Daily Life at 28 Weeks: I've finally come to the realization that I'm pregnant—really pregnant. Over the past week, I've struggled to maintain my usual activities and productivity. Up until now, I've been super pregnant woman. I work out, do asana, keep up with the house work, socialize, and am even learning how to run a communications department. But I'm slowing down. I can't do it all. The more I struggle with that reality, the more exhausted I become. The more okay I become with it, the more at peace I feel.
Practice at 28 Weeks: My weekly series of poses for these videos are becoming a bit challenging—especially the inversions. But I have to admit, I'm still getting a kick out of being able to do the inversions in my third trimester. My real yoga practice is managing my very pregnant emotions and learning to let go. Everything is changing, and my practice is to go with the flow.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Yoga at 27 Weeks Pregnant
Daily Life at 27 Weeks: Let's just say I'm impressed with myself for getting my video posted this week. I'm busy. I'm tired. It's time to get my priorities in order. It's also time to start asking for help and delegating tasks—at work and at home.
Practice at 27 Weeks: I feel the need to get serious about meditation and relaxation. I haven't done much of it in the past week because of how busy I've been with work. But this is the perfect opportunity to practice relaxation and mindfulness in the presence of activity and stress. If I can do it now, I can do it during labor.
Practice at 27 Weeks: I feel the need to get serious about meditation and relaxation. I haven't done much of it in the past week because of how busy I've been with work. But this is the perfect opportunity to practice relaxation and mindfulness in the presence of activity and stress. If I can do it now, I can do it during labor.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Yoga at 26 Weeks Pregnant
Daily Life at 26 Weeks: I took the pictures on time, but I'm late posting this week. There's a lot I want to do in these last 3 months of pregnancy, and I'm learning to let some of them go. Over my 3-day weekend, I fit in my fair share of naps and even let myself go on the dance floor at a Saturday night party. My excitement about meeting baby boy is beginning to outweigh my anxiety over having everything in place before he gets here.
Practice at 26 Weeks: I'm loving Iyengar Yoga for Motherhood. I spent more than 90 minutes going through one of the sequences on Saturday. This is the first week it took more than once to kick up into handstand. The basketball around my middle is definitely adding some challenges to practice. At the same time, my practice is helping me cope with the everyday emotional and physical challenges of pregnancy.
Practice at 26 Weeks: I'm loving Iyengar Yoga for Motherhood. I spent more than 90 minutes going through one of the sequences on Saturday. This is the first week it took more than once to kick up into handstand. The basketball around my middle is definitely adding some challenges to practice. At the same time, my practice is helping me cope with the everyday emotional and physical challenges of pregnancy.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Yoga at 25 Weeks Pregnant
Daily Life at 25 Weeks: 16 pounds, baby—that's no joke. I knew I'd gain weight on this journey, but the reality of 16 pounds, the majority of it in my pelvis, is staggering. Carrying a bag of groceries home from the gym, onto the metro, and through the half-mile walk home is exhausting. And one morning, I went upstairs to get my iPod off my corner shelf, and accidentally fell into a roll on the bed before I reached my goal. Wow, I'm pregnant.
Practice at 25 Weeks: My first birth education class gave me a fabulous insight into practice. I'm doing the Bradley method, which asks us to practice relaxation for a minimum of 10 minutes per day. The point isn't to relax for 20 minutes as you're falling asleep. Instead, we're supposed to relax at a time when we normally wouldn't, for example, when I get home from work and have to get started cooking dinner or in the middle of the afternoon when my e-mail is screaming at me to attend to it. Obviously, the point is to learn how to relax in spite of stress and discomfort in preparation for labor and birth. But what great practice is that for daily life?
Practice at 25 Weeks: My first birth education class gave me a fabulous insight into practice. I'm doing the Bradley method, which asks us to practice relaxation for a minimum of 10 minutes per day. The point isn't to relax for 20 minutes as you're falling asleep. Instead, we're supposed to relax at a time when we normally wouldn't, for example, when I get home from work and have to get started cooking dinner or in the middle of the afternoon when my e-mail is screaming at me to attend to it. Obviously, the point is to learn how to relax in spite of stress and discomfort in preparation for labor and birth. But what great practice is that for daily life?
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Yoga at 24 Weeks Pregnant
Daily Life at 24 Weeks: As my belly stretches to the point that I have to prop it up with my hands occasionally, I'm flipping into "let's do this" mode. My in-laws helped me start furnishing and organizing the baby room this week (note the changing background in my weekly videos). I'm also signed up to start Bradley birth education classes next Sunday. This baby is real and growing. Last Friday morning, my husband felt him kick for the first time!
Practice at 24 Weeks: It's a necessity to practice side-lengthening poses—this baby needs more space, and I need less pain. I also plan to tackle a pelvis-widening sequence this week to relieve my achy hips. Even though the spare bedroom is turning into a baby room, I'm still practicing yoga in the room. Parenting will be a huge addition to my practice, so it seems appropriate.
Practice at 24 Weeks: It's a necessity to practice side-lengthening poses—this baby needs more space, and I need less pain. I also plan to tackle a pelvis-widening sequence this week to relieve my achy hips. Even though the spare bedroom is turning into a baby room, I'm still practicing yoga in the room. Parenting will be a huge addition to my practice, so it seems appropriate.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)