Women's health
Pregnancy: keep going, with adjustments
In the absence of complications, physical activity in pregnancy is described as safe and desirable, and the recommended amount is the same 150 minutes a week.
What it is
Pregnancy changes the body's mechanics steadily over nine months. The centre of mass moves forward, the abdominal wall lengthens and its contribution to supporting the spine changes, the pelvic floor takes increasing load, and ligaments soften. The common consequences are low back and pelvic girdle pain, breathlessness, and a growing list of positions that no longer work. None of that is a reason to stop moving, and the guidance is clear about it.
How it behaves day to day
It changes by trimester rather than staying constant. Early on fatigue and nausea are often the limiting factors; later it is mechanics, breathlessness and comfort. Pelvic girdle pain, felt at the front of the pelvis or across the back of it, is common and tends to be provoked by single-leg activities such as stairs and getting dressed standing up.
What tends to feed it
- Long periods standing still, particularly later on
- Single-leg activities where pelvic girdle pain is present
- Lying flat on the back for long periods after the first trimester
- Stopping all activity, which tends to make the aches and the fatigue worse
What the research recommends
The reference document is ACOG Committee Opinion 804, on physical activity and exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period. In the absence of obstetric or medical complications or contraindications, it describes physical activity in pregnancy as safe and desirable, and says pregnant women should be encouraged to continue or to initiate safe physical activity. The recommended amount is at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, typically as 20 to 30 minute sessions on most days. Women who were habitually doing vigorous activity before pregnancy can continue it during pregnancy and the postpartum period. On the pelvic floor, NICE NG210 recommends pelvic floor muscle training, and beginning that during pregnancy rather than after birth is the usual advice.
Sources
- 1ACOG Committee Opinion 804, physical activity and exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period (2020)
In the absence of complications or contraindications, physical activity in pregnancy is safe and desirable; at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week is recommended, and those previously doing vigorous activity may continue.
- 2NICE NG210, pelvic floor dysfunction: prevention and non-surgical management (2021)
Pelvic floor muscle training is recommended, and is a prevention as well as a treatment measure.
Where Vinys is different
- Vinys adjusts by trimester rather than offering one prenatal session for nine months, because the mechanics keep changing and so should the practice.
- Positions that stop being appropriate are removed rather than left for you to work out mid-session.
- Pelvic floor and breath work are included from the start, since beginning that before birth is the usual advice rather than something to catch up on afterwards.
- Sessions adapt on a day of fatigue or nausea, which is most of what the first trimester actually consists of.
- Where yoga meets physiotherapy: the strength and mobility work that keeps the back and pelvis comfortable, not just a relaxation class.
A short session to try
- 1
Cat-Cow · 8 slow rounds
One of the most reliably welcome movements in pregnancy, and it takes load off the lower back.
- 2
Clamshell · 10 each side
Strength at the side of the hip, which supports the pelvis when pelvic girdle pain is around.
- 3
Extended exhale breathing · 3 minutes
Breath is the entry point to the pelvic floor, and it stays available when other things stop being comfortable.
- 4
Gate pose · 30 seconds each side
Length through the side of the body, which gets compressed as the bump grows.
- 5
Wall angels · 8 slow reps
Upper back and shoulders, which take the strain as the centre of mass moves forward.
After the first trimester, avoid lying flat on your back for long periods; side-lying or propped up is the usual adjustment. If a movement provokes pelvic pain, leave it out.
Movements often used for this
Spinal Mobility · 60 to 90 seconds
Cat-Cow: Classic
Gently moves your spine through flexion and extension, promoting fluid movement and reducing stiffness: one of the most versatile spinal mobility exercises in therapeutic yoga.
Hips · 30–60 seconds of controlled repetitions per side
Clamshell
A small movement aimed at a muscle that keeps your pelvis level every time you take a step.
Breath · 180 to 300 seconds
Extended Exhale Breathing
Longer exhales deeply activate your body's calming response, reducing physiological arousal and pain sensitivity: particularly helpful for highly irritable or sensitive conditions.
Spinal Mobility · 30 to 60 seconds
Gate Pose: Classic
A kneeling side bend that stretches your lateral chain: the muscles along the side of your body, improving lateral flexibility and reducing one-sided tightness.
Spinal Mobility · 30 to 60 seconds
Wall Angels
Improves coordination between your thoracic spine extension and shoulder blade movement, helping you reach overhead more comfortably and with better control.
Breath · 60 to 75 seconds
Arriving with the Breath
A gentle, guided arrival that simply invites you to notice your breath without changing it: the calmest possible way to begin.
Breath · 180 to 300 seconds
Bhramari: Humming Bee Breath
The gentle vibration of humming during exhale stimulates your vagus nerve, creating a powerful calming effect that reduces stress and soothes your nervous system.
Breath · 180 to 300 seconds
Diaphragmatic Breathing: Dirga Pranayama
Slow belly breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system, helping to reduce pain sensitivity and calm your body before or after movement.
Hip Mobility · 120 to 180 seconds
Dragonfly: Half
One leg stretches wide while the other supports you, giving your inner thigh and hip a gentle, sustained release: sitting tall works perfectly; folding forward is optional.
Breath · 70 to 90 seconds
Following the Movement of the Breath
A slightly more detailed breath-awareness opening that helps you notice exactly where and how your breath moves: good preparation right before breath-led movement.
Hip Mobility · 240 to 360 seconds
Half Happy Baby
A gentle hip stretch with your back fully supported.
Hip Mobility · 30 to 60 seconds
Parsvottanasana: Wall
A stable, accessible standing hamstring stretch.
Sessions for this lean on the breath, hip mobility and stability / core families in the library. These are the ones most likely to appear, not a prescription: your own session is built from your answers on the day.
Common questions
Is exercise safe in pregnancy?
ACOG describes it as safe and desirable in the absence of obstetric or medical complications or contraindications, and encourages continuing or starting safe activity. Your own clinician is the one to confirm that applies to you.
Can I keep doing what I did before?
Women who habitually engaged in vigorous activity before pregnancy can continue during pregnancy and postpartum, according to ACOG. What usually changes is position and comfort rather than permission.
Should I start pelvic floor work now or after birth?
Now is the usual advice. Pelvic floor muscle training is a prevention measure as well as a treatment.
Talk to your midwife or doctor before starting or continuing an exercise routine, and stop and seek advice for bleeding, regular painful contractions, fluid leaking, calf pain or swelling, chest pain, shortness of breath before exertion, dizziness or headache.
Also called prenatal, antenatal exercise, exercise while pregnant, pregnancy back pain. Movements are drawn from the clinically authored Vinys library, and the guidance above is sourced to the publications listed. This page is general movement information, not medical advice, and it is not a diagnosis. How the method works.