Prenatal Yoga: Feeling Good!

             Hey folks! I'm sure you've noticed by now that I prefer to take a natural approach when it comes to lots of things. However, I have a couple of confessions to make: I used to smoke for quite awhile considering my age and I still enjoy adult beverages. Needless to say, those were some not so great choices when it came to stress relief. And I've been really stressed out lately. Obviously I can't use either as a “crutch” at the moment since I am pregnant (not that that's a bad thing!), so I pondered what I could do as a “better for me” alternative. Then it dawned on me: prenatal yoga!

             I have to admit that until recently I always viewed yoga in general as kind of goofy. Yoga is just for hippies and hipsters, right? Well, I'm definitely not a hipster so maybe I am turning into a hippie because yoga just seems like the right thing to do right now. Not only was I in desperate need of some natural stress relief, I figured it would help with my back pain as well.

             Given, I've only been doing it for several days, but I can already notice a difference. Even after the first time I did it I felt noticeably less uptight/tense physically. As I'm sure a lot of other people do, I tend to carry most of my stress in my neck and shoulders. I can't believe how much more relaxed I feel in these areas since starting yoga! I even had a somewhat tense drive in the pouring rain to the doctor the other day (over an hour drive!) and I didn't even get uptight in my arms, neck, and shoulders like I normally do when I have to drive in the rain. Amazing!

             I've also noticed that it has helped with my pregnancy back pain and I just feel more calm in general. For some reason with this baby, instead of my lower back hurting it has been the middle of my back for awhile now. While it still does get a little stiff during the day, it's not nearly as bad as it was. And, while it might sound contradictory, even though I've been a hot mess emotionally from things I'd rather not go into right now, I still feel more calm. At least not quite as quick to get irritated.

             On top of just feeling better physically, I like that I am learning moves/positions that can help with pain relief during labor since I am bound and determined again to not have any drugs! And, even more than that, I am learning things that can help get baby into a good position for birth too!

             So, even if you still have your doubts, give prenatal yoga a chance. (Or regular yoga if you're not pregnant!) I rented a dvd from the library to give it a try and am glad I did. It's something I hope to continue after baby starfish gets here too when I need a little time to myself to relax and let my mind wander. :)

Yoga for Your Pregnancy DVD

Prenatal Yoga Routine on YouTube-I've only done this one once. I found it to be more intense? than the other one. While it's still definitely doable, if you're out of shape like me I recommend trying the dvd above first.