Opening to Grace on Bed Rest

Open to Grace is the first principle of Anusara Yoga. It's physical applications include lengthening the side bodies, expanding into the back body, and having a good foundation with earth. To me emotionally open to grace has a lot to do with trust. It is taking a deep breath in, feeling my feet on the floor and trusting that everything is going to be okay.

I got put on bed rest last week in my 34th week of pregnancy from a big bleed. I am no longer able to practice physical asana but I am amazed how much strength I find by working the universal principles of alignment off of my yoga mat and in my bed and in my head. They say Open to grace is the most important principle and its the one you keep going back to over and over again. That's how I feel, I will establish an attitude of open to grace and a minute later it is gone and I have to bring myself back to it and then maybe 5 minutes later it is gone and I bring myself back to it. It is a practice of remembrance. Of remembering that I don't want to feel totally scared and all alone. I want to feel connected, loved and safe. These are the feeling I get when I trust the universal and open myself to Grace.

Being pregnant really takes you into the front of your body. If you think of a pregnant women her belly sticks out forwards, her boobs get bigger pulling her forward and her head is often forward along with her thigh bones. Everything is pulling her into the front of her body. The front body represents the "I" and the individual self. I know I can get really wrapped up in myself. What is going on with me, my baby, my body, my family, my future... When my head gets full of me, myself and I the world gets smaller, I start to run on fears + desires and I start to feel disconnected from others.

Although pregnancy physically pulls the body more into the front plan what you cant see is how much strength is coming from the back body. The low back supports the growing uterus and prevents her from falling over in all that misalignment, her upper back muscles are strong from holding up those boobs and the back of her legs are extra powerful from carrying around all that extra weight. The back of the body represent the Universal. When I feel myself get stuck in my head and in the front of my body I have been pausing to remind myself how strong the back of my body is especially during pregnancy. I can just settle down and rest in that strength and the remembrance that no matter what happens everything is going to be okay. That I am supported by so much: Grace, friends, family, doctors, muscles, yoga... When I shift from front body to back body I feel many changes. My skin and brain feel like they soften, I stand up taller within myself, and my breath becomes deeper and fills in the back of my waistline up to the back of my kidneys. This kind of breath feels like I am making an offering and bow to my own heart and to Grace.

My Prenatal Practice

I have been loving my enthusiasm for practicing yoga currently. Being pregnant it is definitely a pulsation of wanting to practice and having the energy to practice. So when I have the energy and motivation to practice I am one happy pregnant lady. Here is the sequence I did this morning. If you have any questions, or comments please email or leave a comment. I would love to hear from you.

morning intention: i will not judge myself today. i will walk in gratitude today. I will see the world today the way I want my baby to see the world. I will see the goodness, the generosity and the support that this beautiful life has to offer me.

Baddha konasana with side stretches
Malasana
Cat/cow
Table ankle circles
Table calf stretches
Virasana wrist circles and stretches
Dd-plank 3x
High runners lunge- parsvot hands on inside
Low lunge hands in floor- half splits foot inside
Tree
Pigeon
W2
Parsvakonasana
Trikonasana - half moon
Utthita pada b
Janusarisasana (strap)
Baddha konasana with block. Put block between soles of feet push bock together with feet to engage muscles of legs and extend knees out to side from inner groins out through inner knees. I start with the narrowest side of the block, then medium side, then widest side between feet. For this practice I held each stage for 2 minutes and then I did a normal baddha konasana. This baddha konasana sequence always surprises me how much it opens my pelvis and lowers my knees to the floor.
Shavasana on side with bolsters

Tight Calf Muscle STRETCHES

Holy Moly are my calves tight! Throughout my pregnancy I have heard women complain about calf cramps. I naïvely thought since I stretch and practice yoga I wouldn’t have experience this painful and annoying symptom. Then at 28 weeks pregnant I woke up from sleep with a calf cramp! How could this happen to me? The yogi? Upon further investigation I realized that my calf muscles are rock hard! I read that stretching out the calves help you avoid calf cramps so I got all over that. Once I started stretching my lower leg muscles I realized how amazingly delicious it feels to stretch and the calf muscles and Achilles tendon while pregnant. Now I do at the very least one of these a day but often more. It feels so good and I don’t experience leg cramps very frequently. I think I have had a total of 3 leg cramps. They are intense.

 

Calf Anatomy:

The muscle group we think of as the calf is composed primarily of two muscles, the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The gastrocnemius originates on the lower femur, just above the knee, and the soleus originates on the posterior surfaces of the tibia and fibula. The gastrocnemius (two headed muscle) lies under the skin of your calf, and the soleus (fish shaped) is underneath the gastrocnemius. The fibers of both muscles run down the calf and attach to the Achilles tendon, which attaches to the calcaneus, the big heel bone at the back of your foot. When the two muscles contract and shorten, they pull up on your heel, lifting it and raising your body up on tiptoe.

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Poses to stretch those calves:

Table extend one leg back toes tucked on floor stretch back through heel keeping inner thighs toned and rotating up towards sky

Table leg extended ankle circles this isn’t a true calf stretch but it still feels great, reduces swelling, and does stretch out the calves. In table extend one leg straight up into the air and take your foot in an ankle circle. I will do about 15 circles in one direction and then 15 circles in the other direction.

Virasana (heroes pose) with blanket roll (this is one of my FAVORITES) with a tight blanket roll come into table put the top of your head on the floor and holding the blanket roll in each hand pull the roll up tight into your knee creases. Use your hands to help press yourself up so you are sitting back toward your heels and the blanket is smashed between your hamstrings and your calves. Stay here for a few minutes and then sit up slightly and move the blanket roll an inch toward your heels and stay here for a few minutes again move the blanket roll toward your heels and repeat until your blanket makes it all the way back to your heels. I love repeating this a few times and I will often switch and use a rolled up towel (it makes a great small tight roll, or I unroll my blanket a little bit so it’s a smaller roll). The smaller the roll the more painful precise the massage. I love this because it massages the calves and realigns the knee joints.

 

Uttanasana (forward fold) with blanket roll and 2 blocks I love doing this pose right after the pose above but it is good any time. With your blanket roll on the floor step onto the roll so the balls of your feet are on the roll and your heels are on the floor. The toes will want to hug the blanket but don’t let them lift them up and spread them. Take your hands to the blocks in front of the blanket so you are in a forward fold. To make this deeper put a bend in your knees, track the center of each knee over your second toes (make sure your feet are parallel) then isometrically squeeze your feet toward the midline = strong legs and inner thigh muscles. Next with your knees bent rotate your inner thighs toward the back of the room it should feel like your hips broaden and your pelvis tips forward. Now scope your tail bone just a little bit, sit bones move toward your heels belly lifts and press through your heels moving your legs toward straight. We really want this to be stretching the hamstrings and calves so if when you start to straighten your legs your low back rounds bend your knees again and work the leg alignment you will get a more effective leg stretch instead of a low back round.

Utkatasana (Chair Pose) this is a modified chair stretch. Put your hands on elbows on your thighs. Separate your feet hip distance apart, remember your hips are growing and you want to make room for your baby. Check to make sure your feet are parallel and your knees are going over your second toes. Then bend your knees like your sitting in a chair, spread your toes and reach your heels into the floor. The main thing we are after her is the calf stretch.

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog) very similar alignment ques as uttanasana. Bend your knees so they are tracking over your second toes. Tone your legs by isometrically drawing feet toward each other. With your thighs strong rotate your inner thighs toward the back of the room causing the sacrum to tip in and up. Then scope your tail bone just a little without flattening your back and stretch through your heels. Bicycling out the legs can feet nice here as well. I also like standing on one foot and with my lifted foot I hook my big toe and second toe around my Achilles tendon of the food on the floor and help stretch it toward earth.

Malasana (Garland Pose)

Ardha hanumanasana (1/2 splits) I like to use 2 blocks so I can get my low back to have a lumbar curve. If when you reach for the floor you lose your lumbar curve and your low back rounds then you are just stretching between the low lack vertebras and your missing out on a lot of yummy hamstring stretch action. So with hands on blocks press into front heel and back knee isometrically hug the midline, rotate inner thighs towards back of room. This will help create that lumbar curve. It can also help to bend your front knee up to your chest slightly. Once you have established the curve in your back straighten your front leg. Okay here is the calf stretch instructions. With one hand grab onto the ball of your front foot, bend your elbow toward your shin (work that bicep!) and pull the ball of the foot and toe nails toward your shin. Make sure you’re not hyper extending (which is especially easy with our lose joints in pregnancy) by pressing into your heel and drawing your heel back to you so that your knee bends up slightly.

Janusirsasana, supta padangusthasana or any pose with a strap around the ball of your foot Hook up a strap around the BALL of the foot. Hold one end of the strap in each pulling the strap into the ball of the foot as you press the ball of the foot back into the strap. The main calf stretch comes when you energetically stretch the heel away from you. Again watch for hyper extension in the knee that’s a no no.  

Calf Massage a contraindication for prenatal massage is really deep pressure on the legs, so don’t go really deep. Your muscles are probably tight enough that a light to moderate pressure will feel really deep. I think it feels good just to squeeze my calves and it feels so good to squeeze up and down the Achilles tendon. Also making circular motions from your heel up the calf to the back of the knee feels good.

 

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Taking care of your body is important but it is even more important when you are pregnant. Tight calf muscles can lead to calf cramps, forefoot pain, heel pain, knee pain, hip pain, low back pain. So do some stretched mama to be + drink more water.

27 weeks

Week 27 ~ 7th Month ~ Third Trimester

27 weeks

Baby is the size of? Cauliflower

Baby’s development? This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (about the size of a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle. (babycenter.com)

Gender? Still a boy!

Food cravings? Mexican food.

What I miss? Energy.

What I love? Feeling baby move + nesting. 

Movement? Yes!!

Highlights of the week?

• My sister was in town for the week and it was really nice getting to see her.
• We have been crossing off a lot on the to do list for the baby shower. Tyler got the crib (still needs to be set up), got blinds (still need to be installed), I did lots of gardening, cleaned the house.
• I started sewing! My nesting has turned to me needing to be able to sew awesome burp cloths, bibs and blankets. So far I have busted out 12 burp cloths! So fun!! Its nice to feel like I am preparing for baby while sitting down.
• Went to a family members baby shower. I love being around baby excitement.
• Went to a good friends wedding.

burp cloths

 Symptoms? Third trimester symptoms are somewhat kicking my bum. Huge heart burn, leg cramps at night, horrible back pain. Huge baby movements :) excitement as we get closer to meeting this boy.

Exercise? Elliptical, swimming, weights, and yoga. I go through phases with yoga. Some weeks it doesn't feel as good and my yoga practice is me sitting down and stretching or doing some gentle down dogs to relieve back pain. This past week yoga has felt really good. It has been nice to do a more then stretching. I have come up with a really juicy hip opening series.

Mediation? Yes. It has been helping me stay calm and connect with my body and my baby.

Appointments? We have a midwife appointment next week.

Upcoming events? Our baby shower is Sunday! Ahhh nervous  + excited.

22 weeks

Month 6

Week 22

The cabnit my wonderful husband put together + gigantic leaf for our monkey/ jungle theme nursery.

22 weeks 3 days

Baby is the size of? Papaya

Baby’s development? This week, your baby weighs in at a whopping pound and measures nearly eight inches, about the size of a small doll. But your little doll (who now has eyebrows, eyelashes, and maybe even some hair on that little head) is a living one who can now perceive light and dark. She can also hear your voice, your heartbeat, your gurgling stomach, and the whoosh-whoosh of blood circulating through your body. And as her brain and nerve endings develop, she may reach for her face (or whatever she can reach) just to experiment with her newfound sense of touch. (whattoexpect.com)

Gender? Boy!

Sleep? Good. I am sleeping in a cocoon of pillows.

Food cravings? Still craving Mexican food.  I have been craving savory food which goes with the old wives tail of mommas of boys crave savory while the mommas of girls crave sweets. However this week I have started craving ice-cream and sour patch kids.

What I miss? Not being able to help out more around the house. I really really want to re grout our bath room but handling grout is a big no no while pregnant.

What I love? Feeling baby boy move!

Movement? Yes!! I feel him move every day. It is the most amazing thing every. I think feeling him move inside me might be what I miss the most after he enters the world.

Best movement of the week? My best moment of the week wasn’t necessarily a moment but just part of the week. I feel really on point teaching. I was worried that as I can’t do as many poses or continue the same practice I had pre pregnancy I wouldn’t be as good or effective as a teacher. However I have been inspired and coming up with great sequences, have been linking in the principles to the theme nicely. I feel like I have been deconstructing some principles of alignment with the students and they seem to be responding to it really well. I have also been thinking about starting the process to become an Anusara Certified teacher.

Tyler also put together a piece of baby furniture on Saturday which made me very happy.

Symptoms? Feeling movement, nausea, back ache, heart burn, and fatigue.

Meditation? Yes every day.

Yoga? I got the okay from my midwives that I can continue to practice yoga with low lying placenta. I probably practiced 4x this week for 30-60 minutes. I focused a lot on kidney loop and side bodies long to ease my back pain and also played with handstands, forearm balance, and headstands.

Hypnobabies? I just finished up my first week of hypnobabies my childbirth prep class that teaches deep relaxation. I alternate between 2 cd tracks a week. One of the tracks this week was creating a safe place to go and where I got to imagine holding and talking to my baby. It was such a treat. I have really been looking forward to these 40 minute sessions.

Appointments? I had my midwife this appointment week. In the birth center there are 4 midwifes that I work with and whatever one will be the one I have my birthing time (hypnobabies term) with. At this appointment I worked with the finale midwife I hadn’t met yet. I loved her. She was so knowledgeable and I was feeling nervous about a few things and she made me feel really good about gaining weight and about my placenta. It was a really great appointment. I have another ultra sound scheduled for the last Monday in July to keep an eye on the placenta.

Week 19

Month 5

Week 19

praciting yoga 19 weeks

putting together our first piece of nursery furniture!

belly shot

 

Baby is the size of?grapefruit
Babies development?
Your baby's sensory development is exploding! His brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that he may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to him, or singing a happy tune. By weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom. His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now. His kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on his scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on his skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid. (babycenter.com)

Gender? BOY!!

Sleep? Pretty good. I got a “boppy” prenatal body pillow which is freaking awesome and is making my sleep more comfortable.

Food Craving? Mexican food, pickles, and swiss cheese.

What I miss? Umm it’s hard to think of any at the moment. Probably not being hormonal, being able to work more and accomplish more without getting sick, and my yoga practice.

What I love? I have been feeling the baby move and that is soo so nice and reassuring.

Movement? Yes! This week I felt “pokes”. I am even able to put my hand on my stomach and feel the baby poke out into my hand. I got an ultra sound this week and was told the babies position was head down and feet going up to the left. I am not feeling anything where the feet are I am feeling the head so he must be jumping with his legs and his head is hitting my low belly. It brings the biggest smile to my face. He is most active after I eat and at night before I got to bed. I have to keep my hand on my belly for a while and then randomly I will feel a poke. Tyler has tried to feel the baby a few times but hasn’t felt him yet. CAN NOT WAIT FOR HIM TO FEEL HIS BABY.

Symptoms? I have still been experiencing nausea; I was probably sick 3-4x this week (which is more than normal). I even had a small fever for two days so I have really been trying to take it easy, or easier. My back has still been hurting less frequent now that I have been practicing yoga, heartburn, and my hormones have been a little all over the place. Bless Tyler’s heart for putting up with me sometimes.

Best moment of the week? Tyler and I have started putting together the nursery!!! We went to Ikea and picked out some furniture and started putting some of it together. It has been so fun to share this with Ty as we plan for the future. I have been standing in the nursery and imaging what life will be like in six months. It’s a surreal feeling.

Maternity Clothes? Definitely. I even purchased some maternity bras to contain myself.

Meditation? Yes I have been meditating 20 mins a day 2x a week. I have also been continuing to meditate before I go to bed “connecting to my baby” guided meditation from David Harshada Wagner.

Yoga? YES!!! I have been continuing to practice daily at my house 30-60 minutes a day. It has been a great way to connect tour baby, feel like I am doing something proactive and is helping relieve some of the aches and pains of pregnancy.

Exercise? Yoga 7x a week, weights for 10 mins 3x a week, walking the dogs or with friends and their babies 3x a week.

Appointments? I had my first prenatal massage this week and it was so terrific!! I will definitely be going back. I started researching child birthing classes and we have decided on Hypnobabies and I asked our Hypnobabies instructor to be our doula as well, classes start in August. Next week we have our 20 week anatomy scan, nervous but very excited to see our precious baby.

Prenatal Inversions

To practice inversions, or not to practice inversions that is the question?
There is a lot of conflicting opinions out there on if pregnant women should practice inversions. Many people say a straight up no to everyone. However I believe and my midwife suggests that it all depends on your prepregnancy practice. Pregnancy is definitely not the time to be learning inversions. Even if you have practiced a few inversion prepregnancy now isn't the time to push yourself in inversions. However if you had a strong inversion practice it is fine to continue to practice inversions while pregnant. Take precautions that you wont fall over, so if you don't feel stable in the middle of the room anymore ask someone to spot you or use a wall.

 The most important thing is listening to your body. One sign to look for is a heavy pelvis or shortness of breath. These are 2 signs that you should switch your inversion to a more gentle one like legs up the wall. For me the first 16 weeks of my pregnancy I rarely practiced inversions, I would only demo them for a second while teaching. However at 17 weeks I started to feel better but my back was killing me and I started to practice inversion again and I have been loving them.

Benefits of inversions while pregnant:

• Ensures proper blood circulation to the uterus
• Creates space in the pelvic cavity for the baby to move around. (Many midwifes and doula's suggest handstands if the baby is breach to help the baby flip into the optional of head down)
• Relieves venous pressure in the legs which can relieve and prevent varicose veins
• Promotes hormonal balance by increasing blood flow to the head and neck. This is especially good for the thyroid gland, as a deficiency in thyroid hormone can lead to miscarriage.

Legs Up The Wall (Viparita Karani):


20 weeks pregnant

This inversion is an exception to the rule of don't start practicing inversion for the first time in pregnancy. This would be a phenomenal pose to practice regularly while you are pregnant regardless of your previous inversion practice.
When you are pregnant one of the reasons you get so tired is because your heart is working twice as hard doing this pose assists your body in pumping blood from your feet to your heart without fighting gravity. This pose is also great if you experience swelling. Geeta suggests doing this pose everyday for 10-20 mins. She also suggests doing shavasana 2x a day for 10-20 minutes. You could do legs up the wall for one of your shavasanas and get the extra benefits of inversions. This pose is also beneficial for insomnia and depression.


18 weeks pregnant

pre pregnancy

Resources:
Geeta Iyengar's Yoga: a Gem for Women
David Coulter's Anatomy of Hatha Yoga
John Friend's Anusara Teacher Training Manual