Stay active and introduce your baby to the joys of music and movement

Choose a dance floor. Pick a familiar space so that you and your belly feel safe. Finding yourself in the middle of the contact improv or capoeira zone might make you feel vulnerable. Instead, gravitate to spacious spots and surround yourself with people you trust.

Consider your music choices. In pregnancy, many women change their tastes to nurture the growing spirit inside. Seek warm flowing sounds that are in alignment with the natural rhythms of the body, like a heartbeat. Trust your intuition to guide you to music that you and your baby will love.

Listen to your internal body wisdom. Consuelo Faust, a mother of two and director of Rhythm and Motion, a San Francisco dance studio, says, “be aware of your body’s limitations and listen to the cues.” As your belly grows your center of grav­ity changes, so modify your dance practice to stay in balance. Hint: if your uterus ligaments become sore, consider holding them in place with a belly band. Tracey Mallett, a certified personal trainer, says, “in any kind of dance you do, eliminate jumping, jerky movements, backbends, big hip movements, and lots of rotation.” Invite yourself to move with gentle, fluid motions.

Oxygenate yourself and breathe. Pregnant women are often hypersensi­tive to smells. Pack some essential oils in your bag to sniff just in case. A few scents to try are lemon, for morning sickness; lavender, for relaxation; or chamomile, to soothe aches.

Keep your spirits up. Continue and expand your dance practice as you enjoy the miracle of life growing inside you.