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Prenatal Yoga Blog 2

Radiant and… glowing?

 

Have you ever heard a pregnant woman described as radiant & glowing? It’s hardly accurate, especially when you ask someone who’s pregnant.

 

When asked to describe how she felt, these are the terms most often used by pregnant mamas, according to Google last year:

 

Excited, worried, fearful, stressed, joyful, anxious, crazy,

constipated, nauseated, tired, clumsy, and gaseous.

 

Not surprisingly, the word “radiant” didn’t appear at all.

 

At Home4Birth, we focus on the entire woman’s being during pregnancy. And here are the truths of what to expect:

 

  1. It is totally normal to feel ambivalent about being pregnant. Pregnancy can change a lot of things in your life and your emotions may swing from elated to despair.
  2. Body image changes quickly and can be challenging. The key is to remember that your body is building a baby, and when construction is over, you get your body back.
  3. Your partner may or may not act as invested in the pregnancy as you are – especially in the early stages. Until he/she can feel the baby kicking, it is a totally abstract experience for the person who is not carrying the baby.
  4. People can be intrusive and sometimes, insensitive. Be ready for folks that touch your belly without permission, and offer unsolicited advice. Be clear about your personal boundaries and focus on understanding that they are interested in you and your baby.
  5. Your single and work friends may have mixed feelings about your pregnancy. It means the friendship and work relationship will invariably change. We tend to bond with people who have similar experiences and your pregnancy means you are moving out of their comfort zone. Try not to take it personally.

 

 

At Home4Birth, we focus on enjoying all the ups and downs of this amazing period in your life. And, we’re right there with you, understanding, appreciating, supporting and helping you prepare for the birth at home you want, even when you aren’t feeling “radiant.”

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Prenatal Yoga Blog 1

yoga-picWelcome to prenatal yoga at Home4Birth Mondays at 6 PM 

We’re so glad you decided to add yoga to your pregnancy experience. We have fun in our prenatal class Monday evenings — adding experience sharing, energy, balance, muscle strength, and flexibility to your prenatal practice.

What to expect:  As in traditional yoga, prenatal yoga begins by relaxing and de-stressing through deep rhythmic breathing. Not only is this calming, but the deeper intake of oxygen is very beneficial to you (especially your bones and muscles) and to your growing baby. Deep breathing also helps warm up your muscles before practice.

After we deep breathe and warm up the body, we will do some light stretching, then shift into asanas (yoga poses), before we cool down in savasana (final resting pose).

Many of the asansas we do in prenatal yoga very similar to those poses in basic yoga. Some have been adapted for a rounded belly, and some others, adapted so that you will not too deeply stretch or damage the important supportive muscles of the abdomen and pelvic region.

Prenatal yoga instruction never supersedes your midwife’s recommendations. If you feel uncomfortable, stop what you are doing and let your instructor know right away.

Remember that your prenatal yoga practice is yours alone. I encourage you to come to class, even when you are tired at the end of the day. Breathing through fatigue and doing a light workout you can help invigorate your body, release tension and allow for new muscle expansion. Plus – you always sleep more readily and more deeply after evening yoga practice.

See you next Monday evening.

Namaste ~

Lauren Windle