experience some nausea, but I found that it would almost always disappear after some gentle restorative yoga, or an hour of dancing. During my second trimester I was able to attend a week long, 50-hour intensive belly dance teacher training that also included yoga. While I had to modify certain yoga poses, such as those that would have required me to lie on my belly, I was otherwise able to participate fully in the class, and felt great doing so. I was always careful and listened to my body, stayed well hydrated, ate nourishing meals, and got plenty of sleep every night. Being able to complete the training successfully gave me a real sense of confidence in the strength of my body. Today, I am about six weeks away from my due date and have yet to experience any low back pain or sciatica, despite the fact that my belly has grown considerably. I have experienced some stiffness in my upper back, and some stretching in the ligaments in the front of my pelvis. However, these sensations only become noticeably uncomfortable if I have gone several days in a row without doing some kind of exercise. As soon as I reestablish my fitness routine, I instantly feel relief. Be sure to pay careful attention to your posture. Maintaining proper alignment gives your baby more space to grow, and can prevent a lot of imbalances. As your pregnancy progresses, be careful to avoid overstretching, as your ligaments are extra loose, and it is much easier to accidently injure yourself. The goal of stretching should be to create a gentle release, but not to force or strain in any posture. Finally, it is helpful to balance active exercise with relaxation, as the ability to release and let go will also benefit you during the birth and beyond. Below is a list of some of my favorite prenatal fitness DVD’s. Be sure to consult with your care provider before beginning any of these programs: Shiva Rea: Prenatal Yoga Gurmukh: Prenatal Kundalini Yoga and Meditation Sera Solstice: Goddess Dance, Prenatal Belly Dance and Meditation Stott Pilates: Prenatal Pilates on the Mat and on the Ball (2 disc set) We will discuss more benefits of good posture and alignment in next month’s column, stay tuned! References: 1. Romm, Aviva Jill. The Natural Pregnancy Book. Celestial Arts. Berkeley, 2003. 2. Gaskin, Ina May. Spiritual Midwifery. Book Publishing Co. Summertown, TN, 1975. 3. http://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/ pregnancy/diet-exercise/how-to-exercise-while-pregnant2.htm
February 2013
Life’s a journey. Make it a healthy one.®
19
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