Review: Yoga for Pregnancy: Safe and Gentle Stretches by Sandra Jordan
/Yoga for Pregnancy: Safe and Gentle Stretches by Sandra Jordan
St. Martin’s Press: New York (1987)
My teacher Deborah Wolk recommended Yoga for Pregnancy by Sandra Jordan to guide my prenatal yoga practice. Though I got the book a couple of months ago, I wasn’t able to dig in until my third trimester. So, my ability to really absorb and practice the teachings in the book is limited to my current stage in pregnancy.
The book was published in 1987, the photos are in black and white, and it’s spiral bound. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but I am happy with the contents.
Black and white images and good ol’ ‘80s onesies and stirrup pants date the book, but they don’t make the content any less credible or valuable. Jordan’s Iyengar yoga teaching experience, use of props, and clear step-by-step guidance are helpful for anyone looking to develop or start a prenatal practice.
Not many people want to practice yoga by a book these days, and it really isn’t necessary, but I wanted to try Jordan’s “Sample Program for Third Trimester.”
Here is the sample sequence she provides:
Basic Standing Posture (Tadasana)
Seated Shoulder Stretch (Supported Seated Urdhva Hastasana)
Warrior II with Chair (Virabhadrasana II with Chair)
Side Angle Pose with Chair (Utthita Parsvakonasana with Chair)
Hero’s Pose with Arms Overhead (Virasana Urdhva Hasta)
Seated Alternate Front Thigh Stretch (Ardha Virasana)
Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)
Easy Hamstring Stretch in Chair (Ardha Pashimottanasana in Chair)
Seated Wide Leg Stretch with Chair (Upavistha Konasana with Chair)
Wide Leg Stretch with Twist (Parsva Upavistha Konasana)
Breathing Awareness Pose
Side-Lying Relaxation Pose (Savasana)
Here are my thoughts, first on the pose sequence and then on the overall practice.
This 12-pose sequence starts standing, but I actually took a couple of moments seated on my mat first. Though I like varied practices and I don’t like getting up and down at this stage in my pregnancy, I felt that I needed a quiet moment first before starting. It might have been easier had I taken a few breaths seated in a chair as opposed to on the floor, but I did what came naturally to me at the moment. I would like to try to center myself from the Basic Standing Posture next time, but I feel that there is some flexibility here in how to prepare yourself for this sequence.
The sequence flows through standing, sitting in a chair, then it moves to the ground. There are few big transitions, which makes it easier on a third-trimester body. Props are used in most poses, so you need to keep them close but there are few transitions where you are adding or removing a blanket or moving things around. The sequence alternates between poses where your legs are apart and when they are together.
The poses aim toward strengthening and stretching the legs, opening the hips, lengthening the spine, and opening the chest—all important in a prenatal yoga practice. Jordan includes one twisting pose that is safe for pregnancy and some breath work, both of which make the sequence more well-rounded but they aren’t focuses of the practice.
Overall: What I Liked
This sequence is effective and easy to follow. I appreciate the limited transitions, the support of the props, and the clear descriptions of how to do the poses.
The book lists the pose sequence in order, referencing the associated page numbers for each pose’s details and step-by-step instructions.
I felt very supported and at ease while going through the practice. Most practices I have done lately do not have as much simplicity and smoothness. Transitions are more uncomfortable than the poses themselves when I practice now, so this was a relief.
My favorite poses were the Seated Shoulder Stretch and Hero’s Pose with Arms Overhead. The former was helpful for lengthening my spine, reducing pressure on my belly, opening my chest, and making me feel supported. Relaxing my forehead on the wall made the work feel more restorative. The latter pose helped me lengthen my sides, creating space, and strengthen my upper back and arms. This pose is also supposed to help relieve indigestion, but I have yet to verify this claim after a meal. Sitting back into Hero’s Pose wasn’t as easy as it used to be for me, though, so it took me a little more time to settle in.
Overall: What Could Be Improved
Lower Back Stretch to Wall
The first pose listed in the sequence was Basic Standing Posture and the page number listed referred me to that pose’s description, but the photo was of a different pose, Lower Back Stretch to Wall. I tried this pose as well to start the sequence and I actually preferred it. It was more supportive and let me tune into my breath more than in Basic Standing Posture. So, I wonder which pose was truly supposed to start the sequence or whether both were supposed to be included.
Warrior II with Chair is a great pose but the way it is described in the book is too deep for me based on how my femurs fit into my hip sockets; I needed to add a blanket to the top of the seat so I could sit a little higher and be less deep into the pose. There were no variations or options provided in the book for those who find discomfort in this pose.
Though Hero’s Pose with Arms Overhead was one of my favorite poses included in the sequence, Jordan missed an opportunity to switch the interlace of your fingers when raising your arms overhead. She only did one side.
I also liked the Easy Hamstring Stretch in a Chair, but it might need to be adapted more to a third-trimester body. It was a great chest opener because I was holding the back of the chair and hinging forward. However, because you are sitting at the edge of the chair with belly weight pulling you forward, the back legs of the chair kept wanting to pop up. It was also hard to hinge enough forward to get a hamstring stretch because one leg was bent to keep you stable (and keep the chair from tipping completely forward) and, even with it a little out to the side, my belly came into contact with my leg. It just didn’t provide enough room for my belly, enough of a hamstring stretch, and I was nervous about the stability of the chair. I think this pose is better suited to the second trimester or should be used as just a chest opener with both feet on the ground, instead of one stretched out long in front.
The final Side-Lying Relaxation Pose is how pregnant women are supposed to take Savasana, but the description left a little to be desired. It recommended laying on your left side and said the pose offers “complete relaxation.” The prenatal recommendation is to lie on your left side; this is common guidance because the weight of your baby can compress your liver when laying on your right side. However, laying on my left side during my first pregnancy actually made me feel sick, so I am a little hesitant of giving this guidance without providing readers/practitioners the tools to tune in to what makes them comfortable. In the same vein, it seems a little misleading to say the pose offers “complete relaxation” because there are many reasons this pose may not be comfortable, and Jordan doesn’t discuss alternatives if it doesn’t work for someone. More props can help, as can laying propped up on your back on an incline, which I often find to be more comfortable than laying on my side.
Final Analysis
I enjoyed this simple prenatal sequence. It was easy to follow and easy on my body. It took me 45 minutes to complete, with the book open and me following along.
It is a great practice for beginners or someone in their third trimester who doesn’t want complexity and is in need of a little support. However, the sequence was not strenuous; so those looking for a more challenging practice may find this too slow.
As with any yoga-pose book, it can be hard to really settle in when you need to regularly read and reference, as opposed to practice. So, there are inherent drawbacks of this medium. Still, Jordan’s book is a great resource of poses and how to make them pregnancy friendly. The poses are coded by trimester and the black-and-white simplicity isn’t as daunting as other books I have seen. In the end, I guess 1980s onesies make all of the poses seem more accessible.
Now it’s time for the best savasana…
Get my how to set up savasana for pregnancy and scoliosis guide
Other posts in the Yoga for Scoliosis, Pregnancy, and Postpartum Series:
First Trimester Prenatal Yoga for Scoliosis
Yoga Poses for Scoliosis and Pregnancy
Prenatal Yoga Tips
Top 5 Prenatal Yoga Poses
Can You Get an Epidural if You Have Scoliosis
Torticollis and Scoliosis
Torticollis, Scoliosis, and Sensory Disorders
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