Unexpected pregnancy
A little premature for the theme of this blog but the picture was too cool to leave out
I had it all planned for this mornings 2-3 class. During the week I had plenty of time to perfect a new sequence. This morning’s 2-3 class was going to be the pinnacle of execution. My penultimate class before I switch to another studio. The class gets underway, 5 minutes late, which is about par for the course on Saturday mornings. This was going to be good; plenty of abs/core work in a long sequence on the stomach. Wow where did that pregnant Yogi spring from and not just a little bit pregnant either. She is “I may have to don my midwife outfit mid class” kind of pregnant. We are going to need a change of plan here.
I have had heavily pregnant women in my classes before. They always say “I will do what I can and watch the rest.” But I like the class, even a 2-3 class to be for everyone. She is 6 months pregnant. I know how can I be sure? Perhaps it’s my secret midwifery skills coming forward. Maybe is the fact that Dawn has had 4 babies. During that time I used to pride myself on being able to spot how pregnant a woman was. But like Crocodile Dundee, checking a watch before gazing at the sun and proclaiming “its about 2:30”, my secret today was simple, I asked her.
At 6 months the body changes and starts to become much more flexible preparing itself for the big day. This is a great, but dangerous time for pregnant Yogis because now they can stretch deeper than ever before. Though not all poses are easier, try a simple forward fold with a medicine ball stuffed up your shirt and you will see what I mean.
I need not have worried. She was an experienced Yoga and well able to find her own modifications for those poses not designed for couples yoga. All the same, I wanted to minimize the set of poses that might cause me to become an unwitting doula. Maybe just stick to the deep breathing part for today.
Here is a list of things I have heard that pregnant women should not do whilst practicing Yoga.
- Any kind of twist
- Any core work (abs)
- Any core work (back)
- Anything involving lying on the front
- Inversions
- Straining in any way
- Getting too hot
- Getting too cold
- Over stretching already flexible ligaments
Gate Pose, beautifully executed by a Yogi in my class this week
Ok so that leaves about 5 standing poses and a “wide legged” forward fold I think. Why don’t we just wrap the up in a protective air tight bubble with plenty padding and feed them through a tube. Oh wait a second isn’t that what the womb is for? Driven by a fear of lawsuits, I am sure, we are forced to treat pregnancy more like an illness than a natural event. The reality, of course, is that each woman is unique, every body a little different and I believe women know when and how much to push (ooh no foreshadowing intended there ) themselves. Dawn played squash until she was 6 months pregnant. Of course then she ruptured her Achilles tendon and was in plaster for 9 months. Ok bad example, I take it back. If you are pregnant be very careful and listen to your body.
The focus of the class was switched to focus more on side bends/stretches and less on twist. As a strategy I tried to make sure we covered all parts of the body specifically doing shoulder openers like Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose) rather than blending them in to other poses.
Parighasana (Gate Pose) was my surprise pose today. I had not taught that in anything other than my beginner class but it worked great today in between variations of Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend) It dropped into the flow so well that I included it in my evening class too. Check out this beautiful interpretation of the pose in this picture of one of my students in gate pose. I had heard, and even taught, that both hands meet at the foot eventually, but never seen it before.
Good for menstrual cramps I am told
Here is another unusual and useful pose; apparently it’s good for menstrual cramps. I have no first hand experience of course, one of my students told me. Start in high crescent lunge left foot forward. Now bring your left arm straight and down inside of the thigh; keeping the shoulders square to the short end of the mat take a side stretch by reaching the right hand up and over. I have no idea what this pose is called. Check out the picture, I would love to know.
Upavistha Konasana (Wide Angled Seated Forward fold) was also part of the sequence, using, again, the side stretches reaching out to the foot.
No idea who this lady is, so I hope she does not mind for gracing my blog
My evening class that day became my opportunity to try out my original sequence for the class. Plus I threw in these little additions like gate pose. Clearly unexpected pregnancies have their benefits and a strong Yogi, with a strong practice can, with care, enjoy even a 2-3 Yoga class.
