One of the best things I did for myself while I was pregnant was to take some time out and practise a bit of yoga. I found a local class especially for pregnant Mums and went along feeling somewhat sceptical. I had been to the midwife the week before, complaining of a bad back. At 30 weeks pregnant this was hardly surprising as I was carrying also much extra weight. The midwife recommended simple stretching exercises to alleviate the pain. I considered buying a DVD and doing some stretches at home but with the best will in the world I was probably not going to do them regularly over the next 10 weeks. I decided to hold myself accountable by joining a class.
The class was really informal and all the ladies I met were lovely. The teacher was obviously very well qualified and after the first session my lower back pain had eased. I was truly amazed! Each class followed the following format:
- Introduction – We had to say our name and due date. The teacher also asked a question each week that we had to answer e.g. Tell us one thing that you are going to do this week to help you to relax.
2. Warm up – A guided meditation focusing on our breathing.
3. Main lesson – Stretches with a thorough explanation on which areas of our bodies were benefitting and how the exercises could help in labour.
4. Guided relaxation – The lights were always turned off during this section of the class. We were encouraged to close our eyes and lie in a comfortable position. We were encouraged to focus on and connect with our baby.
5. Eat chocolate – Our favourite part of the class! The teacher bought us either chocolate, sweets or biscuits each week. We would pass them around the circle while chatting and connecting with other Mums.
What did I get from each class?
- A rush of endorphins – I always went home from the class feeling relaxed and happy.
- The stretches cured any aches and pains I had.
- It reduced my overall stress level. As a busy primary school teacher I always looked forward to my class knowing that I could channel my stress and put things in to perspective.
- I met new Mums, some of whom I am still friends with.
- I didn’t feel alone. Other people understood.
- Time to connect with my baby.
I really feel that my successful water birth was as a result of all the things I learned from going to yoga. I felt fit and had a positive frame of mind when labour started. I also used many of the visualisation strategies we had been taught to breathe my way through the pain.
I have a second beautiful baby girl now and am busier than ever, which has led me to reflect on my yoga days. Just thinking about the many benefits of a regular slot of time where I could just focus on myself and my body have made me question why I am not carrying this practice forward in to my life right now. I stumbled upon an app called Headspace after listening to the Podcast of the same name. I am only on day 4 of the free trial but I can already see the benefits of building something like this in to a daily habit. Anyone else tried this? It’s rather like the yoga warmup we used to do. There is a lot of focus on your breathing and letting go of your thoughts in order to reach a more relaxed state. Andy Puddicombe’s voice is very calming and I will certainly carry on with my trial. I’m trying to find 10mins at the beginning of my day to practise.
I’d love to hear about your thoughts on giving yourself some ‘headspace.’ Let me know in the comments.
inspiredteacher 