Can I still practice pushing hands and weapons when I'm pregnant?

As Simon and I teach a full curriculum, this is a question I have been asked frequently by students wishing to continue their Tai Chi progress during this busy year or so. Obviously, the medical recommendation, and therefore ours, is that you should avoid contact martial arts during pregnancy (also, during breastfeeding, women sometimes find pushing hands can be tricky if they have sore breasts). However within the study of applications, pushing hands and weapons training there are many levels before full contact sparring.

Jue Shou
The study of sensing hands is a perfect study during pregnancy. It is an internal meditative exercise which heightens your ability to listen to your body and become aware of its changing alignments in a soft and yielding way. It is also ideal for work with a birth partner as it develops a deep rapport that will enable them to support you more deeply thoughout pregnancy and labour.

Tui Shou
Pushing hands in the Yang Style starts with a series of preparatory exercises starting with single circle and progressing from there. With some adaptations these are all possible throughout pregnancy until the last month or so. The key is to ensure that the partner ytou are working with understands how to work with you and the baby, that it is a cooperative practice and that you are comfortable throughout.

Weapons
I have ben practicing sabre and spear throughout the first and second trimesters and am finding it fine. My teacher, Sam Masich, is always on hand to give advice and has advised that I keep training. During the first trimester, I did find that I became tired quicker and that I needed to take frequent breaks, some days I just didn't feel like it and wanted to do more Qigong, but during the second trimester it all feels fine.

I guess that's the message overall really: do what feels right for your body and learn to trust that that is right for you and the baby. It's natural to second guess yourself and to wonder if you're getting it right. Whatever your situation in life though, Tai Chi is always a process of listening to your body, letting go and learning to trust.