Katie Baki and Ali Owens, both Glo teachers, discuss how to create the best prenatal yoga practice for you. A prenatal yoga practice offers benefits like stress reduction and improved well-being, and increased self-awareness. Katie and Ali cover how to use props, emphasize the process of your practice rather than aiming for an outcome, and highlight breathwork and pelvic floor exercises for labor preparation. They discuss what prenatal practices are available on the Glo platform.
Prenatal yoga helps prepare the body for labor and delivery, and the benefits can include stress reduction, improved emotional well-being, and increased self-awareness. As in any health or exercise program pursued during pregnancy, it’s important to listen to your body and consult with your doctor or health practitioner for guidance, before you begin.
Guest-host Katie Baki is in her third trimester and guest Ali Owens is a mother of three. They are both teachers at Glo. Katie has a three-part class of prenatal yoga classes on the Glo platform.
Katie and Ali discuss how pregnant yoga practitioners must adjust their practice to accommodate the changes in the body during pregnancy. Yoga props can help, providing support for the body and more room for the baby. Katie and Ali discuss the prevailing myths about yoga during pregnancy, focus on the importance of core work to foster stability (rather than strengthening), and how to use breath work and pelvic floor exercises to help with relaxation, stress reduction, and preparing for labor and delivery. They agree that one of the top benefits to practicing prenatal yoga is learning how to listen to the body and check in with what it needs.
To wrap up the conversation, they discuss what prenatal yoga classes are available on the Glo platform.
00:00 Meet Ali Owens
06:56 benefits of prenatal yoga
12:23 self-awareness and listening to your body
19:32 shifting perspectives and redefining “progress”
29:05 myths and modifications in prenatal yoga
36:01 core work and pelvic floor exercises
42:23 breath work and relaxation techniques
48:04 prenatal yoga programs on the Glo platform
Katie Baki’s Prenatal Power Yoga: 1st Trimester Program
Katie Baki’s Prenatal Power Yoga: 2nd Trimester Program
Katie Baki’s Prenatal Power Yoga: 3rd Trimester Program
Ali’s Moving Into Motherhood: First Trimester Program
Ali’s Moving Into Motherhood: Second Trimester Program
Ali’s Moving Into Motherhood: Third Trimester Program
We have an expansive library of prenatal classes and programs on Glo.
COLD OPEN
Ali Owens (00:00):
I didn’t use a lot of props until a couple years before my pregnancy, and I’m just so glad that I learned how to use those because they can be such a great assist in your prenatal practice. They help to create more extension in the body. They help to create more room for your baby, and they just also help you to feel supported. I mean, you’re going through a massive transformation.
HOST INTRODUCTION
Rachel Autumn (00:32):
Hi everyone, I’m Rachel Autumn filling in for Derik this week on the Glo podcast. I’m so excited to introduce a conversation about prenatal yoga with two wonderful Glo teachers that I have the pleasure of working alongside Katie Baki and Ali Owens. Ali, a mom of three and Katie currently in her third trimester offer invaluable insights on practicing yoga during pregnancy. They will share practical tips on finding balance, comfort and strength through movement. And by the way, Katie also has a fantastic three-part prenatal yoga program on Glo called Prenatal Power Yoga, designed to support expecting parents throughout their journey. We’ll include the link in the show notes below, as with any exercise program while you’re pregnant, including yoga. Please check with your doctor or healthcare practitioner before starting and throughout your pregnancy. I hope you enjoy this conversation with the lovely Katie Baki and Ali Owens.
Katie Baki (01:38):
Hello Glo listeners and welcome to the Glo Podcast. My name’s Katie Baki. I’m a teacher for Glo and soon to be new mom, and I’m also the guest host for this episode where we will discuss all things prenatal yoga, what prenatal yoga is, the benefits, safety and modifications, and common myths. So I’m very excited because today I’ll be having this conversation with the amazing Ali Owens, who is also a mom to three and who has lots of experience in practicing and also teaching prenatal yoga. So Ali, welcome. I’m so excited to have this conversation with you.
Ali Owens(02:26):
Thank you so much for having me. It’s an honor to be with you, and congratulations on your pregnancy. I hope you’re feeling great. How far along are you?
Katie Baki (02:37):
Thank you. I am currently 33 weeks, so I’m in the home stretch. I’ve got several weeks to go, but so far feeling good. Very excited. Thank you for
Ali Owens(02:47):
Asking. It’s a good feeling.
Katie Baki (02:49):
So I thought we would just kind of hop right into it and talk about what prenatal yoga is. I think there can sometimes be confusion and curiosities behind what prenatal yoga is, so I thought we’d lead this conversation into that topic. Sure.
Ali Owens(03:08):
Prenatal yoga is much like yoga that you would practice normally except that we’re making modifications for those who are pregnant and expecting. So there might be certain poses that we don’t practice and there might be other poses that we focus on in order to prepare the mother for labor and delivery.
Katie Baki (03:31):
And there’s so many benefits to a prenatal yoga practice, just like our practice prior to pregnancy. Let’s kind of discuss a little bit of the benefits. So thinking about things like physical discomfort, easing that, right, mental and emotional benefits, reducing stress, helping to improve sleep, and what are some other benefits that when you were practicing, you started to notice not just in your body but also in the mind?
Ali Owens(04:04):
Well, everyone’s experience of pregnancy is going to be slightly different. So I think that we can adhere to some of the common sensations and adaptations of pregnancy, but to know that each and everyone’s pregnancy is going to be unique to their own body, I think is a good place to start. And the nice thing about yoga first and foremost is that it is the practice of coming into the present moment and arriving into your body so that you can start to listen to what your body is asking you at any point in time during the practice and heightening this sense of self-awareness. And also your intuition in my opinion, is maybe the top benefit to prenatal yoga because that’s not only going to help you as you’re moving on the mat, but it’s also going to help you as you become a mother because postpartum is a whole thing in and of itself and your body is constantly shifting back to what it has just gone through.
(05:12):
And a lot of us were not educated in what our bodies go through during pregnancy. So there might be a lot of new feelings, new sensations, new adaptations, and you might notice your mind kind of do circles around all of those things and you’re asking yourself what is going on? And so for me, I think learning how to listen to my body and check in with what it needs at any given point in time is the number one benefit to practicing yoga while pregnant. Now, as far as the physical practice goes, a lot of these poses can be adapted to help you prepare for the different stages of pregnancy and also for labor and delivery. So if you feel like you’re tight in your hips and you need to open that area up so the pelvis is ready to give birth, then you can do things like hip openers and squats and some more restorative stretches just to kind of loosen the ligaments, kind of relax the tissues around those areas so that you’re ready for labor and delivery.
(06:25):
But some of us might actually experience pain and sensation around the pubic bone and the different ligaments that connect in the uterus to your different organs. And in fact, the opening might not be so helpful. You might actually need more stability and stabilizing of the pelvis, right? Because relaxant is one of the hormones that dramatically and increases during pregnancy. They say you have 10 times the amount of relaxing during pregnancy than you do pre-pregnancy. And relaxing is the hormone that helps to relax the tissues, relax those ligaments so that your belly can grow and accommodate room for your baby, and so that you can also vaginally give birth. And so with all of that, if you are already flexible coming into your pregnancy, you might need more stabilizing poses. So things like standing poses or again, squats, more pelvic floor lifting, things that help you to create more stability in the pelvis to relieve some of those aches and pains that sometimes can happen towards the second and third trimester. So really it’s just a home remedy, not only for the physical adaptations and sensations that are happening in your body, but also just to arrive into the present moment and to recognize what’s happening inside of your mind, knowing that you’re going through all of these hormonal fluctuations and changes at any given time during your pregnancy.
Katie Baki (08:07):
And I think those are all such great points. And for me, my curiosity is always the mental benefits because that’s my background is in behavioral wellness. And so when I think about practicing prenatal yoga, it’s very physical, but it’s also so mental and then in conjunction with breath work and how that affects the mind. And there are studies that have shown or demonstrated that just by practicing prenatal yoga, it’s the empowerment that we feel. It gives us better coping strategies and it gives us mental strength and stamina along with all the physicality of it to better prepare for labor and birth. And I think for me, it’s so interesting and that’s always on the forefront of my mind when I personally teach a class or step on the mat. It’s just very interesting to me
(08:59):
And it’s finding our new normal, which can be so difficult for some of us. And I think this is kind of the perfect segue into talking about the different modifications and safety of a prenatal practice. So thinking about things like the addition of props, listening to our body and maybe taking breaks when needed, or perhaps slowing down if needed, or checking our ego, finding new movement for a new changing body. So in your classes, how do you approach these different types of modifications? I would say throughout the three different trimesters, starting with first trimester, second trimester, and third trimester,
Ali Owens(09:49):
Right. Well, each trimester has its own unique characteristics. So the first trimester I like to call the formation period because that’s when the baby is forming inside of the womb. And some women will know they’re pregnant and other women cannot escape all of the hormonal changes that happen in their body that lead to things like morning sickness and nausea and fatigue, and they’re really feeling it. And so there’s going to be two different experiences there, but you can probably do a lot of the poses that you did before, even though things like deep twists might be contraindicated because you always want to keep blood flow going into your uterus. You don’t want to constrict the blood flow or even the prana, the life force energy going to your womb. But you can probably still do a lot of the things that you did before if you’re not feeling all of those first trimester experiences.
(10:55):
And then normally by trimester two, hopefully some of those symptoms are starting to alleviate, you’re starting to feel stronger in your body, but you also might start to show your belly might start to grow and you might be a little bit off balance. So even though you can still do some of the things that you did before, aside from let’s say belly lying postures, you might notice that stepping through becomes more challenging, that balancing on one leg becomes more challenging, and this is where the use of props and modifications can really start to help. And I didn’t use a lot of props until a couple years before my pregnancy, and I’m just so glad that I learned how to use those because they can be such a great assist in your prenatal practice. They help to create more extension in the body, they help to create more room for your baby, and they just also help you to feel supported.
(11:58):
I mean, you’re going through a massive transformation, and I think that we don’t give props the credit they deserve and just providing the comfort that you need to fully surrender or fully be in a pose and not feel strained in any way. So if you can start to feel comfortable and connected and strong in each of these poses, then that’s also going to lead you to those feelings of rest and relaxation and restoration really. And then in your third trimester, this is the feel it all trimester, right? Yes, it is. You’re feeling so full, you’re so ready for baby to be born, but baby has so much more growing to do and you’re going to have a little watermelon baby inside of your belly that that could be a huge upset for your pelvis in your spine. And the extension that yoga creates in your spine totally invaluable during prenatal because you’re going to be able to stand up taller, you’re going to be able to sit taller, your shoulders will be relaxed.
(13:06):
I mean, people don’t realize the displacement of your organs as your belly starts to grow. So even things like breath work and pranayama practices could provide a lot of relief and just the ability to breathe deeper. So all of those things make an impact, and they have an effect on how you feel during pregnancy. And I think how you feel during pregnancy is going to directly affect what you think about pregnancy. So if you’re feeling good in your body, you’re going to be like, pregnancy is great, but if you’re not feeling good in your body, you’re like, pregnancy is awful. And what you think plays such a huge impact on your experience, not only while you’re pregnant, but also while you’re giving birth. So there’s the physical mental component, and then there’s the energetic component, which is a whole other subset, whole other topic.
Katie Baki (14:05):
And I think it’s always so important, and I know you mentioned it earlier, is that every pregnancy is going to look and feel different. So my experience in first trimester, second or third could be very different than yours. And I know for me personally, when I was in first trimester, I personally, it was headaches, it was headaches, it was migraines, it was so much fatigue, and I almost felt foolish. And there were days when stepping on my mat felt really, really good. It felt so good. And then there are also days where it would almost exacerbate symptoms. And so knowing when to find movement and how to find movement is so important. And I really started to learn that and to look at it in a whole different light during that first trimester. And it was a lot of adjusting. And then for me during second trimester, I think I experienced a lot of dizziness and lightheadedness.
(15:03):
So sometimes certain inversions I would skip because I would feel a little dizzy or I’d have to move slower and take pauses even though I had more energy and I felt better, I still kind of would have some of those symptoms. And then going into third trimester, now it’s navigating the baby bump and how to move along with that. And for me, it’s still that fatigue and it’s starting to tap into some of the newer sensations, whether it’s one day having a little bit of an achy pelvic bowl or another day having a little bit of an achy back every single day. For me, it was almost like there was a new sensation or a new feeling. The hardest part was navigating those and adjusting my practice almost day to day based on how I felt. It can be challenging mentally, especially if you’re so used to having this practice and having routine to have to shift and check in every single day, every single moment as you practice.
(16:17):
And so I think that also kind of goes hand in hand with this. So everybody’s pregnancy is going to look so different. So the importance of consulting with a doctor right before starting or even continuing any type of exercise program to be cleared for exercise is so important. And kind of also talking about maybe now may not be the time to progress those deeper postures that we have been wanting to or, and feel free to kind of chime in. How would you explain the difference between progressing your practice prior to pregnancy or how to flow with your practice during pregnancy, whether it is to take a step back or not to incorporate new exercises, things like that.
Ali Owens(17:13):
Right. I want to comment on something you said, which was that each day you’re feeling nuis sensations and adaptations and yoga, the container of yoga is a toolkit to almost helping to alleviate whichever symptom that you’re feeling. And I feel like having that toolkit is so valuable. And as far as progression goes, I think what we learned to do as mothers and as we progress in our pregnancy is redefine what progress means to us in our yoga practice because some people see progress as getting into a handstand, and other people see progress as the ability to sit in shavasana or pigeon pose without the mind bouncing around from thought to thought. So we shift our definition of progression to be more aligned with what the traditional yogis defined yoga as, and we start to become more in tune with our bodies, more in tune with our minds, less attached to the results or the destination that we were perhaps seeking.
(18:27):
And we arrive now. And I think that your practice is really tested during these months, and it’s tested in a way that just reveals what yoga really is. And so yes, you might not be introducing new poses while you’re pregnant, but you might also be trying different things that maybe you didn’t do before pregnancy supported soup DeSana, right? Maybe you never did soup cansus supported with props. So you maybe are trying different poses, but maybe they don’t look so challenging. But it’s still challenging because you’re dealing with a different subset of physical characteristics. So you’re learning how to deal with the adaptations of your body and the adaptations of your mind and learning how to be present through those and witness the thoughts, witness the sensations, witness the emotions that are moving through without attaching to any of them or making them mean anything that really is a strong progression in your practice. So I think it’s really hard during your first pregnancy because you are attached to a certain style of practice, to a certain mode of practicing. Maybe you’re attached to doing your ang practice every day, and then you realize you can’t do your Ashtanga practice every day. So it’s like, do you abandon yoga or do you adapt your practice to meet your needs? And you realize that yoga is there for you during all stages of life. And I think that that’s a beautiful transformation and shift of perspective that happens as you move throughout your pregnancy.
Katie Baki (20:36):
I think that’s a great way to put it. And I think even tapping into my own personal journey into prenatal yoga, I was looking for strength. I wanted to find classes for strength building. I know that I am very hypermobile. I know my body and I wanted to find exercises that created that stability and strength. But when I was sifting through so many classes and many different programs, I also noticed how pregnant bodies were sometimes treated like these fragile objects subject to breaking with the slightest challenge. And for me personally, I don’t want to be treated like I am weak. And I’ve also found many, many prenatal programs or classes that were so stretch based or there was a lot of passive stretching or static stretching with little emphasis on strength and I want to be strong. And I wanted those classes that taught those functional movements, the strength, the stability, because being pregnant is the equivalent of an endurance athlete. It requires strength, vitality, and stamina. And I personally wanted to hone in on these skills to move through pregnancy while also prepping for the inevitable challenging and unpredictable events of labor and delivery. So finding classes that challenge me in a safe way that introduced strength training to me is so important. And so I’ve noticed that I’ve also shifted my practice into that territory. And I’m curious about your journey also practicing prenatal yoga. How did that shift or look different to your practice and your journey prior to pregnancy?
Ali Owens(22:24):
Right. Well, with my last pregnancy, my third pregnancy, I also started to focus on strength training just because I realized that I was getting older and I had already been through two pregnancies, so I needed to build strength. My body already knew how to expand and grow and stretch out, and I too am hypermobile. So I already had a lot of mobility in my joints and focusing on building strength really helped me to feel energized throughout my day, and I needed that boost of energy chasing around two toddlers while growing another one. And so I think that again, you’re just really looking for things that help to compliment the experience that you’re going through, and each pregnancy is going to be different. I also felt the same way in the sense that a lot of prenatal yoga classes were so focused on gentle yoga, but that some women show up and they really do want to connect to that place inside of them that is strong and invincible that can do anything. And you’re going to need to tap into those resources and those feelings as you’re moving into labor and delivery because that is an extremely challenging experience. And knowing that you are capable of moving through challenging moments helps everything just to progress. So yeah, I started lifting weights.
(24:07):
I can’t say I was against it, but I was just so much about using your own physical body instead of using weights and things like that until I got closer. I think I was what, 34 with my last pregnancy? But I started lifting weights and I just started feeling a lot better both in my everyday life and also in my yoga practice. And so that could have to do with my age, it just could have to do with my experience. But women are strong and you are strong during pregnancy, and like I said, you’re going to have to be aware of your body as you’re doing things like that because you do have that influx of relaxing. You do have a lot of hormonal changes taking place, so you definitely want to be more mindful than maybe you would be if you’re not pregnant and you don’t want to overexert, right? You don’t want to push yourself. This is not the time to start adding on 10 pounders, but it is a good time to at least maintain and keep up your practice during labor. You could be on your feet for 20 hours, and that’s a long time. So you want to feel strong. You don’t want to feel fatigue muscularly or energetically. You want to be able to tap into those resources.
Katie Baki (25:38):
I think the benefits also of something like our classes labeled as prenatal can help so many pregnant bodies feel a little bit safer to know, okay, I can do this, I can do that. Even earlier when we were talking about some of the contraindications such as deep twisting or laying prone on your belly. However, I also think that there are so many myths kind of going back to the idea that a lot of the classes are more of those gentle based classes and that sometimes pregnant bodies are treated as so fragile, but there are a lot of postures or poses that we actually can practice and do. And so I want to start to get into some of the myths of some of the poses that I find in doing different research, contradictory information. So one website will refer to something as the most dangerous thing in the world, and another says the opposite.
(26:34):
And even from different prenatal yoga teachers, and I hear this conflicting information of absolute yes or absolute no, absolutely do this or absolutely this at all costs. And so to top it all off, what I was feeling in my own body was often very different than from what I was being advised by my teachers. So what I realized was that although there’s a lot of prenatals dos and don’ts out there, the right answer to the question is, is this safe to do while pregnant for me is typically maybe, or it depends as it is with most things pregnancy related and not so different than the rest of life. So I’d like to kind of tap into some of those myths or thinking about some of those poses that might be controversial. And I think tapping into twisting, like we were talking about earlier, those closed twist, but not all twists are created equally. Thinking about the difference between a closed twist like ma and a sea versus an open twist, like a revolved lunge with one hand down and one hand upward with no prayer hands. So thinking about something like that, how comfortable were you not only practicing different types of twists, but also teaching them in your prenatal classes?
Ali Owens(27:57):
Well, I think as a teacher, you always want to check in if anybody has a high risk pregnancy. So that’s going to help to determine how many risks they’re willing to take and also if they’re experiencing any other symptoms that could lead them to things like dizziness or feeling faint. Because the two categories of poses that people tell you to avoid while you’re pregnant are backends and inversions. And those are the ones that can be very much a maybe if you have an inversion practice before becoming pregnant, you can probably still go into inversions as long as your baby is in the optimal position and you don’t have things like placenta previa or you’re comfortable. I mean, the real risk in going into inversions is falling over. So if you’re confident that you’re strong in your inversions, then they could feel really good. And even if your baby is breached, there’s a lot of studies saying that actually lifting the baby up out of the pelvis and giving them that space to turn can help to move your baby into the optimal birthing position.
(29:15):
So maybe we don’t avoid inversions altogether, but we take it on a case by case basis and we say, did you have an inversion practice before this? What position is your baby in now? What stage of pregnancy are you in? Inversions might feel okay and first and second trimester, but then maybe not so much in third and maybe are using things like blocks and downward dog, and you’re just creating a little bit more of a lift mostly because you might be experiencing those gastrointestinal issues of acid reflux and everything’s so much closer up here that it might not feel good to go upside down anymore. And again, that comes back to listening to your body and understanding your body during this stage of life, which is a short stage of life. So our mind tends to hold on to this is going to be like this forever. I’m never going to do in verses again, but it is such a short chapter of your life, and I think gaining that perspective really helps us to honor our bodies where we are and make the modifications that we need in that moment knowing that tomorrow it could be different. Right,
Katie Baki (30:29):
And looking for constantly searching for those signs of discomfort, right? Like am I breathing or am I holding my breath? Do I notice that I feel a little bit of instability if I am placing weight on my hands in things, whether it’s a side plank or a down dog in third trimester, do I have carpal tunnel? Is that exacerbating it? All of these things that you may feel one day and you may not, but it goes back to the maybe or it depends because we have to take everything on a case by case basis. And then talking about going from inversions into thoughts on lying on your back around second trimester and going into third trimester, what are your thoughts on those kind of supine positions with or without support?
Ali Owens(31:23):
Yeah, I mean for me, it just didn’t feel as good to be on my back. I think maybe during my second pregnancy I would wake up sleeping on my back, which was just really interesting. But you have the vena cava, so you have this flow of blood going into your baby. So the reason why you don’t want to be on your back so much is that again, you just want to keep as much nourishment going to your baby as possible. And things like lying on your right side or lying on your back could potentially compromise that. So that’s why we shift to doing Shavasana on your left side during pregnancy because then it keeps that flow, that energy line open, and you can rest assured knowing that your baby is getting what he or she needs. So that being said, learning how to lift up the props so that you’re not completely on your back is just going to help you feel better in the yoga postures. Can you do it? Probably, but you might not want to do it for a long time. So if you’re doing restorative yoga, it might not feel so good to be there for 10, 20 minutes.
(32:36):
The other set of postures that I wanted to mention were back because a lot of people say you can’t back bend, but even just getting that upper back bend and things like camel pose and then it gets a little bit controversial around bridge pose because you are on your back for bridge pose. But again, if your baby is not in the optimal position, maybe going on your back and lifting your hips just gives you a little bit of relief and also gives you a little bit of a chest opener until you move into third trimester. But some of those upper back bends can really help to balance out the tendency to slouch forward. You have most of the weight now in front of you, so people are going to hunch their shoulders, which is going to create strain in your lower back and it’s going to create tension in your neck and shoulders. But if you can do a little bit of an upper back bend, then all of a sudden your pelvis is tilting, everything’s settling, and you feel more confident. So again, it’s not that you can’t do things, but you might just modify them in a way that accommodates your growing baby.
Katie Baki (33:54):
And even for something like bridge Post, for instance, thinking about lying on our backs and the pressure that might be put on the vena cava and long periods of time versus short periods of time. And again, always talk to your doctor, but what if you only held bridge for several breaths and you’re noticing your body like, Hey, do I feel dizzy? Do I feel a shortness of breath? And being very, very mindful of those kinds of sensations in the body. So maybe it’s not lying flat on your back for long periods of time, but for several breaths, maybe for some people it feels okay, and for others it may feel awful. For me, for instance, I still feel comfortable doing those kinds of positions, but I also make sure that I monitor it. So for instance, I absolutely love Shavasana. I will not lay flat down for Shavasana. It’s not comfortable. So I make sure to take more of an elevated position. And then going into also thoughts on now core work because I hear a lot about, and again, differing opinions on core work, whether it’s really good for us or to avoid it again at all costs. So what are your thoughts about practicing core work during your pregnancy?
Ali Owens(35:14):
Yeah. Well, I think what we need to focus on more so is core stability. So a lot of us see core work as crunches and knee ups and things that compress the abdominal wall, but your core is comprised of so many different muscle groups. So a lot of us don’t even know what all those muscle groups are until we do a yoga teacher training. And then you realize you have the transverse abdominis and the rectus abdominis and your oblique muscles, and sometimes your serus anterior is kind of moving into there. So you might just be working on trunk stability and you might be working on your deep core muscles, which also plays into your pelvic floor. And all of those exercises are going to help you immensely in your recovery. So you don’t want them to be so strong. If you do things like intense core work, it can actually lead to diastasis recti, that lanaya alba that runs up and down your rectus abdominus has a greater chance of stretching and tearing as your belly grows.
(36:25):
And that can be really painful, but you also don’t want to be so weak that you don’t feel like you can hold yourself up. So it’s such a fine line and it’s a balance and again, of knowing when you’re pushing too hard and you’re not doing enough. But things like modified side plank and cat cows, and if you had a plank practice before becoming pregnant, I don’t see why you can’t do plank. You might not do plank for two minutes, but you could probably do it for five to 10 breaths. And just other things that help to build more core stability is really going to help you depending on your pregnancy. A lot of women experience prolapse and things like that after giving birth. And so becoming more aware of your pelvic floor muscles, which kind of translate into your transverse abdominis muscles that can help to prevent things like prolapse. And some of us who are very strong in our core, we’ve been doing a lot of core exercises, a lot of strength training. We might need to relax those muscles and let them soften and learn how to release our pelvic floor, and that can help you in delivery. So again, everything is sort of tailored to the individual and requires a sense of self-awareness as to is this working for me?
Katie Baki (38:02):
Yes. And I think also when we hear the term core, a lot of people, they may not even understand what exactly even is your core. And we have to kind of be mindful that there’s so much our diaphragm, our pelvic floor, the deep core stabilizers, your TVA, all those muscles, the muscles in the back also consist of your core. And so a lot of times, like you were saying, when we think of the forward flexion, like the crunches or the bicycles, things like that, that involve heavily rectus abdominis, that six pack muscle that when we overly engage can lead to that diastasis recile. But thinking about the stabilizing muscles instead of the big mover muscle, so your transverse abdominis the muscle that is that corset that can stabilize your spine and your pelvis. So it can help when you do strengthen these muscles, help decrease things like low back pain and can help with pelvic stability.
(39:00):
Thinking about a lot of exercises or movements that we can practice, like you said, in a neutral spine like your planks, your side planks working in something which may seem simple, but it’s actually very challenging. Thinking about doing movements in a tabletop position using diaphragmatic breath, how do you engage and find the connection between your transverse abdominals and pelvic floor? And then how do you also, like you said, relax and release these kinds of things. So looking for when we’re doing these movements and even sometimes with engagement of TVA or pelvic floor kind of watching to make sure that we’re not conning that kind of football shape that we can look down and see to be mindful if these things. But again, it’s that question of avoid core work wells. No, it just depends what kind of core work you’re doing because some can be so beneficial for your body and for stabilization during pregnancy and also after pregnancy.
(40:04):
And when we kind of think about and talk about the pelvic floor, a lot of us don’t even realize pelvic floor is that it’s a deep core muscle and it’s that sling of muscles that support the pelvic organs forms the base of the core, attaching from front pubic bone all the way to tailbone and side to side from your sit bones. So thinking about pelvic floor, because I would consider that core work, Ali, why do you think it’s important during pregnancy to pay attention to pelvic floor and to practice pelvic floor work, whether it is strengthening, activating, but also lengthening and releasing?
Ali Owens(40:44):
Yeah, so it’s so important because your pelvic floor is supporting so much more during this time, right? With the uterus growing and things shifting. The pelvic floor is no longer just supporting your reproductive and elimination organs, but it’s not producing a baby or it’s now holding up a baby. And so becoming aware of these muscles will help you to feel more supported. It’ll help you with things like walking upstairs, just feeling like you can lift one foot in front of the other. And then also if they’re too loose and they’re not engaged at all, then things like prolapse or not even being able to hold in your urine. I mean these things, you don’t even think about them, but it’s a real thing for a lot of women. And so I think, again, this is where your practice is actually probably progressing while you’re pregnant is because you’re becoming more aware of your body and how certain muscle groups work and how they work together. And so developing a stronger sense of self-awareness shows progression in your practice and it allows you to make informed choices. So not everyone needs 10 Kegels a day. Some people need to focus on releasing their pelvic floor. And I know from my first pregnancy especially, that was very instrumental in me being able to give birth without medical intervention.
(42:32):
I definitely had a lot of fear and I had a lot of tension in that area in my body. And so as I was moving through the contractions, I had to continually think about how to create more space, how to create a sense of safety in my own physical body and moving into this next chapter of my life. And so yes, there’s a physical component to what you’re experiencing, but there’s also a mental and energetic component that I think we don’t talk about enough in prenatal yoga that can help to shift your relationship, especially to your pelvic floor.
Katie Baki (43:17):
And I think it was a study I was reading where I could be wrong, one in three, which is a lot women develop some sort of pelvic floor dysfunction or even incontinence after having baby, which is a lot when you really 33%. That’s a lot. That’s a huge number. So thinking about training the pelvic floor during and after pregnancy and to be able to help minimize some of these symptoms is so important. Yeah, I mean, you’re going to be picking up a baby, right? Yes. And we think about sometimes also too, I really like how you were talking about just even depending on the person, some have over activity of the pelvic floor. And so it’s not just learning how to activate and strengthen, but also how to relax, release and lengthen because tightness and overactivity is just as bad as a weak pelvic floor. It can make it difficult to relax and open while you’re in labor through and while giving birth, also reducing the severity perhaps of perineal tears. And so I think finding that nice balance of learning how to incorporate breath with pelvic floor and did that. And I’m curious in your process, because I know you said that you went through the birthing process without medical intervention, which is amazing. And so how did you find using breath work or using breath along with pelvic floor relaxation helped in that process?
Ali Owens(44:53):
Yes. So diaphragmatic breathing is so helpful while you’re pregnant, but definitely during labor and delivery. And then knowing the effects of your breath on your body also helps. So your nose is connected to your root chakra. And so all those short inhales that you’re taking through your nose and exhaling out through your mouth to just release the stress and anxiety that builds as your labor is progressing is really helpful. So this is just how the body is wired and working. The breath is going to directly influence your nervous system. So if you can learn how to switch your nervous system into a state of stress from a state of stress into a state of relaxation, even during the most intense of contractions, you’re sending a signal to your body that you’re safe and you can do this. So I think that breath is particularly useful and impactful as you’re moving through those contractions, not just physically on being able to breathe and release and create space and move body down, but also when it comes to your nervous system, because like I said, you could be in labor for a very long time and to be in a state of stress for that prolonged period of time, that can create the opposite effect and that can bring baby back in.
(46:28):
And so if you can stay in that state of rest and relaxation of receptivity, of allowance of acceptance, it’s going to help everything progress a little bit with more ease.
Katie Baki (46:42):
And I think this is why I am so in love with a prenatal yoga practice because it can teach you all of these things. And so for me personally, I wanted to create a prenatal program for those who have already had an established yoga practice so that they could stay active and mindful during pregnancy with the increase or emphasis on increasing strength and stamina, kind of like what we talked about, learning the difference between types of core work and using modifications. And I love props using lots and lots of props. And for me, when I started to create this program for Glo, I wanted to think about and break it down into each trimester because they do all feel so different. For me personally, they felt different. So thinking about how to find balance in the body. So when developing this program, there’s an upper body class, there’s a lower body class, there’s a full body strengthening class, and then there’s a full body stretching class with a pelvic floor class also in each trimester, because again, just like we were talking about, many, many of us have no idea about the functionality of the pelvic floor, what it is, how it works, how to contract, how to relax.
(47:58):
So teaching these modules to me was so, so important. Learning how to correctly breathe, using diaphragmatic breath, using the breath to find relaxation or tapping into the vagus nerve or different parts of the parasympathetic nervous system. And then to have all of that designed to be able to be practiced safely for pregnant bodies was so, so important for me. So having that safe challenge to where we are challenged and we’re not treated like these fragile objects, but at the end of the day, we’re still very mindful because it is a brand new normal. So I’m excited for my program to release. And Ali, I know you have not only prenatal programs, but also postnatal on Glo. So how would our listeners access your prenatal and postnatal classes on Glo?
Ali Owens(48:49):
They’re all available on the Glo platform. So when you become a member and you subscribe, then you can see not only the prenatal program that I built for them during my first pregnancy, but you’ll also see a host in a library of classes for pre and postnatal yoga. So that’s all available on Glo.com.
Katie Baki (49:11):
I love to hear that. And a lot of, or my prenatal program will also be linked in the episode show notes, so definitely check that out if you are pregnant or if anybody that is currently pregnant to kind of tap into some of these classes, prenatal and also some of Ali’s postnatal classes as well. But this has been such an insightful conversation, Ali are so knowledgeable and I have learned so much even from you. So I appreciate you taking the time to sit down with me and chat about all things prenatal yoga. So yes, I want to thank Ali for joining me today.
Ali Owens(49:53):
Thank you for having me. It’s been an honor to talk with you, and I wish you all the best during these final weeks of your pregnancy.
Katie Baki (50:02):
Thank you so much, Ali, and we will chat soon.
HOST CLOSING
Derik Mills (50:10):
Thank you to our entire team behind the scenes at Glo. I’m so grateful for your care and commitment to serving our members around the world. Thank you to our teachers for so beautifully sharing your gifts and talents. I’m also grateful to our lovely community of members. You’ve supported us since 2008, and because of you, we get to continue to do the work we love. It’s the combined support of our team, our teachers, and our community. That grants me the privilege to continue to bring you the Globe Podcast. Thank you to Lee Schneider at Red Cub Agency for production support. And the beautiful music you’re hearing now is by Carrie Rodriguez and her husband Luke Jacobs. And remember, take care of yourself because our world needs you. Thank you for coming on this journey with me. You can find The Glo podcast on Spotify, apple Podcasts or glo.com/podcast or wherever you listen to your podcasts. I’m Derik Mills.