My Prenatal Yoga Experience - Written By: Sylvia Bianchi, B.Sc., RMT
I wanted to give you some insight on the importance of Yoga during pregnancy, and the best way I know how is from my own experiences. I have been an RMT for 6 years, and work on my feet most of the time. When I was first pregnant with my son, who is almost 3 now, I had every intention of doing Yoga throughout my pregnancy. I bought one of those "do-it-at-home" tapes and did Yoga "twice" the entire time I was pregnant. As my body ligaments became increasingly loose, my hips and the muscles around my hips continued to tighten up, with all my standing postures, giving massage therapy treatments. I had a wonderful baby boy on my due-date, but he was a stubborn creature and got wound up in his cord, and his position was just not right and I think I rushed him along. Being an experienced labour support person, "a doula", I watched as everything beyond my control happened during my labour and delivery and eventually my first baby was born through a c-section delivery. I was dissapointed, but thankful that my boy was healthy and happy. Hey, he is still happy, and a fantastic little man (he didn't have to go through the ringer!).
Needless to say with my second pregnancy, I was bound and determined to try this Yoga thing out, and very determined to do everything humanly possible to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after C-section). I found a wonderful Yoga instructor, Susanne Muller-Maharaj, who continues to work with Yonge & Wellness today. I practiced Yoga once a week, and had massage therapy every two weeks. In the last month, I increased the massage therapy to one time per week (and no, it doesn't help to have an RMT as a husband, I had to pay for my treatments). My last Yoga class was on my due-date, and wow, I was feeling great and extremely flexible. I had flat feet for the first time in my life while doing a squat! Ok, now fast forward to my labour and delivery with my baby girl. I practiced Yoga throughout my labour (3.5 hour active labour), let me see if I remember the poses - I was in the squat in the bathtub at the hospital chanting OM (3 times...or more!), I was in the hospital room in a modified forward bend, leaning on the window sil grunting like a bear (the next day my forehead was bruised). I used "child's pose" when I couldn't cope with the pain any longer, and I think even started to push the baby out in this position. I actually found myself in a modified knee rocking position to push my little girl out. I think I may have pushed three times and she was out. My midwife didn't make it in time to get back-up, she was on the phone searching for someone as my baby was coming, it was a one-handed catch with my husband ready to help :) I know they say you forget the pain, and I am not going to say that the pain wasn't intense and sometimes unbearable (oh I asked for pain meds!), however, I was very fortunate to be able to give my beautiful baby a completely natural childbirth.
The Yoga, masssage therapy, acupuncture and the wonderful team at my VBAC were the reason for my success, I have no doubt.
Continue with the Prenatal Yoga, and if you can make sure to get regular massage therapy treatments those will help for sure. And, remember the Yoga isn't only for the pregnancy, labour and delivery, it is for beyond, it is to aid in the healing of the body, it is to strengthen your core, it is to allow for the flexibility to work with a newborn, and then eventually you will find yourself in a regular squat getting down to your child's level. And, in my case, I no longer lose my balance and topple over :)
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