More Than Movement: The Sacred Pause of Prenatal Yoga

Pregnancy is a time of transformation physically, emotionally and spiritually. Every aspect of life goes through a major shift. In this season of change, prenatal yoga offers a sacred pause. This pause allows the space to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with the wisdom of your body, and trust the natural processes of growing new life.

Practicing prenatal yoga, or yoga in general, is not about perfect poses or performance. It all comes down to  about presence and awareness. This practice isn’t just movement. It’s preparation. Preparation for birth, for motherhood, and for surrendering into the unknown with trust and grace. You’re not just preparing for labor. You’re practicing trust of your body, your breath, and your own pace.

What Makes Prenatal Yoga Different?

Unlike traditional yoga classes, prenatal yoga is designed to honor your changing body and the growing life within. It’s a space of support, not pressure, and a place to feel empowered in your softness.

• Poses are modified for all stages of pregnancy

• Movement is gentle, intentional, and deeply nourishing

• The practice centers connection, not achievement

  
  

Mindfulness Techniques for Pregnancy

One of the most powerful aspects of prenatal yoga is mindfulness. Here are three simple techniques to bring calm and clarity into your daily life:

Belly Breathing  (Diaphragmatic Breath)

Belly breathing is one of the most powerful tools during pregnancy. It engages the diaphragm and gently activates the transverse abdominal muscles—the deep core muscles that support your uterus, stabilize your spine, and play an important role during labor.

Here’s how to practice it:

• Sit comfortably or lie on your side with your knees bent and supported.

• Place one hand on your belly and one on your heart.

• Inhale slowly through your nose. Feel the breath move down, expanding your belly, ribs, and lower back.

• Exhale slowly through your nose or mouth. Gently draw your belly inward, hugging your baby toward your spine.

  
  

Why this matters:

• Keeps the core responsive without overexertion

• Reduces pressure on the pelvic floor

• Calms the nervous system

• Prepares the body for the rhythm of labor: breath, soften, release

  
  

Practice for 3–5 minutes daily, especially first thing in the morning or before bed.

Body Scan Check-In

Pause for a moment and bring awareness to each part of your body from the crown  of your head to the tips of your toes.

Where are you holding tension? Where can you soften?

Tuning into your body helps you track subtle changes, release stored tension, and respond with compassion rather than frustration.

Try this seated or lying down:

• Close your eyes and begin at the crown of your head.

• Slowly move your awareness down: face, jaw, neck, shoulders…

• Notice where you’re gripping or clenching. Soften the forehead. Relax the shoulders.

• Move through your chest, belly, hips, legs, and feet.

• Pause wherever sensation arises—without judgment. Simply breathe into it

Use this anytime: during a prenatal class, before sleep, or in moments of stress or discomfort.

Bonus: Pair this with belly breathing. Inhale into any area that feels tight, and exhale to soften.

Affirmations

Pregnancy can feel overwhelming. Affirmations ground your energy and shift the mental narrative from fear to trust.

How to work with affirmations:

• Choose one each week or create your own based on how you feel. Remember to keep the affirmation in the first person with positive language. (Ex.  Using “I am healthy” vs “I am not sick”

• Say it during your yoga practice, while brushing your teeth, or before bed.

  
  

Examples:

• “I trust the wisdom of my body.”

• “Each breath brings me closer to my baby.”

• “I am strong, soft, and supported.”

• “I surrender to the flow of life.”

Want to go deeper? Try journaling your affirmation or repeating it while in a grounding pose like supported child’s pose.

Tip: Write your affirmation on a sticky note and place it somewhere visible like bathroom mirror, fridge, or even your water bottle.

Simple Relief Tools for Everyday Pregnancy Discomforts

Even a few minutes of gentle movement can offer lasting relief and reconnection. Here are some pregnancy-safe favorites with added detail for support and alignment:

Legs Up the Wall (or elevated on a couch or chair)

Great for: Swollen feet, fatigue, circulation support

How to:

• Sit sideways against a wall or couch and gently swing your legs up.

• Use a folded blanket or pillow under your hips if needed.

• Let your arms rest out to the sides, palms up.

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Modify:

• In later pregnancy, prop the upper body with bolsters or pillows so you’re at a gentle incline.

• Or lie on your back with legs up on a couch, ottoman, or chair.

  
  

Stay for 5–10 minutes. Focus on slow belly breathing.

Cat/Cow with Core Awareness

Great for: Low back discomfort, mobility, core connection

How to:

• Come to hands and knees (tabletop) with knees under hips and wrists under shoulders.

• Inhale: Starting at the tailbone begin to lift while filling your belly with air following with the lift of the chest, chin and head (Cow).

• Exhale: Starting from the tailbone round your spine and gently hug the  belly inward (Cat). Think of the exhale as a gentle transverse abdominal engagement. Just enough to feel supported, not braced.

Repeat 5–8 rounds with breath.

Tip: Place a folded blanket under your knees for comfort.

Seated Side Stretch

Great for: Expanding rib space, easing shortness of breath

How to:

• Sit cross-legged or on a bolster.

• Bring one hand to the floor or a block and stretch the opposite arm up and over.

• Keep both sit bones grounded and breathe into the side body.

  
  

Modify:

• Place the lower hand on your hip if the floor feels far away.

• Focus on inhaling into the ribs and armpit creating space for your breath and baby.

Supported Child’s Pose

Great for: Overall rest, emotional reset, grounding

How to:

• Place a bolster or pillow lengthwise in front of you.

• Bring knees wide, big toes together, and fold forward onto the props.

• Turn your head to one side, switching halfway through.

• Stay here as long as you’d like for a nice reset. This is a posture of surrender, trust, and gentle connection with your baby.

  
  

Bonus: Place a blanket under your hips or ankles if needed.

Why Mindfulness Matters in Pregnancy

Practicing mindfulness during pregnancy helps:

• Regulate the nervous system and reduce stress

• Build emotional resilience for labor and postpartum

• Strengthen the bond with your baby

• Teach you to breathe through discomfort and embrace the unknown

This work supports you far beyond the mat and plants seeds of compassion, surrender, and inner strength.

Closing Reflection

Whether it’s five minutes of breath or a full hour of movement, your practice is an offering to yourself, to your baby, and to the sacred unfolding of motherhood.

If you’re looking for guidance, support, or a space to move and breathe intentionally during your pregnancy, I’d love to hold that space for you. Book a 1:1 prenatal yoga session online or sign up for e-mails about any upcoming in person offerings.

You don’t have to walk this path alone. We can move  through  this together gently, mindfully, and heart filled presence.

Namaste,

Alexis

Inspirational quote image with gold heart outline and soft neutral background. Text reads: “Soften the body. Calm the mind. Open the heart”