Can I Belly Dance While Pregnant?

Note: In "Dear Shira", city names and other details are changed to protect the privacy of the people involved.

Dear Shira,

I started learning how to belly dance a couple of months ago, and I love it! It makes me feel strong and feminine at the same time!

Last week, I discovered I'm pregnant, and I'm overjoyed! But some of my friends have expressed concern over whether I should continue dancing. They said it could cause me to go into premature labor because it mimics childbirthing. Someone else said I should continue belly dancing throughout my pregnancy because it develops muscles that will make my labor easier. I'm so confused--what should I do?

--Expecting In Exeter

Dear Expecting,

A woman who is having a normal, healthy pregnancy should be perfectly capable of continuing her belly dancing throughout the term. Of course, you should check with your doctor to be sure, but as long as your doctor says it's safe for you to get low-impact, moderate exercise, then belly dancing should be fine.

You probably won't want to practice vigorous drum solos with aggressive hip snaps during your eighth month, and moves involving twisting of the hips might be uncomfortable, but listen to your doctor and apply common sense. Listen to your body and avoid any moves that feel "wrong". In truth, continuing your dance might actually be beneficial! Some women have reported that selected belly dance moves such as figure 8's and hip circles were helpful during labor! So stay involved with the dance, and continue enjoying your classes.

There is one possible source of injury you need to beware of. During pregnancy, your body releases a hormone called relaxin whose purpose is to loosen the ligaments in your pelvis, to make it easier for the baby to pass through the birth canal. This hormone actually affects connective tissue throughout your body, so once you reach the third trimester it's best to avoid doing stretches that could put stress on these tissues. Treat your joints gently during this time, keeping your movements within the range of motion that you found comfortable before your pregnancy. If you're not cautious about this, you could cause injuries to your knees or other joints that could trouble you for the rest of your life. Of course, this applies not only to belly dancing, but also to yoga and any other flexibility exercises you might be considering. If you have any questions, discuss this with your doctor.

Now, it's one thing to take classes. Performing may be another matter entirely. First, how is your self-image? Some women feel fat and ugly while pregnant, while others see their growing bellies as a mark of pride. If your pregnancy makes you feel fat and ugly, then maybe it's best not to perform--how can you possibly deliver a terrific show when you feel fat and ugly? But if you're at peace with your changing body, you're in good health, and your new shape doesn't bother you, then why not perform?

Dancing in class recitals should be perfectly appropriate, even if you've already begun to show. In a recital environment, the audience usually understands that the purpose of the recital is to give students a chance to show their friends and families what they have been learning in class.

As for more public performances, a lot depends on the nature of the audience, your costuming, and the venue. Some things to consider:

Performing for mainstream paid gigs such as restaurant shows, birthday parties, bellygrams, and similar shows might not be such a good choice once you've started to show. However, other mainstream gigs, such as baby showers, could be perfect for you. Follow your instincts, and if in doubt, tell the person who is organizing the gig about your status and invite their feedback on whether your fruitful body would be an issue.
Even if you are proud of your pregnancy and the way it shapes your body, it's probably best not to wear a midriff-baring costume for a generic public performance of Oriental dance once your abdomen has grown enough to be obviously pregnant. The "general public" audience may not be ready for such a conspicuous affirmation of life's cycles. As a performer, you won't be an effective goodwill ambassador for the dance if you ignore the audience's tastes and do as you damn well please. Consider wearing a beautiful dress that drapes gracefully over your stomach, or a lovely tunic paired with either skirt or pantaloons. This will enable the audience to concentrate their attention on your dance skills and musical expression rather than having their eyes riveted on your navel.
If you will be performing at an event whose audience consists primarily of fellow belly dancers and their families/friends, such as a hafla or belly dance festival, then feel free to bare your midriff if that's what you would like to do. At such events, fellow dancers are nearly always quite supportive of their expecting sisters.
This is a wonderful time to look for opportunities to dance in a setting where the audience is likely to be celebrating the natural cycle of birth, life, and death, such as a women's center, a health clinic, a theatrical depiction of the goddess Isis, or a similar environment. For such shows, you're free to either expose or cover your midriff, whichever better suits your own preferences.

In short, before you perform, really think about who your audience will be, and make plans to choose costuming and dance style that will represent our dance form in its best light for them. Ideally, you want them to remember that you interpreted the music beautifully, not that you had a fascinatingly large pregnant belly.

Before performing, consider that some dance classes are not very vigorous. They might involve dancing for two minutes, then stopping for an explanation, then dancing again for another two minutes, and so on. In contrast, a performance might involve dancing continuously as a soloist for 10 minutes or more. For your health, be sure to practice at home regularly, building up to an activity level that is comparable to what you'll be doing in the performance. Please don't risk overextending yourself!

Would you like to explore this subject further? Here are some resources that you may find interesting:

Index to Resources

Prenatal Bellydance Resources. A listing of books, videos, and articles on the subject.

Videos

Prenatal Bellydance, an exercise video built on belly dance moves. Naia from New York leads the workout. For more information, see my review of it. The workout structure follows the guidelines of the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists.
Dance To The Great Mother, a video featuring a performance by Delilah when she was 8 months pregnant. For more information, see my review of it. The dance portrayed on the video was specially created by Delilah to honor pregnancy and motherhood.

Articles on the Web

Belly Dance and Pregnancy. This article on Lorelle's web site "The Perfumed Palace" explains the benefits of belly dancing during pregnancy and offers advice for doing so safely. Lorelle, a physical therapist specializing in women's health, shares her expertise as a health care professional.
A pregnancy FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) on Aziza Said's site addresses several issues related to belly dancing and pregnancy.
Kashmir from New Zealand has an article on her web site titled Pregnancy and Dance.
Jamila shares her own personal experience in the Bellydancer's Guide to Pregnancy on the Isis and the Star Dancers web site.
Morocco's web site features three articles she has written regarding the role of Oriental dance as "the oldest form of natural childbirth instruction." See Belly Dancing and Childbirth, Roots, and Giving To Light: Dancing The Baby Into The World.
Two articles by Delilah on the Ideas And Images page of her web site. Look for the section titled, "Alexandra's Library", and you'll find Birthdance: A Labor Of Love and Bellydance During Pregnancy.

Articles That Appeared In Print

The Winter 1996 issue of Habibi (Volume 15, Number 1) featured several articles on the theme of belly dancing and childbirth. Sadly, the publisher destroyed all unsold back issues, so the only way to obtain a copy is to go through used sources such as eBay or post inquiries on belly dance forums. Articles include Giving to Light: Dancing the Baby Into The World by Morocco, Birth Dance by Elisabeth Clark, Circling Back: Belly Dance as Birth Meditation by Janice Olivia Dawn, A Labor Of Love by Delilah, and The Expectant Dancer by Jawahare.

Good luck with your pregnancy! I wish you an easy delivery and a healthy baby!

--Shira