PreNatal Yoga Series [English]
This is your complete, week-by-week guide to your journey through pregnancy with yoga. Eric (my 1st baby) and I will hold your hand through this magical adventure.
Pregnancy is one of the most special and exciting times in a woman's life but can sometimes feel life a rollercoster: at times you feel amazing, other times you're achy or nauseous... some days you are calm, others anxious... sometimes you feel confident and others very insecure. As we progress through pregnancy together, Sonia proposes a different session every week, tackling the specific needs of each unique moment of the pregnancy.
Some days we will do very active, physical practices, and others we will take it easier and go for more mellow, restorative sessions. This program is safe for all levels, but make sure you talk to your doctor before practicing yoga with these videos or do any other physical exercise during pregnancy. Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
PreNatal week 4: Acknowledge
Congratulations, you just found out you're pregnant! To celebrate, let's flow into a medium to fast-pace all-round practice where we will acknowledge the miracle of life and we will welcome the journey ahead of us: embracing it with gratitude. Feel detoxed, grateful and full of joy. Share this nourishing feeling with your baby to promote health and wellbeing in his/her new home!
PreNatal week 5: Embrace change
Sonia proposes a fluid all-round session to promote receptivity to change: both change that's already started and what's ahead. Join a medium to fast pace, dynamic vinyasa-flow session with special focus on opening heart and hips. Let go of tension, stress and anxiety, get rid of toxins and connect with your baby. Ideal for you if you've practiced yoga before (or you are somewhat athletic) and you are around 5 weeks pregnant.
PreNatal week 6: Listen and watch
Let's dive into a sweet, detox session to promote listening and watching what's happening: inside our body, mind andsoul, and around us. Let's pause and observe the effects of our practice inside our bodies, without judging. We will start practicing watching and witnessing without reacting: a great motherhood tool! Ideal if you're around 6 weeks pregnant and you feel like having a moderate intensity, simple yet powerful practice. If you haven't practiced yoga before, you're totally welcome, just take it slower
PreNatal week 7: Slow down
If you're around week 7 of your pregnancy, chances are you're starting to experience some of the symptoms of the 1st Trimester: morning sickness, fatigue... In this session, Sonia guides you through a slow, healing vinyasa to help you slow down and connect to yourself and your baby. Relaxing and at the same time energizing, you'll experience some relief for your nausea and discomfort. Fill yourself with good vibrations and store them in every cell of your body. Even if you don't feel like practicing, get on the mat and take a few breaths with us... it will help you feel so much better!
2 blocks or thick books recommended
PreNatal week 8: Let Go
Soft, restorative and healing session for 1st Trimester symptoms: morning sickness fatigue, smell sensitivity, general discomfort… If you don't have those symtoms (yaaay!) relax and indulge! Sonia guides you through a series of soothing, relaxing and healing postures for your body, mind and soul. Soothe your symptoms, relax, unblock tensions and fill with good vibrations!
We will use 1 bolster or pillow and 2 blocks or thick books
PreNatal week 9: Energize
Lacking energy and feeling like you need to sleep the whole day? Yep, I am there too! This week, Sonia has designed a short, slow moving vinyasa-hatha session to draw energy from powerful postures and strong breath. Finish with some relaxing, restorative postures to nurture your body, mind, soul and your baby.
We will use 1 bolster or pillow and 2 blocks or thick books.
PreNatal week 10: Restore and Receive
This week Sonia proposes a sweet, relaxing and restorative session: to relieve some of the 1st Trimester discomfort and connect to the divine Universal energy: filling yourself with intuition, trust and wisdom. We will connect to our baby to transmit this powerful energy, which will help him/her to grow in health and wellbeing.
We will use a blanket, a bolster or pillor and 2 blocks or thick books.
PreNatal week 11: Relieve
This is an anti-morning sickness session. If at any point of your pregnancy you experience nausea, vomiting or just general discomfort, this is your go-to TLC (tender, loving care) session. Short, restorative, healing, relaxing, easy and soft. Let go of any discomfort, nausea, bad feeling, frustration or fear. Recharge with love, positive energy and wellbeing. Even if you don't feel like practicing, you'll be thankful you did it!
We will use a blanket, a bolster or pillow, a block or thick book and a chair.
PreNatal week 12: Appreciate
We made it to week 12, congratulations Let's celebrate with a medium pace vinyasa-flow practice to shake up body, mind and soul. Sonia will guide you through a fun, dance-flow session to open up energy channels, build leg strength and shake off any fears and discomfort. Let's appreciate where we are and celebrate the miracle of life creation!
PreNatal week 13: Discover
Let's take this week's practice to discover that's going on inside us and watch the effects of our practice in the body, mind and soul. Sweet, mild vinyasa followed by some hatha heart and hip opening postures. Turn your attention inward and connect to yourself and your baby.
We use a pillow.
PreNatal week 14: Empower
This week, Sonia proposes an empowering session fearuing Moon salutations. Dive into a gentle creative vinyasa-flow to fill yourself with feminine, devine, wise and confident energy from the Moon. Let go of tension and stiffness and replace it with strong, good vibes for you and your baby.
We will use a pillow.
PreNatal week 15: Create
Extremelly mellow and soothing, short practice to promote creation. Whatever it is that you need in your life right now, this practice will help you create the space and stillness to cultivate it. Perfect for those days where you don't feel like practicing or you're up for an easy, quick, refreshing time.
We will use a pillow.
PreNatal week 16: Connect
This week we will focus on connecting: with deeper layers of ourself, with our baby and with the universe. In this sweet, hatha session, Sonia will guide us through gentle back bends, hip opening and meditative posturesto cultivate connection and mindfulness. Refresh, relax, connect. Discover the true joy and stillness of connection.
We will use a bolster or pillow and 2 blocks or thick books.
PreNatal week 17: Ally
While last week we were cultivating connection, this week we're taking it 1 step further: enhancing the connection into an alliance, both with ourselves and our babies. Join Sonia for a beatiful, mellow, meditative hatha practice to promote a strong, undestructible connection with your baby. Feel rejuvenated, recharged, connected and deeply happy.
We will use a bolster or pillow and 2 blocks or thick books.
PreNatal week 18: Accept
This practice is for the times when we are dealing with challenging times, in order to cultivate Acceptance. Sonia proposes a tender, restorative and meditation session to take some time for ourselves and just relax, breahe and cleanse. Feel liberated, gain perspective and serenity.
We will use a bolster or pillow, a blanket and a chair.
PreNatal week 19: Rest
Good quality rest is critical during pregnancy. Sonia guides you through a mellow, meditative, restorative session to promote excellent rest and relaxation. Feel the powerful effects of stillness in your body, mind and soul. Perfect when you feel tired, when you need some time to decompress or at the end of a more vigorous yoga practice. Great for all stages of pregnancy.
We will use 4 pillows or a maternity long pillow. Optional: bolster.
PreNatal week 20: Activate your inner strength
Often neglected, our inner strength is powerful and bigger than we think. In this session, Sonia guides us through a sweet yet empowering hatha practice to tap into this inner strength and activate it. This practice is great for you if you go back to your mat after having taken some days/weeks off or if you don't feel your most confident. Enjoy how breath and movement create a magic, vibrant energy within your body that glows in and out.
We will use a bolster or pillow and 2 blocks or thick books.
PreNatal week 21: Renew
This is a beautiful, powerful guided meditation for relaxation and renewal. Sonia guides you through a first part of ultimate relaxation followed by a second part with a surprise, imagery-based story that will help you cleanse, balance your chakras and renew yourself in and out. Meet your "new you" in 20 minutes and be amazed at the clarity,f reshness and joy you will experience. Perfect before or after a more vigorous yoga practice or for those days where you crave some calm and introspection.
We will use a blanket.
PreNatal week 22: Deepen de connection with your partner
Both on and off the mat, during pregnancy we often need some help and support, especially from our partners. This week, Sonia and her (also pregnant) friend Nuria take you through some restorative postures that your partner can help you with. Feel supported, loved and deepen the connection between the two of you. Time for some partner LOVE! Perfect session for all stages of your pregnancy.
We will use a blanket, 2 pillows.
PreNatal week 23: Open
Mellow hatha practice to promote opening at all levels. Through a gentle sequence of hip and chest opening postures, we will create space at a physical level, mental, emotional and spiritual. Inhale confidence and strength, exhale tension and fear. Feel refreshed, focused and strong.
We use a blanket and 2 pillows.
PreNatal week 24: Strengthen
In live and during pregnancy, we all have moments when we feel weak. This week's sweet hatha session is designed to build strength and confidence so we can access it when we need it most. See you in 30 minutes with a strong, confident and focused body, mind and soul!
We use a blanket and 2 pillows.
PreNatal week 25: Blossom
This is a good-vibe, feel-good, sweet vinyasa flow to blossom in our pregnancy and our life. Open hips and heart, shake off tensions and feel the joy of being alive and pregnant. Oh yeah!
We will use 2 blocks or thick books and a bolster or pillow.
PreNatal week 26: Take care
This is an introspective, gentle, mellow hatha/restorative practice to take care of yourself, your baby and those around you. Sonia takes you through gentle stretching poses for subtle opening, powered by deep relaxing breath and good-vibe meditation. Fill yourself with some TLC (tender, loving care) for a confident, relaxed and vibrant version of yourself.
We will use a bolster or pillow.
PreNatal week 27: Commit
After some of mellow practice, it's time to activate our Yang and creating some heat and stamina. Join Sonia in a fun hatha session where we will awaken body, mind and soul and explore commitment: to the present moment, to our breath, to the postures, the practice, our baby and to our true selves. Sweat, have fun and feel energized: welcome the supermom in you!
We use 2 blocks or thick books and a bolster or pillow.
PreNatal week 28: Be present
During pregnancy, we spend our day planning. It's reasy to get caught up in the future and forget about NOW: what it feels and means to be pregnant. This week, Sonia invites you to put the planning on hold and make a conscious effort to stay present, in the here and now. In this is a mindful, conscious practice, we will focus on feeling every posture in every way, so we can start practicing being in the now. Rediscover your practice and change it forever. Practice presence also off the mat and take your life experience to another level. Let's start NOW.
We use 2 blocks or thick books, a bolster or pillor and a blanket or towel.
PreNatal week 29: Revitalize
Being prenant doesn't mean your weak or fragile. Show yourself how you're much stronger than you think. In this active prenatal hatha yoga session, Sonia guides you through a series of postures to strengthen your legs, energize your body and revitalize at all levels. Sweat, detox, tone, have fun and fill yourself with energy and vitality.
We will use a bolster or pillow, 2 blocks or thick books and a strap or belt.
PreNatal week 30: Breathe
In this session, we will practice several Pranyama breathing techiques to increase lung capacity as well as diaphragm and belly flexibility. Sonia will guide you through an exploration of Nadi Sodhana, Shitali pranayama, Dirga abdominal breath and 3 variarions of Ujjai breath. Feel energized, cleansed, detoxed, relaxed and in peace. Perfect as a single practice or before/after a more vigorous yoga practice.
We will use 3 pillows and a couch or wall.
PreNatal week 31: Expand
During the pregnancy, we experience significant physical expansion as our body transforms and grows. In this hatha yoga practice, Sonia takes you through a journey where you will explore expansion at all levels, with the help of opening postures and strong breath. Feel empowered, liberated and capable of anything. Happy mommy inside and out.
We will use a blanket or towel, a strap or belt and 2 blocks or thick books.
PreNatal week 32: Feel supported
Both during life and pregnancy, there's many situations where we need support. The question is: do we know how to ask for it and accept it? Often, we can offer ourselves support, it's a matter of knowing how to activate our inner resources. In this week's session, Sonia proposes a sequence of postures with physical support elements: so we can enjoy and realize that yoga practice can have infinite dimensions. Feel supported, relaxed and full of trust.
We use a blanket or towel, 2 blocks or thick books and a wall.
PreNatal week 33: Transform
This week we are transforming: phisically (releasing tension or trying to turn the baby around for those of us who have a breech position), mentally, emotionally and/or spiritually. Sonia proposes a soothing, mellow practice at home, on the couch, to promote transformational magic to take place. Feel relaxed, renewed and happy.
We will use 2 blocks or thick books, 3 pillows and a couch.
PreNatal week 34: Soften (lower back and sciatic pain special)
At this stage of the pregnancy, you might have some physical discomfort. Whether it's on your lower back, sciatic nerve pain or any other tension, let's dissolve it. Sonia takes you through a soothing, mellow practice to release tensions, especially on your back and hips. Get some ideas on to use your house furniture as great tools to stretch, relax and soften. Feel relieved, relaxed and radiant.
We use a chair, 2 blocks or thick books, a towel or blanket, a strap or belt and a wall.
PreNatal week 35: Stretch
This week Sonia invites you to take a relaxing practice to stretch your body in a safe, comfortable way and let go of tension in your back, sciatic nerve, hips and neck. Indulge in a "me-time" session where you will calm, lose and at peace.
We use a chair, 2 blocks or thick books, a towel or blanket and a wall.
PreNatal week 36: Thrive
Yes, we're in our 3rd trimestre and yes, we might have some tension and anxiety. But you know what? Let's just enjoy NOW: about to become a mom, getting to the end with a huge smile. Let's thrive! Join Sonia for a relaxing, mellow hatha practice for consciousness, presence and enjoyment of NOW.
We use a bolster, 2 blocks or thick books, a towel or blanket and a wall.
PreNatal week 37: Trust
In life and especially during pregnancy there's a lot of uncertainty. It is our choice to live with fear or trust. This week's session is about cultivating trust. We will use a chair throughout the practice to realize that even at the end of the pregnancy, we can get a great yoga workout with the help of props. When times get challenging, we can always rely on inner or outser tools to help us achieve our goals. Shake your body and mind, get a different perspective and build confidence. Feel relaxed and trusting.
We use a bolster, 2 blocks or thick books, a towel or blanket and a chair.
PreNatal week 38: Love
In this weeks session, Sonia invites you to embrace and cultivate LOVE as the universal force. Join us for this mellow practice, filled with tenderness, care and love. Strengthen your legs, let go of tension and feel radiant. Let love rule!
We will use a blanket or towel, 2 blocks or thick books, 2 pillows, a bolster and the wall.
PreNatal week 39: Feel
The grand finale is here. We have made it! Let's celebrate together with this restorative, meditative and relaxing practice to dive inward and FEEL. We ask, read and watch so many things about birth and motherhood… but all we need to know is within: we have a supreme, powerful inner knowledge and intuition that has all the answers, we just need to tap into it. Enjoy this last "me time", cultivate calmness, serenity and inner trust. Get in touch with the Goddess within and FEEL.
We use a blanket or towel, 2 blocks or thick books, 2 pillows, a strap or belt, a bolster and the wall.