First Pregnancy
Second Pregnancy
My second pregnancy was completely different. I was back at work four days a week and had a little toddler to look after, so there wasn’t much time for yoga at all. I just felt tired and exhausted all the time… I couldn’t go to any of the evening classes as my husband was working late and on the weekends I was completely wiped out from the week and just wanted to lie on the couch and eat chocolate. During the whole pregnancy I think I went to three pregnancy yoga classes. I did, however, practice at home what I learned before. There are lots of very easy poses that I enjoyed – for example Triangle Pose* to lengthen the side of the rib cage which can get compressed when the baby grows, sitting in Hero Pose* on a bolster and doing some gentle shoulder stretches and some easy forward bends and twists sitting in Janu Sirsasana* using a yoga strap. I didn’t have nearly as much time as during my first pregnancy and was quite stressed out because we were about to move house a week after my due date, but I was also more confident as I knew what to expect during pregnancy and what I had to do to make me feel better.
My husband is probably the biggest advocate of pregnancy yoga now (even though he would never ever EVER go to a general yoga class and was really sceptic in the beginning). Both labours were quite quick (the first one about five hours in established labour and second two hours) and I was quite calm and (mostly) confident thanks to what I had learned in the classes and workshops.
Labour & Birth
There were two moments during my first labour which made him think that yoga was maybe useful:
1. when he saw me breathing through the contractions on all fours (apparently making noises like the mooing of a cow – I don’t actually recall this and it might or might not be true), completely focused on myself and forgetting everything around me.
Obviously it was VERY painful, I had some nasty tears and lost a lot of blood BUT I got through it because I had learned how to trust my own body, how to breath through it properly and what positions can be useful.
From my husband’s point of view, what we went through in the workshops was very practical advice like
- what exactly is happening during birth,
- what men can expect to experience (so not what they’ve seen in movies on TV) and
- how they can help during labour with for example massages, support etc. (also shut your mouth, don’t ask stupid questions and do whatever your wife wants you to do including letting her squeeze your hand until it turns blue)
Our Daughter did Yoga throughout her pregnancy, she found it very helpful.
That’s great that she found it useful! It’s so relaxing and it’s great to keep fit during a challenging time!
I’m 35 weeks pregnant and have been doing weekly pregnancy yoga for the past 12 weeks.. A bit of a change from my usual Ashtanga, but enjoying it and hoping it will help in a few weeks’ time 🙂
I bet it’s a bit of a change and would love to hear more about your experience! Good luck!
This heartfelt blog delves into a personal journey of experiencing pregnancy yoga with scoliosis. The author's candid account, filled with insights and emotions, resonates deeply with readers facing similar challenges. Kudos to Move With Scoliosis for sharing this authentic perspective, offering comfort and inspiration to others navigating the beautiful intersection of pregnancy and yoga amid unique circumstances.