I practiced prenatal yoga with my first and last pregnancy, I did not with my middle one. While the birth of my second child was the “best” in terms of it being the quickest, and dare I say easiest. I suffered the most during that postpartum period. For a variety of reasons, a prominent one being we moved to a new area five months before her arrival and I had very little in the sense of a community. I also spent less time meeting myself in a pregnant body, and embodying this chasmic transition.
Why didn’t I take the opportunity to join in a class? I didn’t want to commit to a 6 week series, and I was also overly confident. It was also hard for me to take time for myself during the evening, which I deemed family time hours.
While pregnant with my third baby I practiced prenatal yoga throughout. It was a salvation. It trained me to leave my family to take care of myself, my body, and thus my baby. It let my husband be in charge of bedtime, and was a baby step in preparing my family for the massive shift that was about to come. At that point, and sometimes still, that is the hardest thing to do, to claim time for myself, to remove myself from the family equation. Thoughts of they need me run rampant and keep me bound to all of it.
The practice also put me in the frequency of the fact that I was indeed pregnant, and met the needs of my changing body. In the day to day with two small kids at home, I often forgot I was pregnant for the mere sake of keeping things going. It allowed me to slow my cadence, to move my hips, to create space in my body to receive my breath. It allowed me to connect with my baby, it calmed my mind, and it was empowering.
Every time I showed up - it offered me relief. Relief in knowing I wasn’t alone with my aches + pains and fluctuating feelings. There was relief in being seen and supported in my pregnant body.
While I was more reserved in my sharing, and didn’t make any long lasting friends during that session, I was steeped in the energy of birthing people, which informed the transition of one allowing and not resisting.
Now, I am honored to hold a space for women to come and practice.
The next session begins Tuesday, March 8th at 7pm, and continues for 6 weeks. You can join for all six classes, for four, or for drop ins. There is an in person option at 22B East Roseville Rd or an online via zoom as well. More info here. I hope you will join me.