Prenatal: YOGA NIDRA GUIDED MEDITATION

About This Class

This prenatal yoga class with Melissa Mercedes is thoughtfully designed for pregnant practitioners at various stages of pregnancy. The session opens in Child's Pose with breath awareness, including Ujjayi breathing and labor-preparatory inhale/exhale techniques, before moving through figure-eight hip circles on all fours, thread-the-needle shoulder stretches, and modified bird-dog balancing. Five rounds of prenatal Sun Salutation A build warmth, circulation, and upper-body strength via mini Chaturangas. Standing sequences include Chair Pose, Triangle Pose, a standing Eagle-to-Warrior-Three-to-Half-Moon-to-Tree Pose flow on both sides, Goddess/Horse Pose with spinal twists, and half-squat pulses for glute and leg strengthening. The floor sequence features toe/ankle mobilization in a modified toe squat, Hero's Pose variations, Eagle arm stretches, shoulder openers, Bound Angle Pose, double pigeon (fire log pose) for deep hip and glute release, a wide-legged seated twist, and a left-sided Savasana with block or bolster support between the knees. The class closes with a seated meditation, hands on the belly, and empowering birth affirmations. Throughout, the instructor consistently offers prop modifications (blocks, bolster, blanket) and cautions against compression through the belly, excessive inversion of the head, and overly intense twists as pregnancy advances.