Five Stages of Pregnancy

So many students have asked me 'why are there five stages?' Most people come to think of pregnancy as three main trimesters and then baby is born and it's all said and done. Actually the five stages of pregnancy are:

1. First Trimester
2. Second Trimester
3. Third Trimester
4. Labour & Delivery
5. Postnatal Period

The first three trimesters are known as the Gestational Period (the period of foetal development from conception until birth). Labour & Delivery may be the shortest stage of pregnancy but it is definitely the most intense and also the most feared among expecting mothers. The Postnatal Period is hardly ever considered a stage of pregnancy, however I would like to boldly teach it as such because in the three months that follow the delivery of a baby, a woman still has an incredible journey of transformation and evolution.

As prenatal yoga instructors, it's very important to know about the physiological changes a woman goes through when she is pregnant.

The following video was produced by a company called Osmosis, and they stream free videos on YouTube. I've included it below for your convenience. It takes you through the entire physiological process of a woman's reproductive system in a succinct and visual way. (The video is about 14 minutes long)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RGRnCQNZWc