Breathing For Your Pelvic Floor / 15 Minute Breathwork

I practiced these breathing techniques everyday during my pelvic floor rehabilitation journey; healing from complete bladder incontinence to regaining full control of my bladder and returning to normal function!

Don’t worry if you feel like you can’t feel anything or you’re struggling to isolate your muscles groups. I couldn’t feel a single thing for awhile and to be honest I’m still learning to isolate the muscles…sometimes I get it, most of the time I don’t, all the time I’m trying my best and keeping my focus on the engagement.

*DO NOT PRACTICE THIS TECHNIQUE IF YOU ARE PREGNANT OR BELIEVE YOU MIGHT BE PREGNANT. Breath retentions can increase intra-abdominal pressure and reduce the amount of oxygen available to the baby.

After watching the video for the first time, you can go right into the practice by skipping to minute 2:23.

Pelvic Floor

After having by baby boy, I experienced weeks of incontinence. This series is a result of my work to regain control and reestablish my pelvic floor strength. Rebuilding the pelvic floor can be a slow healing process with embarrassing setbacks but we can keep moving forward together. Whether you experience drips when you laugh, cough, sneeze, jump OR you’re having leaks before you’re able to make it to the bathroom… these classes are here to support your pelvic floor progress.

If you still feel like there’s more room for improvement, you may want to consider visiting a pelvic floor specialist. Leaks and drips are NOT inevitable!

PMS

PMS (Premenstrual syndrome) are physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms that occur during the last week of the luteal phase (1 to 2 weeks before menstruation). The symptoms typically start in the 5 days before menstruation begins and go away within 4 days after bleeding starts.

We can’t make PMS go away entirely, but there are some things we can do to alleviate the symptoms. Exercise, diet (limiting sugar, salt, alcohol, and caffeine), prioritizing sleep, and stress reduction can help. These classes can help too!

Menstruation

Days 1-5
This phase begins when your egg from the previous cycle isn’t fertilized. The uterus sheds its inner lining of soft tissue and blood vessels which exits the body in the form of menstrual fluid. I see it as the uterus preparing the environment for a new egg.

You have your period but I have you, we’re going to get through this week together.

Ovulation

Day 14
Ovulation happens about halfway through your cycle. However, you’ll want to track your cycle to be able to really pinpoint your ovulation day (Ex. I ovulate a bit earlier in the range of day 9-12.) Ovulation is the natural process of an egg being released to be fertilized. If you are in the process of trying to conceive THIS is the time to do it (pun intended). If you are not trying to conceive this is the time you wanna know about and take your precautions.

CLASSES COMING SOON!

Luteal Phase

Days 14-28
During the final phase of your cycle, the uterine lining thickens in preparation for a fertilized egg. A healthy, thick uterine lining is imperative for offering a fertilized egg a place to attach (if you are trying to conceive). If at the end of the luteal phase there is no fertilized egg, this thick lining is released during menstruation.

CLASSES COMING SOON!

Postpartum

My Postpartum Practice:
(Skip below to go right into the Yoga Class Series)

I’m writing this 11 weeks postpartum and you better believe I spent the last 11 weeks diligently recording everything in the notes app on my phone to share with you all. I’m currently using my left foot to bounce my little bundle of loving chaos in his BabyBjorn and wondering how much I’ll be able to type before he starts doing his “Hey! Ma!” screech. Here’s the thing, postpartum kicked the hell out of me. I was expecting postpartum bleeding, possible postpartum depression, and some healing soreness. Nothing I read led me to believe any different. So it rocked my world when my postpartum ended up being an absolute shit show. Here are some things I wish I had been a bit more prepared for:

Healing is HARD and NOT linear. Because I had my 6 week postpartum visit to mark the end of my “disability”, I assumed that I would be good to go at 6 weeks (pause for crying baby and a diaper change… and I’m back). I was not and suddenly 6 weeks felt like a joke. My ob mentioned that it really takes about 3 months to heal from delivery (and that actually held true for me… right around week 9 I actually started feeling good)… so maybe plan for a 3 month benchmark to check in with yourself. Along those lines sociologists are calling the season of giving birth Matrescence which is a HUGE hormonal upheaval (similar to puberty and menopause). Give yourself the same grace you would look back and give 16 year old you (very similar shit is happening hormonally).

Rest is actually non negotiable. I actually wish I rested more and followed the 5-5-5 rule (5 days in the bed, 5 days on the bed, 5 days around the bed). My little guy came early and we weren’t totally prepared so our first few days were NOT spent resting. This slowed my healing and made for some pretty rough days those first few weeks. Later I read that walking around / up and down stairs puts excessive stress on the exact muscles you’re trying to heal, often damaging them further. PLEASE HEAR ME: REST!

HIVES, EXTREME NIGHT SWEATS (or soaks would be more accurate), AND CARPAL TUNNEL can happen, who knew?!?

HEMORRHOIDS I was actually really lucky with this… I got them but they didn’t cause me any physical discomfort (no pain, no itching) just the mental discomfort of knowing they were there and they were gross. What helped shrink them fast:
2 Sitz baths a day (morning and evening) followed by a perineal ice pack. The Tucks pads didn’t do much for me but Preparation H worked wonders. They were much smaller by week 6 and basically gone by week 10.

Sitz Bath Recipe from The First Forty Days with some modifications:
1/4 cup comfrey leaves
1/4 dried lavender
1/4 cup calendula
In a medium pot, bring 6 cups of water to boil. Add the comfrey, lavender, and calendula, remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes, covered by 5 minutes uncovered. Strain out the herbs and pour the tea water into your Sitz tub. Sit for 15 minutes.

*I always purchase my herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs


HERE ARE THE BIG ONES:
INCONTINENCE I was full on incontinent… no bladder control AT ALL for the first few weeks and it WRECKED ME. I knew that drips could happen when I laughed or coughed but I was able to stop that in its tracks during pregnancy so I thought I was in pretty good shape. The first two weeks I went through more diapers than my newborn, I had to put a peed pad down on every surface I sat on, I was bed bound…it was dark. But I practiced my pelvic floor routine relentlessly and did my pelvicore exercises 2x a day. It got better in increments: first I didn’t need the pee pads (we used what was left from my purchase order for the diaper change table), around week 4 I didn’t need diapers anymore, and by week 9 I felt like I had 90% full control back. I still carry my own diaper bag (because once you lose control of your bladder, you never quite get over it) but I’ve had dry underwear for almost 2 weeks now (NO DRIPS, NO LEAKS). I’ll be adding more pelvic floor videos because if I can gain control back, you can too! Everyone deserves dry underwear.

General Postpartum Necessities:
Pads (as a person that hates pads, I liked these the best)
Depend
Pee Pads

All the Breast Stuff
I chose to pump (which is its own circle of Hell) and supplement with formula. I have to be honest, I hated every minute of it. I struggled with it so much that I began a slow wean after 3 months. In the first week I had a cracked nipple and there was a little bit of blood in the milk. It was devastating to have to dump something that was costing me so much… I slathered on a bunch of nipple balm and luckily I never bled into the milk again. I wasn’t consistent with nipple balm and ended up with a friction blister around week 7. All things considered, I was pretty lucky because it didn’t hurt, I could continue pumping, and it didn’t cause a clogged milk duct. I went back to lots of nipple balm (after every pump I would apply nipple balm and a breast pad). It took about 4 days before it popped, then it just scabbed over, and a day or two later the scab fell off. I continued to apply the nipple balm after EVERY pump and it got a little easier.
Here is everything that helped me survive pumping:
Elvie Pump - Insurance will cover a pump. I’m not sure if the entire cost of an Elvie is covered but I believe some of it will be. I didn’t know about this benefit and missed out, so take advantage!
Nipple Balm is a MUST! I would use a Breast Pad after application so the nipple balm wouldn’t ruin my tops.
*along those lines some people prefer coconut oil or Flange Spray- these two things made my nipples too slippery and I couldn’t get any suction from the pump. Nipple balm after every pump worked best for me.
Breast Warmers were a godsend in the few weeks before my boobs got used to the situation.
My sister in law suggested plenty of button up pajamas and shirts but I pretty much lived in these Auden Nursing Cami’s. Side story, my little sister recently bought a bra that she said was the comfiest bra she’s ever worn. Turns out, it’s an Auden nursing bra (she is in her twenties, not pregnant, and never has been… the Auden nursing bra’s truly are just that wonderful)!
Mother’s Milk not sure if it did anything but it felt like it did.

Cluster Pump Schedule:
This was the one thing that DID increase my milk supply. I would do it once a week OR a few days in a row.
20 min. pump
10 min. rest
10 min. pump
10 min. rest
10 min. pump

Slow PAIN FREE Wean Schedule:

Postpartum Affirmations

My baby’s body knows what to do.
My baby is happy, healthy, and safe.
Everyday I am healing.
Everyday my baby and I are getting stronger and healthier.

PLAY YOUR OWN PLAYLIST OR LISTEN TO THE WOMEN’S WISDOM PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY!

These classes are not meant to be taken in order. Take whichever class feels good, whenever it feels good.

Repeat the same one over and over, if that’s what you need.

I hardly had any bladder issues during my pregnancy. I remember having one little drip when I sneezed and immediately thought, “oh heck no”. I started pelvic floor exercises and never had another incident. So I was absolutely floored (pun intended) when I ended up with severe incontinence in my postpartum. I didn’t want to leave my house but when I did, I brought my own personal diaper bag with me. Every leak wrecked me. And I couldn’t believe how many women were constantly leaking and dripping all around me. I REFUSE to accept that for myself AND for you. While my healing is slow, there is healing. These poses have helped me get to the point I am today at 8 weeks postpartum: pad free nights and days at home, pad free walks, and no underwear changes- can make it through most days without a leak or drip.

If (after this class) you still feel like there’s more room for improvement, visit a pelvic floor specialist. We do not have to accept leaks and drips as inevitable!

Here is your express class to rebuild your pelvic floor even when your short on time (which of course we are). Believe me, I know healing the pelvic floor can be a slow process with embarrassing setbacks but we can keep moving forward together. Whether you experience drips when you laugh, cough, or sneeze OR leaks before making it to the bathroom, you are not alone. I am right there with you. This class will support your pelvic floor progress (and mine too!).

If (after this class) you still feel like there’s more room for improvement, visit a pelvic floor specialist. We do not have to accept leaks and drips as inevitable!

I practiced these breathing techniques everyday during my pelvic floor rehabilitation journey; healing from complete bladder incontinence to regaining full control of my bladder and returning to normal function!

Don’t worry if you feel like you can’t feel anything or you’re struggling to isolate your muscles groups. I couldn’t feel a single thing for awhile (easily a couple of weeks) in the beginning and to be honest I’m still learning to isolate the muscles…sometime I get it, most of the time I don’t, all the time I’m trying my best and keeping my focus on the engagement.

*DO NOT PRACTICE THIS TECHNIQUE IF YOU ARE PREGNANT OR BELIEVE YOU MIGHT BE PREGNANT. Breath retentions can increase intra-abdominal pressure and reduce the amount of oxygen available to the baby.

After watching the video for the first time, you can go right into the practice by skipping to minute 2:23.

As soon as I became pregnant, I got SICK and pretty much gave up on exercise from that point on… I just didn’t have the energy, the will, or the stomach for it. I was a little afraid I’d never want to exercise again. But the desire to get back on my yoga mat kicked into high gear a few week into postpartum. I wanted to feel mobile and strong. I wanted to be able to hold my growing baby without feeling like that on it’s own was an exhausting exercise. I wanted to get back on my mat and get into it….

If you’re ready for a step towards MORE, this is the class! If you’re not there yet, be gentle with yourself. Your body just went through the ultimate exercise. Let yourself heal; you’ll move when you AND your body are ready!

At 9 weeks postpartum there were days when I wanted to move but felt like I didn’t have anytime OR wanted to move but was also really feeling the exhaustion OR wanted to move but just din’t have the bandwidth. I wrote this class for THOSE days. 10 minutes to get you grounded, to give to your body a manageable little bit. Sometimes 10 minutes is all you need to land you right back in your fabulous, strong, resilient body. You are amazing and this express class will remind you of that, fast!

I want you to receive deep release in this class; stretching out any tension that has built up in your body over the past weeks. We move the tightness, the strain, and the rigidity out and welcome in some softness, a little bit of fluidity, and a little more ease.

The Third Trimester

My Third Trimester Practice:
(Skip below to go right into the Yoga Class Series)

Here is the one thing I wish I had done differently:
Have everything done before the Third Trimester.

Silly me thought I had all the way up to my due date. This was my first pregnancy so I even thought that there was a good chance he was going to be late. This little party animal insisted on showing up for Cinco de Mayo (2 weeks early) and that made the first week or two of postpartum a little chaotic. So if you can try to be prep-free by the third trimester.

Here is some stuff we did leave until the Third Trimester that I think worked out for us:
Point #1. I Insisted that my partner have a list of 5 therapists. I emphasized that I might not be in the best place to support him postpartum, so he needed to have someone who could. Why 5? Because you don’t always click with your therapist and it can be stressful trying to connect with a therapist when you’re already drowning. I had him do his research while he didn’t need one, so he’d be prepared if he did.

Point #2. A prenatal massage. This gave me something to look forward to. I booked this believing that my third trimester would be my worst… turns out nothing came close to my first. If you’re relatively local to NJ, I highly recommend The Nesting Place. They were awesome!

Point #3. Pain management practice: My doula introduced me to this practice and it really worked to build up my pain tolerance: Fill a bowl with ice cubes. Take a handful and squeeze your hands tight around the ice cubes for 1 minute at a time about 10- 15 times for each session. During each minute interval try different coping mechanisms (closing your eyes, looking at your empty hand, breathing, singing, moving around, talking to your partner, having your partner rub your shoulders or feet). This helped me to build my pain tolerance by mimicking contractions (the pain increases as your hand grows colder) and it helped me to learn what made the pain bearable/distracted me vs. what made the pain worse/irritated me.

Here are the only things I really needed at the Hospital:

*A water bottle with a straw (honestly this is the only thing I think I really used/needed)
*A change of clothes for leaving…maybe even just the clothes you wore there (yes you’ll most likely still need the same size).
*Shower stuff (if I was only there for a day or 2, I wouldn’t have bothered but we had a bit of a long stay)
*A book to read (I’m a librarian remember…). I actually also had an audiobook on Libby that I listened to quite a bit that first night.
*Our Birth Plan … which was less of a plan and more bullet points that we had made decisions about. We used Emily Oster’s plan (from the book mentioned in the First Trimester) and edited it/ added to it to fit us. This was actually a genuine asset when things went off the rails. We had discussed how we wanted to handle all types of situations, so even though our exact experience wasn’t in the plan, we knew what was expected of each other. For example: we had decided that no matter what happened, my partner was supposed to stay with the baby at all times. When I was having complications post birth, my partner came over to check on me. I said, “Eyes on the baby.” He knew where I wanted him and what would give me the most comfort because it had already been discussed.

Book Recommendations from my favorite pregnancy ladies:

Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschool by Emily Oster

The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother by Heng Ou

DELIVERY SACHET
I made this one as our due date drew nearer and simply kept it in my hospital bag.

Sprinkle of Lemon Balm (I like to use dry leaves but 1 drop lemon essential oil works too)
Sprinkle of Thyme (go ahead and use what’s in your spice cabinet)
1 drop Lavender essential oil (or dry lavender flowers if you got them)
1 drop Jasmine essential oil (I used the leaves of a jasmine tea I have)
Place all ingredients in a baby blue sachet (for good health) and hold the sachet in both hands. Speak any words that feel good, empowering, and heartfelt. Seal the feelings into the sachet. Carry this little bit of magic with you throughout your journey. Burn, Bury, or Flush when you bring baby home.

The words I spoke over my sachet:
Protect me and my baby.
Bring us peace and confidence through labour.
Bless this labour with luck and happiness.
Bless this new beginning.
Being healing. Bring health. Bring joy.
(I also wrote these words on a piece of dark blue paper and placed it inside the sachet before tying it up.)

Third Trimester Affirmations

I am capable. I am strong. I am ready for this.
My body and my baby’s body are working in sync.
I already know how to do this.
My baby is perfect and will be born at the perfect time on the perfect day in the perfect way.
We are both safe, happy, and healthy.

PLAY YOUR OWN PLAYLIST OR LISTEN TO THE WOMEN’S WISDOM PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY!

These classes are not meant to be taken in order. Take whichever class feels good, whenever it feels good.

Repeat the same one over and over, if that’s what you need.

As your pregnancy progresses into the third trimester, it's even more important to listen to the signals your body is sending you. Allow for every day (or maybe even every hour) to feel different. Give yourself grace and permission to just let it be what it is.

Prop Options:
Keep a chair close by or set yourself up next to a wall. You may also want to have yoga blocks, a pillow, or a blanket close by.

As my body continued to shift to allow space for the little human to make the most of his final weeks of growing before birth, my hips took the biggest beating. You might be noticing it in your lower back, knees, or even your ankles as the lower half of your body does its best to keep you centered and grounded. This class is all about finding your balance once again (and again and again) in the final weeks.

I am always here for a good shoulder stretch. Even before I was pregnant I loved a good shoulder and neck release but carrying that extra weight (and extra hormones) sometimes felt like the weight of the world was resting on my shoulders. If you’re feeling it too, I see you. If you just love a good shoulder and back stretch, I see you too!

Prop Options:
Raise your hand if your experiencing knee sensitivity (ME!) - Grab a blanket and keep it close by to place under your knees just in case OR flip your mat over for a bit of extra padding.

Take some time to create the perfect space for yourself before your practice. During my pregnancy, I really struggled with connecting to a body that no longer felt like my own. Being intentional with setting the mood in my environment really helped me to be more present, more grounded.

The Second Trimester

My Second Trimester Practice:
(Skip below to go right into the Yoga Class Series)

December 20, 2023 was the day I started to feel better. A week or two before I had a tears and snots meltdown because I was terrified that I would never feel good again and I couldn’t imagine how I was going to be a mom if I still felt like this. On December 20, I finally felt ok enough to have a cup of coffee. The clouds parted and the angels sang. My second trimester had begun.

If you haven’t started pelvic floor strengtheners do it NOW! Even if you think you have a strong pelvic floor (me) labour can rock the hell out of the foundations and bring the whole temple crumbling down (also me). If you only take one of my recommendations, THIS is the one: Pelvicore. She has exercise programs for pregnancy, incontinence (for after), and women’s health (for long term) so you fully get your moneys worth and they worked for me like magic.

This is when I started putting together my baby registry (you can use mine to get you going). I used Babylist because:

  1. It had a handy bookmark that made it easy to add things

  2. I could literally upload my sister-in-laws entire registry (which was perfect for me because I didn’t know where to start) and then make it my own.

  3. Items you purchase directly through Babylist, you get a discount on.

Postpartum Planning:

Add some postpartum items to your baby registry. Friends that have already had babies will get It.

Photocopy some recipes and have them in a basket at the baby shower for guests to take. Have a little sign that says something like, “Want to help us when baby arrives? Cook us a meal!” I had a stock of frozen meals ready to go. They got us through the first few weeks.

Second Trimester Affirmations

My baby is healthy, happy, and safe.
I love my body through this process.
My body is building a healthy and happy human.
I love my body’s power; it knows exactly what to do.

PLAY YOUR OWN PLAYLIST OR LISTEN TO THE WOMEN’S WISDOM PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY!

These classes are not meant to be taken in order. Take whichever class feels good, whenever it feels good.

Repeat the same one over and over, if that’s what you need.

I was thrilled to be able to move again after the hell of my first trimester. If you’re anything like me, the second trimester feels a bit like waking up again… but we still have to be mindful of our limitations. Especially when it comes to protecting our midsection: minimize time with weight on the belly and be gentle in all backbends (do NOT go to your deepest). We’re not trying to make progress in our practice right now, we’re just allowing our practice to support us.

Try to create a vibe-y practice space each time you settle onto your mat! Light some candles and brew some tea. Allow intuition to guide you to prepare a space that feels good to you in this moment. Maybe today you want thick socks and a folded blanket. Maybe next practice you’ll want juice instead of tea. When we practice small, low stakes moments of flexibility it stretches our capacity to be flexible when it’s a bit harder.

With all the shifts and changes happening in my body, I found it really hard to stay connected. Grounding deep into your body and reconnecting to your earth side vessel will be one of the best things you can do for yourself throughout your pregnancy and into your postpartum because you'll be able to accept, love, and nurture yourself through all the ebbs and flows of the months ahead.

We're getting deep into the hips which will hopefully make things a bit more comfortable for you. I ended up with severe hip pain during and after delivery.. hindsight: I wish I had done a bit more hip mobility work and stretching. These poses have definitely helped the recovery!

Important Note: We'll be on our knees for most of this class. Make sure you have an extra blanket nearby to place under your knees for cushion. You can also flip your mat over and under your knees if you prefer!

Cues Correction: During the final seated pigeon and L sit series my verbal cues go wonky (pregnancy brain...ok that's not entirely to blame, I'm known to be cue wonky on occasion). Please just follow along visually!

The First Trimester

My First Trimester Practice:
(Skip below to go right into the Yoga Class Series)

The day I missed my period, acid reflux began creeping it’s way up my esophagus… and very quickly it went berserk. I couldn’t keep anything down, I had acid in my sinuses and a constant acidic taste in my mouth. I kept hearing the same advice: apple cider vinegar. But when you think your dying from acid reflux, the idea of drinking acid is beyond revolting. I FINALLY gave in (because it truly couldn’t get any worse) and mixed myself a cup of ACV. There is a scene in Twilight: Breaking Dawn (a cinematic masterpiece, don’t come for me) where the baby is draining the life out of Bella. Jacob has a sarcastic thought that the baby probably wants blood. But Edward is like “huh, that’s an idea”, so he goes and gets her a bag of blood. They’re assuming it’ll be rough for Bella to drink (because…. human blood…) but she takes a sip, leans back with a satisfied sigh, and then proceeds to drink it all. That was me as I sipped my ACV drink. It tasted delicious, like lemonade. It was exactly what my body was craving. Hear me: if you’re struggling with acid reflux:
Mix 1.5 teaspoons of Apple Cider Vinegar with 16 ounces of water (it’s a miracle elixir).

My Netipot was the single most important purchase I made during my pregnancy. I bought it during my Second Trimester but wish I had it early because it would have spared me weeks of suffering. It cleared out all of the acid from my sinuses and then cleared up my pregnancy rhinitis mucus. I plan on continuing to use it whenever I have allergies or a cold.

One more thing I wish I had done in the First Trimester: contact my doula. We didn’t reach out to a doula until the end of my Second Trimester mainly because I didn’t realize that we could have contacted her sooner. She had so much to offer us, I wish I had given myself more time to work with her.
If you want to work with a doula and you live in Northern New Jersey, I highly recommend mine: Aimee Hilario You can reach out to her via her IG: @aimeeblaze. She was awesome!

If you only read 1 book during your entire pregnancy, this is the book:
Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong-and What You Really Need to Know by Emily Oster
My pregnancy/labor bible: it gave me (and my scientist partner) straight answers to every question I didn’t even know I had and then some.

And one more book recommendation (I’m a librarian so be grateful you’re only getting 2):
Nine Golden Months: The Essential Art of Nurturing the Mother-To-Be by Heng Ou
Full disclosure- I didn’t read this one BUT I did read and love her Fertility Book (mentioned in the Fertility Collection) and her Postpartum Book (mentioned in the Postpartum Collection). The only reason I didn’t read this one is just because I forgot it existed.

FIRST TRIMESTER AFFIRMATIONS

This discomfort is temporary, it will not last forever.
Pregnancy is powerful. I allow it to empower me.
It is okay to be afraid during my pregnancy journey. I can be afraid and still have a positive pregnancy outcome.
I am deeply connected to my body and to my baby; we are in this process together.

PLAY YOUR OWN PLAYLIST AS YOU MOVE OR LISTEN TO THE WOMEN’S WISDOM PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY!

These classes are not meant to be taken in order. Take whichever class feels good, whenever it feels good.

Repeat the same one over and over, if that’s what you need.

During the First Trimester you can maintain your usual physical activity as long as you modify appropriately when needed… and if you can maintain it. I got sick almost immediately and my normal practice went down the toilet along with everything I attempted to eat. In my case, I quickly realized that pregnancy was going to require everything from my body in order to create, carry, and deliver this new life. I will forever be a tad envious of all those lucky women who make it through the First Trimester with ease, however I hope with all my heart that you get a little bit of that ease. I promise that (as long as you feel able) building and maintaining strength in the First Trimester will support the pregnancy process, set you up for delivery, and help with your recovery. As hard as it was to practice at all, I know it made all the difference.

Because so many exciting things are happening in these early weeks, you may choose to avoid all poses that involve laying on your stomach: take a cat pose in place of all cobra/ belly poses.

USE THIS TIME TO DEEPEN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR BODY. IF YOU EXPERIENCE DISCOMFORT OR PAIN, IMMEDIATELY MODIFY OR AVOID THE POSE.

During pregnancy you will be experiencing rapid changes. This was really hard for me (and the one constant of my entire prenatal/postpartum journey)…I’ve never been great with changes. Providing myself with a solid foundation of flexibility and strength greatly served my physical body as I met change after change over the following nine months. It became increasingly more important for me to be gentle with myself. I had to let go of what I had envisioned my First Trimester looking like (I thought I’d be able to carry on business as usual for the most part…. that was NOT the hand that I got drawn). Even if you’re feeling good, you may still find that poses feel different day to day, you may feel different day to day. Make sure to listen to cues your body is giving you. It will help you to be better able to attend to your changing needs.

As I’ve mentioned, the First Trimester was rough for me (as is pretty obvious from the crazy hair I’m sporting in the beginning of this class and the occasional acid reflux cough). But the steady, thoughtful movement of my yoga practice gave me a little bit of life. As hard as it was to get on my mat, I never regretted it… I even felt a little bit better afterwards…most of the time). Admittedly, I was super lucky in that I never experienced much aches and pains (I never had that notorious pregnancy back pain). I like to think it was my First Trimester hip and leg focus that made that small mercy possible!

I absolutely adore a delicious restorative class. I love to relax into the poses and feel my body opening, grounding, and healing. I took this class over and over; it released the all over body tension and brought me much needed peace and rest. Because of how sick I felt, I had a really hard time connecting to my body throughout my pregnancy (most of the time I wanted to crawl out of my skin). The slow movements in this class always brought me back into the process, back into the present.

Early Pregnancy Loss

I didn’t expect the rush of emotion (and blood) that came with an early pregnancy loss. Although it was only considered a chemical pregnancy (barely detectable on a pregnancy test), it still came with disappointment and grief. I still felt the loss. Everyone will have their own experience; how it affects them physically and emotionally. Each one of us gets to express and heal in our own way. During the weeks that followed, I craved slow and nurturing movement that made me feel held. Take this time to listen in and do what you need to do to feel good, to feel safe, and to feel peace.

PLAY YOUR OWN PLAYLIST AS YOU MOVE OR LISTEN TO THE SECOND HALF OF THE

WOMEN’S WISDOM PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY!

Fertility Series

My Fertility Practice:
(Skip below to go right into the Yoga Class Series)

When my partner and I decided that we wanted to add a third member to our little family of two, I went into masculine energy “problem solving” mode. At 35, I knew it could take some time and I was eager to do whatever I could on my end to get the party started. Below is every tool I used, that I believe worked for me. Try what feels good and throw out the rest!

I've been tracking my cycle via a paper log that I keep on my fridge for over 10 years now (I like seeing the pattern laid out in front of me and it was helpful for my partner to understand my cycle by seeing it too).  I use this print out: https://www.tcoyf.com/downloadable-charts/ (I also highly recommend the book but its pretty dense reading, consider it a reference resource.

I've been using this thermometer for awhile now (to help with my charting) and I like it a lot, it's seems consistent and I haven't had to change the battery yet: Digital Thermometer

I used these to track my ovulation peaks and still have some leftover after we got pregnant (one box was more than enough): Test Strips

Adriana suggested using the app Natural Cycles. I paid for a one year subscription.  It switches over to a pregnancy tracker which worked out perfectly because it covered getting pregnant, my pregnancy, and several weeks postpartum (although I went back to my paper chart as soon as the baby was born).  They send you a thermometer which I found to be total crap (I had to change the battery twice in like 2 weeks).  I went back to my trusted thermometer and input the temp manually, which worked fine.  I liked this app because it felt like it was giving me a little more certainty in my own tracking.

When we decided we wanted to begin trying, I started taking a prenatal. After some research, I settled on Thorne. It seemed to have the proper doses of things that were important to me: prenatal vitamin but please do your own research to find one that works best for what you need and want in a prenatal.

Most of this stuff so far is all pretty standard, here are the two things that I personally chose to do that I think really helped:

#1. I started going to acupuncture specifically for fertility.  Now this could just be coincidence but I’m being as transparent and honest as I can be: My first appointment was the first week of May, we got pregnant that cycle (this was considered a chemical pregnancy/ early pregnancy loss).  I used my July cycle to re-regulate, heal, and relax. I took a break from acupuncture in July and went back in August. Once again we got pregnant that cycle.

#2. Early in the trying process, I started drinking Fertile Mama Tea ... Ironically my acupuncturist suggested the tea and I told her I was already drinking it- she used to work with the woman owner and creator of the company at a Fertility Center... not totally relevant, it just made me feel better about ordering a random tea online.  I tried to get my partner to drink the Morning Rooster Tea ... he would occasionally but I drank my tea on schedule according to the directions AND I took some of the baths as well (but that’s because I love baths).

Last thing that my partner swears is what actually did it for us (this one I definitely agree is probably the MOST important): we started using Pre-Seed - you might already know this but regular lubricant actually works as a low key spermicide.  I sort of knew this, but didn't think it worked well enough to actually be preventative. I guess it works way more successfully than I realized.... Meanwhile, Pre-Seed actually HELPS you get pregnant, mimicking your ovulation discharge.  We didn't use the internal applicator because... yuck, we just bought a few tubes and used them externally like normal lube.  We purchased Pre-Seed in April and got pregnant in May. 

Oh ps. one more thing I highly recommend, my sister in law suggested this book and it and I totally agree It is definitely worth reading: Expecting Better Book

FERTILITY SACHET
I made mine at the beginning of our process and carried it with me in my jacket pocket.

Sprinkle of Chamomile (You can use loose tea if you’d like)
1 drop Lavender essential oil
I drop Frankincense essential oil
Place in sachet and hold in both hands. Speak any words that feel good, empowering, and heartfelt. Seal the feelings into the sachet. Carry this little bit of magic with you throughout your journey. Burn, Bury, or Flush when you bring baby home.

The words I spoke over my sachet:
You are loved.
You are wanted.
You are welcome to enter my womb now.

FERTILITY AFFIRMATIONS

My perfect egg is combining with perfect sperm to create a perfect embryo that will grow into a perfect baby.
My body was made to carry the perfect baby in the perfect time.
My body knows how to do this.

PLAY YOUR OWN PLAYLIST AS YOU MOVE OR LISTEN TO THE

WOMEN’S WISDOM PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY!

This phase starts when an egg from the previous cycle isn’t fertilized. The uterus sheds it’s inner lining of soft tissue and blood vessels which exit the body from the vagina in the form of menstrual fluid. The key here is gentle, downward movement to support release.

During this phase, the pituitary gland in the brain releases a hormone to stimulate the production of follicles on the surface of the ovary. Usually, only one follicle will mature into an egg (which is released during ovulation).

If you are in the process of trying to conceive, we want to use this time to support the natural process of egg development and rev up our sex drive. We want to increase blood flow and movement in the sacral region / hips and heat things up a bit.

Now that our ovulation phase is here, we want to support the natural process of egg release. If you are in the process of trying to conceive, we also want to continue to encourage our sex drive. To make both of those things happen, we’ll engage in deep, slow, methodical movement.

During the final phase of your cycle, the uterine lining thickens. If you are in the process of trying to conceive, a healthy, thick uterine lining is imperative for offering a fertilized egg a place to attach. During this phase, we want to move in poses that support building strength and settle into moments of rest and relaxation.