Are Tai Chi and Qigong safe for pregnancy?

As with most exercise, it is recommended that you do not start any new exercise regimes within the first 12 weeks. Aside from this, Tai Chi and Qigong are as beneficial as other exercises and often more so.

For beginners, the key is to find a knowledgeable and experienced teacher whether for Yoga, Tai Chi or Meditation, who will help you to support yourself and your growing baby in a deeply sensitive way. There are not many antenatal classes in the UK, however there are questions you could ask before joining a class:

• Is the teacher a woman who has already been pregnant and can advise you from personal experience?
• Is the teacher trained in acupuncture or shiatsu and therefore able to advise you in this way?
• Have they advised students before who you would be able to speak to?
• Are the classes focused on Tai Chi only as a martial art or is it suitable for pregnancy?

UK teachers offering antenatal classes:
www.taichiwisdom.net my classes in Brighton
www.swantaichi.co.uk/pregnancy.html classes in Stratford-upon-Avon

Intermediate students who have already been training in Tai Chi for some time can continue with Tai Chi throughout pregnancy without ill effects. In my own experience, I was tired and felt somewhat nauseous for the first 13 weeks, but found that gentle form and standing calmed my mind, emotions and stomach excellently. Although I am still training in sabre, it is for shorter periods at a time; the same with pushing hands, and without as much oomph. Obviously applications need to avoid the abdomen, should not involve impact or powerful expressions of force (fa jing). Not that I felt much like doing any of that, I was a bit busy throwing up!

Key tips to bear in mind:

• drink plenty of water
• take breaks when needed
• adapt some Qigong to seated practice
• listen to your body and follow what you feel is right. This will vary a lot from one woman to another.