Yes, but your teacher must know of your condition and your doctor must give you the okay as some of the movements are quiet vigorous.
Herewith a very relevant and valuable contribution by one of our students on this topic:
“PUTTING THE "BELLY" INTO "BELLY DANCING"
During the Autumn of 2005, we were blessed with the birth of our beautiful new son. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only new addition to my life . . . You see, I was also a few extra pounds richer. So I started belly dancing. And it worked! As the flab started melting, the goddess inside me started growing . . . but . . . the goddess wasn't the ONLY thing that started growing! Not only did I shimmy those fat rolls away, but I've also shimmied a New Life into my body . . . the life of our second child. What makes this so astonishing, is that with our firstborn we actually struggled to fall pregnant.
In fact, we struggled to the extent that my son could only be conceived with the help of fertility drugs. And the only thing that was different this time around, was the fact that I've been doing belly. Therefore, I honestly believe from the bottom of my goddess soul, that this baby is a belly baby! For me personally, belly dancing was the best thing I could've done during my pregnancy.
I enjoyed all the benefits that I would've with any other moderate exercise program (quicker recovery, better fitness level, lower heart rate, etc), but with the added advantage that I was surrounded by a network of lady friends who really showed a keen interest in me and my developing baby. But belly dancing didn't only help me to fall pregnant - it's also contributed richly to my pregnancy experience.
Firstly, I had a lot more energy. With my first pregnancy I used to be exhausted all the time. So much so, that I used to fall asleep writing. (Please note - not reading, but writing!) This time I seemed to have a fountain of goddess energy that kept me going and going and going . . . like a pregnant Duracell bunny!
Secondly, I've gained less weight at a much slower pace than I did the first time around. Nice.
Thirdly, I didn't have any backache, which is something that really got me down in my first pregnancy. This, to me, is astonishing proof of exactly how much belly dancing strengthens all your core muscles.
Fourthly, it taught me to laugh at myself. (Heck, you would too if you were shimmying a bump in a mirror!).
Fifthly, I got in touch with my body again. It's amazing how we loose this very important dimension of being a "whole" person in today's society. And what about the baby, you might ask?
Well, the amazing part is that this active little butternut, ALWAYS fell asleep in the womb while I was dancing.
Generally speaking, belly dancing has given me (pregnant or non-pregnant), a lot more confidence in myself. Every week I get challenged to step out of my comfort zone. And trust me, it's not always easy. But it's the only way to grow. And yes, some evenings I am tired after work and I don't always feel like going to class, but the feeling you have after finishing . . . man . . . I'll go to class, even if I'm nine months pregnant and it's snowing outside, just to get my weekly "fix".
And last but not the least belly really helped the recovery process. If Belly dancing helps you to get in touch with your body, it does it even more so when you've got a tiny human being growing inside your womb. Suddenly, all the hip circles, the figure eights, drops, lifts, etc, are done with a small life at its core . . . you do it with a whole new purpose - to prepare your body for the wonderful journey of childbirth.
The dancing, together with the Jewels' group support, helped to make it a far less stressful pregnancy than my first one, and I reaped the benefits in my "new" baby's temperament - he started sleeping through after about 8 weeks, and even during the first 8 he only woke up once a night. Now, some people might argue that it's not because of the belly dancing, but it's the only thing I've done differently to what I did in my first pregnancy.
So from my point of few, get yourself and your growing belly to class. It's the best way to make the most incredible 9 months of your life even better. Annette
