Prenatal Yoga at 9 months

It's the final month were most of us feel so ready to hold the baby and be done with being pregnant. Yet the baby has its own schedule and there is not much we can do to control the outcome (if we are taking the natural route.) Yoga is still a wonderful tool we can use in the final month even though the practice may be entirely different by now. You may find that the word "modification" has a whole new meaning, you may discover that your range of motion is more limited and your speed is that of a turtle. But turtles are beautiful animals and we can learn so much from their grounded, calm and laid back approach to life. Now I never owned a turtle in my entire life but I feel a new found compassion for these creatures. I have regressed a little so let's go back to yoga. Modify your practice. It is so easy now to get tired and very hot half way through your session so make sure you drink lots of water and stay with your breath. Always go to a resting pose if you need to such as child's pose or any seating pose or even lay down on your side.
Listen to your body and practice "ahimsa" or non-violence towards yourself and your baby. Be realistic where you are in your practice.
You may find that your forward folds and twists are not as deep as when non pregnant. Any forward folds you do will directly impact the baby and you don't want to compress them. So give yourself more room whether you are in down dog or standing forward fold. Give your belly space and keep your spine nice and elongated. This is also a great time to use all the props available: blocks, straps, pillows, blankets and bolsters. If you are doing your own practice at home start with centering and gentle warm ups such as cat and cow, lunges, and arm stretches.
Then do a few prenatal sun salutations and standing poses. Then come down to the floor and go through some seated poses for the hips like bound angle, wide angle and open rotations for digestion such as head beyond the knee and simple seated twist pose. Always finish with 10-15min Savasana. You want to be well supported so you are not laying directly on your back. A nice option is to lay on your left side with a blanket in between the knees and a pillow under the head. Enjoy your yoga practice as it may be the last one with the baby in the belly practicing with you :)

I will upload a short prenatal yoga video as soon as I get myself organized with the camera, cables and all that stuff. Meantime I wish you and your baby a peaceful, gentle and joyful yoga practice.

Day 8 on the Raw Food Cleanse at 38 weeks/2days pregnant

I almost feel guilty for feeling this good! Again as always my 7 day Raw Food Cleanse has turned into another 7 days. It feels way too good to eat all raw to stop now. For anyone wondering if there is a difference between eating 85% raw and 100% raw there is a big one. Firstly, there are no cravings at all for cooked, sugary or junk foods. Your system is so clean that you end up craving only raw foods. Your energy is even higher and you feel even happier and better on all levels. So why stop now? My goal is to go into labour with no junk food clogging my system as it will just slow my body down and perhaps change the birthing experience. I want to go into labour with clean and energized body and mind.

Few days ago I met my mom for lunch at the Apricot Tree Cafe in Mississauga. Its one of those places that make everything from scratch and use organic ingredients. We both ordered their signature salad. It had crisp garden greens topped with dried apricots, blue cheese, shredded carrots and toasted almonds in a citrus Apricot tree dressing. It was so deliscious especially the citrus/dill dressing, which they were selling and we both ended up taking some home. I have been making similar salads at home varying the ingredients because that's what makes it more fun. I just love raspberries and apples as it makes it taste fresh and summery. It was good to see my mom and catch up. She is very encouraging especially about natural childbirth. She had me and my brother without any drugs.

This made me think about labour pain. In my hypnobirthing studies the pain is referred to as pressure waves or surges. Whatever you want to call it and no matter how much you prepare yourself mentally you still wonder...what kind of sensations are there? How can you classify the pain? Is it similar to period cramps (dull and achy?) or is it more piercing and sharp like a toothache?

I find it helpful to remember that childbirth pain is like no other pain. It serves a purpose-it is not there to injure you but to bring the baby out. For instance, toothache or a nerve pain is unproductive as it doesn't bring you anything at the end. So the more you embrace the sensations in labour, the more you stay aware, the more you breath through them and focus on them the easier it gets. We all know about fear-tension-pain cycle and that is what we want to avoid.

I find it interesting how everyone classifies childbirth pain differently. When I did my research asking around, reading different forums, etc. there is as many opinions as there is women. Nobody's experience is exactly the same but there are some common threads in all. From what I gather perception and mindset plays a big role. So do other factors such as how much you prepared for labour and birth during pregnancy, what kind of support system you have, where are you going to birth and what your intentions are.

Lately I go to these websites if I have any questions or if I want to read up on birth stories:

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childbirth
http://www.waterbirth.org/

Find it helpful and fun! I hope you do too :)

And finally here are my stats:

Week 1-8: 124 pounds
Week 8-12: 124 pounds
Week 12-16: 125 pounds
Week 16-20: 127 pounds
Week 21: 127 pounds
Week 22: 127 pounds
Week 23: 130 pounds
Week 24-25: 130 pounds
Week 26-28: 132 pounds
Week 29-30: 135 pounds
Week 31: 137 pounds
Week 32: 138 pounds
Week 33-34: 139pounds
Week 35: 140 pounds
Week 36:143 pounds
Week 37:144 pounds (started to feel a bit too heavy here)
Week 38: 142 pounds (back to this after 7 day Raw Food Cleanse and feeling great)

Total: 18 pounds gained

~*Day 6 on the Raw Food Cleanse and 38 weeks pregnant~*

I feel amazing on the Raw Food cleanse and again I can't believe I didn't go on it earlier. I feel so energized, happy, light, and in touch with my emotions and my body. It gives me so much confidence and makes me feel so empowered. I am in touch with every single emotion I feel and every single thought that I have. I can hear my intuition-that inner voice so much lauder and clearer. Today I had: smoothie, fruit cup at Ikea and another smoothie, huge green salad, hummus with veggies, fruit bowl, tons of water and a cup of green tea. I also taught a Restorative Yoga class and it was great. It's my favourite class to teach right now as it doesn't require much energy and is very meditative. I am so grateful for being able to still teach yoga at 38 weeks pregnant. I just feel great! Having said that on Friday my girlfriend Roseanne and I went to see a movie "The Ugly Truth" and we ended up getting small popcorn and water. I thought that was the healthiest option and I did not end up feeling yucky after. The movie by the way was hillarious and we both laughed so much throughout the enitre time.

Being on the raw food cleanse made me feel much better than the week before. I find it amazing as my belly is not as heavy, braxton hicks not as intense, pressure in the pelvis not as crazy, and the little back pain I had is gone. I felt a bit of loosening in my SI joint, hip joints and pubic bone but not to the extend of being in agony. Just enough to notice it. I keep reminding myself that all these sensations are there for a reason-getting ready for the big day! And having a clear mind I can focus on the positive so much easier.

So today I celebrate being 38 weeks and honoring my baby and my body as they know when to go into labour. All I have to do is get out of the way and be patient. It's a piece of cake :) I'm just kidding actually. It's quite challenging to observe the emotions, which can be all over the place, and not react to them. I try to remember to see positive in every situation and love that Roseanne is a constant reminder of living according to that truth.

I am so lucky that my husband, my friends and my family are all so very supportive of me. My husband rubs my belly and talks to our baby girl. He tells her to come out so he can play with her! So sweet. My parents are kind and especially my mom is so excited and can't wait to baby sit, bless her. My friends tell me that if my water breaks while I teach or something all I have to tell them is to breathe and they will get me to where I need to be (in this case my house). It's good to know people are there for you no matter what. We are all excited and all waiting for this new little being to come and join us here on this side :)

This is a picture of me trying to stay positive and smile through the waiting game. It won't be long from now!

7 day Raw Food Cleanse at 37 weeks pregnant

Ohhhh feels so good to be going on the raw food cleanse. My body has been strongly requesting a cleanse and I feel its a perfect time to do it. I have been about 85% raw for months now and I want to increase it and get rid of non raw items in my diet. This means things like popcorn, rice chips, and any other "healthy" junk food that I have been snacking on. There are tons of wonderful fruits and veggies in season now and the farmer's market is a great place to be. I have done some shopping and have gotten: cherries, watermelon, blueberries, lettuce, sprouts, tomatoes, cucumber, red peppers, carrots, bananas, etc. I also got "ready to eat" and raw: tomato salsa, guacamole, hummus, and mango salsa. So yummy and perfect for the hot weather. There is this store in Burlington called Sabores Latinos that does organic, raw foods as well as healthy raw food alternatives like quesadillas (made with gluten free flower) and hot tamales. Great place if you want to eat well and have no time to make food at home.

I am drinking tons of water with lemon, tons of smoothies with almond milk, and snacking on nuts. Today is Day 2 and I already feel so much better. I am looking for more energy as at this point the belly is quite heavy. I want to cleanse my system so I can be in top shape for birth and delivery.

I met my friend Nathalie for lunch and we had lovely thai papaya salad, mango salad, and raw spring rolls. Nat organized our lunch at her house so there we were, two pregnant ladies eating deliscious raw food dishes and drinking iced water. Not to mantion talking pregnancy, yoga (Nat is also a yoga teacher) and of course babies. We did some shopping at the Kushies getting lovely baby things such as crib sheets and receiving blankets all super cute and cuddly. It's great to get excited about things like blankets now. I never thought they would bring so much joy!

36 weeks pregnant

In two days I will be 37 weeks pregnant, which means I am considered full term and the baby can come at any time now. Every day I wake up I think "ok I am still pregnant and still teaching" lol. Being active feels good and I am enjoying all of my classes even though I am verbally instructing most of the class. I had my midwife appointment the other day and had my Group B strap test done and we discussed managed vs. natural 3rd stage. Gave me a lot to think about. 3rd stage of labour is when you deliver placenta and you can either do it naturally or get an injection of an oxytocin to help the uterus contract, expel placenta and control bleeding. It seems a bit weird to get drugs after a drug free, natural birth. Also it seems a bit of a shame to use it for every woman regardless of whether she bleeds heavily or not. I think its good to have on standby if you have risk factors like long labour, previous managed 3rd stage, twins, etc. There are some side effects to it too (headaches, dizziness, vomiting) not much fun when you are trying to bond and enjoy your new baby. I decided to give my body a chance first and wait for 1 hour max to deliver placenta naturally and then reassess the situation before I go for the oxy shot. I feel good about this decision.

Sleep wise I have been doing good, getting good sleep for the most part. Using a pillow in between the legs feels really good as it also supports the belly. I do have to wake up to pee 2 or 3 times a night but I am able to fall asleep right away. I do get nights where I toss and turn and can't seem to get comfortable but then usually I listen to a hypnosis session and it helps me to relax.

Diet wise for the entire week I have been eating a little more cooked/junk foods than I'd have liked. I have had cravings for french fries and ate some at least on 3 occasions. I can't even think about fries! I also had some rice chips and rice crispy squares- junk foods that are good for nothing. So fell out of a wagon for a little and definitely can notice a change in my mood/energy level. I think I may go on a raw food cleanse to get these things out of my system.

My stats so far:

Week 29-30: 135 pounds
Week 31: 137 pounds
Week 32: 138 pounds
Week 33-34: 139pounds
Week 35: 140 pounds
Week 36:141 pounds

Total weight gain: 18 pounds

Physically I have been feeling good, my body has adapted well to the baby's weight and I have been really listening to what my body needs. There are times when the baby starts moving around my pelvis. Her head presses on my bladder and now also on my cervix and pubic bones, which feels like she is going to pierce her way through-lots of pressure and intensity, which makes me stop and breath through it or at least slow down if I am walking. Again the birthing ball helps so much with this as it draws all the pressure down and out. The braxton hicks have been so intense that last week I thought I was going into labour lol. My naturopath suggested I take homeopathic remedy Caulophyllum to help me tone the uterus for labour and birth as well as to manage braxton hicks. I had to wait to my 36th week to take it and as soon as I did I felt like million bucks. Instead of getting practice contractions all over my uterus the remedy localized it more so now I feel it in one spot at a time, they are less intense so that I can actually go about my day without having to stop and breathe through them. Good practice I know but not very convenient when you are trying to enjoy your meal in the restaurant or trying to get your shopping done. This remedy is also used right in labour to make the contractions more efficient (I can see how) so I had to make sure its not going to make me go into labour! Carissa my naturopath and two other homeopaths I see gave me a green light explaining that the remedy can not override the body and when my body is ready then its ready, the remedy itself won't bring on the labour.

I also got an acupuncture treatment as a way to prepare my body and uterus for labour and birth. I loved it as its super relaxing, helps the energy to flow better, calms the nervous system, etc. It takes about 25min so when I was just laying there I decided to use self hypnosis to relax even more. Half way through the doc came in to check on me and he thought I was sleeping! He told me after how peaceful I looked and that he didn't want to disturb me. I really love how peaceful and relaxed hypnosis is and how you can use it at other times if you need extra comfort. I can't wait to use it at my birthing time.

Birthing ball for pregnancy, labour and birth.

Birthing ball is just a simple excercise ball that comes in three different sizes most common being 65cm. In pregnancy sitting on the ball feels amazing as it relieves pressure in the pelvis, lower back and the cervix. It came very handy for me as I moved into my 36th week. My baby girl went through a growth spurt and dropped even lower into my pelvis in preparation for birth. I am constantly amazed with the wisdom and intelligence of the women's body. It is marvelous to see how the body changes and adapts to accommodate the growing baby! My little girl was already head down at 30 weeks but it felt nothing comparing to her position now. She is so low I sometimes think she's going to fall out. Her descend was marked with increased pressure on my pubic bone and cervix. Also she is still pressing on my bladder! The hormone relaxin has kicked in again making my hips and pubic bone quite achy for a while. What has helped me so much was getting and sitting on the birthing ball. I have it right in front of my computer and use it instead of the chair. I can sway my hips from side to side, which feels wonderful and the gravity takes a lot of pressure away. I can really see how the ball will come handy in labour. If you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant get your birthing ball-it will make you so much more comfortable and happy.

35 weeks and celebrating my journey so far.

Again it has taken me longer than I wanted to write here. The entire July has been so busy with subbing, teaching my own classes, being away for a few days in a wellness resort, and having a beautiful Baby Blessing Ceremony. The ceremony was magical and put together by my yoga sisters with the hostess being Shanine, Jennifer and Nathalie. This ceremony is a beautiful right of passage for mothers who are expecting and gives strength and deep spiritual connection to the baby and the birthing process. I loved the bead bracelet blessing the most. Everyone invited to the ceremony was asked to bring a bead and a blessing in the form of motherly advice and wishes for mother and baby. The beads were thread together into a necklace that I could have as a focal point and symbol of my support network during birth and into motherhood. As we sat in the circle each woman gave her blessing/good wish and we chanted OM to seal it. It was truly touching and brought tears to my eyes. I felt my baby girl move and respond to the beautiful chanting and energy that was being created. I feel so luck to be a part of such loving and wise circle of women. We also had a henna artist come and do some body art. I got my belly done again as a symbol of connection with all of the other women and the baby.

So a little update on my pregnancy. It's really bizarre because I can see how easy it is to give into a negative thinking at this point. I am 35 weeks pregnant and yes sure my belly feels a lot bigger, the baby is big, she really has no room to move so whenever she is active I really feel it a lot, the jabbing and poking is crazy but I still love it anyway, the pressure in the bladder and pelvic floor is pretty intense, braxton hicks are not bad and my yoga practice is obviously modified a lot. Non of these things are getting me down though. I am working around them. I am modifying my yoga poses, mostly to accomodate my belly as my stamina is still great. I hear that I am "tiny" all the time but my belly still feels big and heavy to me lol. I am not getting impatient nor anxious about wanting the baby out. I am thinking this is my pregnancy, I should enjoy these last few weeks because I will never be pregnant with this particular baby again. So I am keeping active by teaching over 7 classes a week, doing my own yoga practice, getting the house organized, going for walks and enjoying my social life. It's so great to have so many wonderful friends and students surrounding me on daily basis. I am also practicing my hypnobirthing and meditate daily to check in with myself, my body and my baby. I set intention every day and that helps me to stay grounded. Today it was gratitude and having my heart open to more blessings. Eating wise I am still having most of my meals raw or as close to raw as I can. I have gained a total of 18 pounds so far and weighting at 141 pounds.