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