Pregnancy Strong

QH SENSATIONS

Pregnancy Strong Words and images by Lynsey Riach

Taking care of our bodies during pregnancy is paramount to a healthy delivery – and exercise plays an important role. Yoga instructor and new mother Lynsey Riach shares her story to explain why.

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t the beginning of 2015 I wrote an article for this magazine (complete with matching, beautiful black-and-white photos) discussing strength in our bodies and minds through regular yoga. The piece was titled ‘Yoga Strong’ and I genuinely had never felt physically stronger than that time in my life. Six weeks later, I ran around our house screaming to my husband that I was pregnant (out the window went my cute pregnancy reveal idea then...). After such joyous news in which we indulged of course secretly, I found myself back on the same mat I had always stood on suddenly frozen – unsure of how to move my body. There was a tiny seed growing inside of me that was fragile and would require my energy and my love; but what about what I required? I wouldn’t stop my yoga would I? How could I when it had given me so much… I knew that so many others before me had continued with their own practice. I had even

seen photos of women close to delivery in sirsasana (headstand) so a quick Google search should let me know the basics because, surprisingly, in my teacher training we only really glossed over pregnancy in yoga and I had never actually taught a pregnant student before. The whole thing utterly consumed me. I was flooded with news, apps and websites that told me to definitely hit the mat as apparently when you’re pregnant that’s the sponsored exercise (we’ll get to that…).

Back to Google and, as I should have known, I was delivered with a tsunami of contradictions. Don’t twist, yes twist, don’t back-bend, sure you can backbend! It was a mess. Pregnancy lasts ten months not nine (think about those 40 weeks divided by four…) and your body will constantly change – so of course your activities and style of movement will too. The information was overwhelming so I

figured there was nothing for it but to slow it down and go through some Sun Salutations. I was bored, frustrated and gave up. It just wasn’t my regular style and I couldn’t fully ‘get into’ the place I would normally be at. So, I attended some local pre-natal classes; one was awesome and taught by an inspiring teacher who had two children and whom I naturally connected with. I trusted her knowledge, she knew how to move through all stages of pregnancy, and I loved her challenging classes that gave me confidence to know what I could and couldn’t do. Unfortunately she moved overseas so I ended up with a new teacher who offered up, quite frankly, what I imagine most pre-natal classes to be - a whole lotta breathing and not a whole lotta backbending… It was dull and nothing like my regular energetic flow, which troubled me to think that most pregnant ladies who are new to yoga probably feel this is what they have to do. You don’t.

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As I’ve detailed through my journey, I kept up to a level I could never have imagined on that day when I first stood in tandasana (Mountain Pose) unsure of what asana to do next. The weeks rocketed by and, with daily practice, the benefits came flooding in. I never experienced any nausea (thank you!) or stretch marks (no really, thank you!). Just what exactly are puffy ankles meant to look like? I had endless energy, I walked at the same speed, tiredness or sleeplessness wasn’t really a big issue. Towards the end my lower back started to ache but it was nothing a divine recline into ustrasana (Camel Pose) couldn’t fix. It wasn’t all easy though – I dedicated time (an hour a day) to my yoga, I moved regularly throughout the day walking our dogs and went swimming when it wasn’t 50 degrees Celsius outside (most of the summer it was…). But I always offered gratitude to my mind for giving me discipline to practice each day and thanks to my body for co-operating and growing our healthy baby boy with no complications.

And, at 36 weeks gestational, I was overjoyed that I could shoot the very same beautiful black-andwhite shots that I had previously used for my ‘Yoga Strong’ piece but now with a beautiful bump on board.

Like each soul on Earth and each baby in the womb, every pregnancy is unique; so it would be sanctimonious to suggest that yoga is what has given me a healthy and happy pregnancy because I don’t actually know that but a big part of me believes that without my practice I would surely have felt far more side-effects. I genuinely spent most days feeling not just grateful but quite frankly, astounded that I could possibly feel this good, pregnant. Who’d of thought it? Or is it just that we are fed and conditioned to believe these things must come hand-in-hand with being pregnant and, of course, an ordeal of a birth too?

Websites, books and doctors all dish out pre-natal/ pregnancy yoga as the ‘go-to’ exercise regime the minute you see that positive test result. But did you know that if you’ve had no prior yoga experience then it might not be just what the doctor ordered?

Not to scare anyone away from yoga (why would I?) but I want you to be aware that it’s more than just exercise – it’s a whole community, an industry where it often takes a little time to just ‘get it’. So showing up to a super-slow class where they talk in a strange language and do funny things with their noses and breathing may well scare some mamas-to-be away!

Instead you have to be open-minded and give it a try a few times before making your decision to continue or not. Yoga will certainly offer beginners a gentle exercise practice during a special time in your life but it doesn’t have to be all slow-with-the-flow. If, like me, you’ve been practicing for some time you can keep to your normal level of practice with a few

variations and make sure you go to a class that’s in line with your level so you can still be challenged. As for thoughts of your centre of gravity changing as your bump grows – I remain the same pillar of strength in standing balances. I may wobble a little in Dancer’s Pose but it’s nothing to be scared of or shy away from; it’s like normal practice, but I’m pregnant, that’s all.

As I retreated back to my own space and felt a burst of acceptance for my growing body, week-by-week my practice continued at the same level. Some days I was more energetic than others but every single day I did one thing – I listened to my body. If it felt achy, I targeted that part, if I had energy or wanted to get stronger, I worked on that. I didn’t give up; I met my mat and offered thanks after pranayama.

Beautifully, at 20 weeks lying in savasasana, our baby kicked for the very first time – was this karma?

It sure felt sweet enough to be…

Yoga is more than just exercise or movement. Those stretches every day sure do help make tying your shoes easier but proper breath-work (pranyama) and meditation kept me at ease and calm at a time when many pregnant women become anxious about the changes that will soon ensue. This can also help us with birth. As yoga has always taught me to tune into my inner self and tune out the noise of this world, you too can utilize these tools whenever the time is right to do so.

If you’ve just found out you’re pregnant, have practiced yoga before or not – I suggest by all means giving it a go. Do your research and only go to a class you feel would suit you and your personality or exercise style. Listen to your body daily and reward it with movement and it will reward you. And when it comes time to birth your baby, use everything you have learned through your yoga journey to believe in yourself that no feeling is greater than you, for it is you. Namaste.. n Lynsey Riach is a qualified yoga instructor living and working in Doha, normally walking her dogs, on her yoga mat, or on her travels.

To learn more about her services visit www.andstretchyoga.com.

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