Yoga Journal's Prenatal Yoga

The tape is run like a class, so you can just put it in and go. You don't have to wait while someone explains the pose and then forms the pose.

My only criticism is that some poses are not explained that well. So if you are a beginner or have never done a pose, you may need some additional explanation that is not available on the tape.


Great Pregnancy Exercise Video   July 29, 2003
Lisa Manske (Wauwatosa, WI USA)
189 out of 197 found this review helpful

I was new to yoga when I started this tape. A former runner and elliptical-trainer enthusiast, I am used to a workout that makes you sweat buckets and finish feeling spent. This was a very new experience for me.

Yoga was recommended to me by my doula. I was interested because I've never been a flexible person and I wanted desperately to exercise throughout my pregnancy. Yoga is ideal because it can be modified as your progress and it teaches you to relax, breathe, and move deliberately with control. Every morning, when I've finished this workout, I feel so loose and relaxed, like I could "slip down the drain." I also feel more confident as my due date approaches that I will successfully birth my baby without any medication. I am learning how to open up my pelvis, strengthen my pelvic floor, and RELAX AND BREATHE. While pregnant you have 40 weeks (give or take a few) to prepare for the hardest (and most rewarding) work you'll ever do. Make the most of it!

This video was designed with your choice of three people to follow--one for each trimester. Many modifications are suggested and modeled so no matter what your current state of fitness, you will find stretches and poses to do.

You will be plagued by aches and pains and restless nights if you don't take care of your body while you're pregnant. So many of my friends try to comiserate with me, "Oh, you poor thing! I hated being pregnant! It's so uncomfortable!" I just smile and say, "I feel great!" becuase I really do.


a comparison of 3 prenatal fitness videos, including Prenatal Yoga   December 15, 2005
R. Underwood (USA)
52 out of 53 found this review helpful

I purchased and tried 3 prenatal fitness DVDs around the same time:

* Perfect Pregnancy Workout
* Prenatal Yoga
* Leisa Hart's Fit Mama Prenatal Workout

Here's how I thought they compared. (Note that I do yoga and walk regularly; while I enjoy dancing, I do not dance regularly. I'm not overweight.)

* Perfect Pregnancy Workout - 5 stars. Designed and narrated by a Cirque du Soleil acrobat (faint French accent), this video is my favorite of the three. The woman demonstrating the workout is about 8 months pregnant and in amazing athletic shape (visible muscle definition). The theme of this video seems to be preparing for birth and staying strong and fit. It has two sections: (a) workout and (b) instructions.

(a) After a mercifully brief cheesy earth-mother introduction, the yoga-based workout is vigorous yet flowing and straightforward, building incredible muscle strength, flexibility, and stamina. It includes squats, lunges, lots of ab work, lots of great hip stretches, kegels, lots of different arm strengtheners. At the end I am sweating, breathing harder, relaxed, and satisfied. The next day my muscles are sore (in a good way) and feel stronger. The music is world-beat without vocals, easy to exercise to.

(b) The instructions section is excellent as well. Animated anatomical graphics clearly illustrate diastasis, how to check yourself for it, and how to modify your workout to avoid further muscle separation, as well as exactly what kegels are. This part also explains in depth how to do the moves in the workout.

* Prenatal Yoga - 4 stars. Designed and narrated by a UCLA-graduated yogi, this video is my second favorite. Shiva is under 3 months' pregnant in the demonstration but has women behind her in second and third trimesters. The theme of this video seems to be relaxing and preparing for motherhood. It has three sections: (a) workout, (b) massage, and (c) interview.

(a) The workout is much less vigorous than Perfect Pregnancy, but includes squats, lunges, many spinal twists, kegels (no deep explanation, just metaphor), lots of different stretches. At the end I am sweating a bit, relaxed, and satisfied. The music is new-age without vocals. For some reason, Shiva does not pronounce the "h" in "exhale" which can be distracting. Also the narration gets slightly out of sync with the demonstration in a few places, which can be confusing.

(b) The massage section is fabulous if you have a partner willing to watch it and give you one! Great techniques for feet, legs, back, and neck.

(c) Shiva explains her story in the interview, how her father named her after an Indian god, how she took up yoga in college, etc.

* Leisa Hart's FitMama - 2 stars. I bought this on Amazon's recommendation and I'm sorry I did. My biggest gripe is that this video doesn't focus on smooth continuous deep breathing, unlike the other two DVDs. Leisa is a perky actress who does infomercials. She is 8 months pregnant in this but her body looks very different (thin, wiry) compared to the woman's in Perfect Pregnancy (athletic). The theme of this video seems to be feeling better (sexier) about oneself while pregnant. It has basically two sections: (a) workout and (b) bonus stretches.

(a) The workout is much less vigorous than Perfect Pregnancy yet goes at a faster, more erratic pace than either of the other two videos. It has four parts: salsa dance, "yoga fat burn," labor and delivery prep, and prenatal stretch and relaxation. The dancing is about 8 moves repeated, with a few squats. I feel foolish and bored doing this. The yoga fat burn is more aerobics than yoga, includes ab work, squats, no twists, never holds any pose for long, is repetitive. Labor and delivery prep includes kegels (no real explanation), many boring arm swings, ab work. Prenatal stretch and relaxation includes leg stretches, ab work, is repetitive. The music is salsa, soft rock, and world beat without vocals; very good workout music, loud in places.

(b) The bonus stretches are the best part, but are buried under Special Features (the DVD doesn't seem very well organized). These include leg, back, hip and shoulder stretches actually held for several seconds, squats, plenty of rapid boring arm swings.

All three videos show women in different trimesters doing the exercises and mention appropriate modifications. All three videos explain how to do the exercises safely and how to recognize warning signs of overdoing it.

If you're a yoga gal like me and you want to buy just one prenatal yoga video, get Perfect Pregnancy. If you want your partner to give you a great massage too, get Prenatal Yoga.


Great prenatal video   December 30, 2002
39 out of 40 found this review helpful

I love this video! I'm a couple weeks from giving birth, and have been using it almost daily from month three. It is relaxing, easy to follow, and helps you feel confident, knowing that the exercises are appropriate to your trimester.

I started using this tape in desperation because of some extreme pregnancy related sciatic nerve pain. After one week the pain had lessened considerably, and after two it was gone. (Note: it isn't supposed to go away until after birth if you have it, so my dr was pretty shocked.) I'm pretty large at this point, but the pain has never returned, and although I'm feeling more awkward as my due date nears, I have had a much easier pregnancy, with fewer aches and pains, and I sleep more easily than any of my pregnant friends.

This video includes every exercise recommended by our lamaze instructor and doctor. The duration is 50 mins, but goes quickly. It is not taxing, but does stretch and tone muscles. I hate to 'work out' and it is at a perfect tempo to exercise without getting sweaty (hey, I get enough of that just because I'm pregnant ;-). Also, it isn't so new-age as to be annoying. -Oh, as you get bigger, I would suggest buying a yoga mat too. It helps keep your feet from sliding during some of the exercises as your weight increases. I would highly recommend this video.


I could not have gotten through my pregnancy without it.   March 18, 2002
A. Miller (Broomfield, CO)
36 out of 38 found this review helpful

I wish I had this video from the moment I found out I was pregnant! I started using it during my second trimester, having never done yoga before in my life. I was amazed at how hard my body worked in the various stretches. It is truly an excellent workout. (My only criticism is that the instructors don't mirror the exercises i.e. when they say "bend to the left" they bend to THEIR left, which isn't helpful to watch.) The routine helped me to overcome heartburn, indigestion, gas, ribcage pain, upper back pain, lower back pain, sciatica, cramped feet, swolled ankles, sleeping difficulties...it will help you, too.