when it may be time to skip it.

4. Hydrate before practice – be sure you’re not coming to practice depleted, especially if the room is slightly heated.

5. Now’s not really the time to take up extreme shapes (like wheel for the first time) or practices (like hot yoga). If you practiced hot yoga before you became pregnant, your doctor is fine with you practicing, and it feels good to you to continue - then trust your gut feeling! If you opt to do that, be sure to especially focus on nourishing yourself and hydrating yourself before practice. It’s recommended to stay near ventilation or the door if you choose to practice hot yoga, or to just stick with not heated classes while pregnant, and especially in the later part of your pregnancy if most comfortable.

6. Use props!!! Blocks for under your hands so you’re not strained reaching for the ground, bolsters and blankets for support when in stretches or savasana are all great tools. Support yourself!

7. When you are moving from shape to shape, focus on the transitions. Take an inhale, begin your exhale and then move from one shape to the next for maximum stability.

Above all, remember - you have your whole life to practice yoga and your body is doing amazing things right now! Be patient and nourish your changing body as you welcome new life! Your regular practice will be there after you give birth - meet yourself where you are right now and remember that even being on your mat is a beautiful gift to your body & your baby.