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Prenatal Yoga Blog 2

Radiant and… glowing?

 

Have you ever heard a pregnant woman described as radiant & glowing? It’s hardly accurate, especially when you ask someone who’s pregnant.

 

When asked to describe how she felt, these are the terms most often used by pregnant mamas, according to Google last year:

 

Excited, worried, fearful, stressed, joyful, anxious, crazy,

constipated, nauseated, tired, clumsy, and gaseous.

 

Not surprisingly, the word “radiant” didn’t appear at all.

 

At Home4Birth, we focus on the entire woman’s being during pregnancy. And here are the truths of what to expect:

 

  1. It is totally normal to feel ambivalent about being pregnant. Pregnancy can change a lot of things in your life and your emotions may swing from elated to despair.
  2. Body image changes quickly and can be challenging. The key is to remember that your body is building a baby, and when construction is over, you get your body back.
  3. Your partner may or may not act as invested in the pregnancy as you are – especially in the early stages. Until he/she can feel the baby kicking, it is a totally abstract experience for the person who is not carrying the baby.
  4. People can be intrusive and sometimes, insensitive. Be ready for folks that touch your belly without permission, and offer unsolicited advice. Be clear about your personal boundaries and focus on understanding that they are interested in you and your baby.
  5. Your single and work friends may have mixed feelings about your pregnancy. It means the friendship and work relationship will invariably change. We tend to bond with people who have similar experiences and your pregnancy means you are moving out of their comfort zone. Try not to take it personally.

 

 

At Home4Birth, we focus on enjoying all the ups and downs of this amazing period in your life. And, we’re right there with you, understanding, appreciating, supporting and helping you prepare for the birth at home you want, even when you aren’t feeling “radiant.”

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Prenatal Yoga Blog 1

yoga-picWelcome to prenatal yoga at Home4Birth Mondays at 6 PM 

We’re so glad you decided to add yoga to your pregnancy experience. We have fun in our prenatal class Monday evenings — adding experience sharing, energy, balance, muscle strength, and flexibility to your prenatal practice.

What to expect:  As in traditional yoga, prenatal yoga begins by relaxing and de-stressing through deep rhythmic breathing. Not only is this calming, but the deeper intake of oxygen is very beneficial to you (especially your bones and muscles) and to your growing baby. Deep breathing also helps warm up your muscles before practice.

After we deep breathe and warm up the body, we will do some light stretching, then shift into asanas (yoga poses), before we cool down in savasana (final resting pose).

Many of the asansas we do in prenatal yoga very similar to those poses in basic yoga. Some have been adapted for a rounded belly, and some others, adapted so that you will not too deeply stretch or damage the important supportive muscles of the abdomen and pelvic region.

Prenatal yoga instruction never supersedes your midwife’s recommendations. If you feel uncomfortable, stop what you are doing and let your instructor know right away.

Remember that your prenatal yoga practice is yours alone. I encourage you to come to class, even when you are tired at the end of the day. Breathing through fatigue and doing a light workout you can help invigorate your body, release tension and allow for new muscle expansion. Plus – you always sleep more readily and more deeply after evening yoga practice.

See you next Monday evening.

Namaste ~

Lauren Windle

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Stress and the Pregnant Mom

Stress is something we all have in our life. Good stress and bad stress. Most people don’t realize that stress directly affects the nervous system which directly affects the functioning of the body’s different systems. Example: Cardiovascular, Respiratory, reproductive systems, etc. Dr. Tim Towne, from Keystone Chiropractic, will go over how stress affects the body and, how ANY sort of stress from physical to emotional, may directly affect a pregnant body’s ability to do it’s job of nurturing the growing baby. Call Home4Birth to register for this event, (765) 643-9433.  See Facebook for more information.

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Organic Salad in a Jar Party

Salad in a Jar Party

Salad in a jar

We will provide Organic Greens for the salads. RSVP required. When you RSVP you will tell us which two organic topping items you will be bringing you need to bring 5 cups of each topping clean and prepared. Bring 5 mason jars with lids to take your salads home in. You can pick and choose what you like to put on your salads from the toppings available. Limited to 15 spots.

Ingredient Options Include:

  • Cucumbers diced
  • Shredded Carrots
  • Broccoli chopped
  • Cauliflower chopped
  • Shredded Red Cabbage
  • Sauerkraut with live cultures
  • Zucchini
  • Peas
  • Corn
  • Grape or Cherry tomatoes
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Chick Peas
  • Walnuts
  • Black Olives
  • Red, Yellow or Orange Bell Peppers
  • Apples
  • Grapes
  • Pears
  • Oranges
  • Blue Cheese
  • Feta
  • Shredded cheddar
  • Watercress
  • Beets steamed and diced or peeled and finely diced
  • Dried Cherries or other fruit that is un-sulphered with no added sugar
  • Onions thinly sliced
  • Sunflower Seeds
  • Mushrooms
  • Sliced almonds

Cooked Ingredients:

  • Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Black Beans
  • Kidney Beans
  • Lentils
  • Quinoa
  • Buckwheat
  • Bacon
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Prenatal Yoga

Lauren

Exciting News:

Prenatal Yoga is now FREE for Home4Birth clients!!! Come check out this exciting opportunity to increase energy; reduce stress; reduce pain from sciatica and hips; and decrease leg swelling. Yoga can also help even out emotions and counter depression. Whether you have taken yoga or not, this is a great way to support a healthier pregnancy! Cost for non Home4Birth clients: 3 classes for $30 or $15 each.

Lauren Windle

Lauren is a prenatal yoga, gentle yoga and PiYo instructor, master gardener, adult swim instructor, and corporate blogger, residing just outside of Fishers with her favorite husband and two crazy dogs.

A former corporate marketer, Lauren began yoga teacher training at Peace Through Yoga in 2009, received her 200 RYT and launched right into daily teaching. She is now 300 RYT and certified in prenatal instruction (2012). One of her favorite experiences as an instructor is to turn a new student on to yoga.

Besides yoga, Lauren looks for places explore off leash with her two dogs. She loves a good book, a quick wit, and dirty martinis with blue cheese olives. When it’s nice outside, you’ll find her paddle boarding or digging in her vegetable garden.

Lauren believes in going barefoot as much as possible.

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Meet the Midwives

If you are interested in learning more about home birth and our practice, please join us for an afternoon and meet our midwives.  We will provide you with all of the information you need to make an informed decision regarding your care.  We will also answer any questions you may have, publicly or privately, whichever you prefer.

This meeting will be held at our Fishers location from 1:30 to 3 p.m.  Please refer to our Locations page for a map link and detailed directions.  If you plan to attend, please RSVP by calling our office at 765-643-9433 or by emailing officeadmin@home4birth.com with your name and contact phone number.   In the event of a birth you will be notified as to be respectful of your time.

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Belly Dancing with Bernadette

Benefits of Belly Dancing Include:

  • Strengthening pelvic and deep abdominal muscles and the muscles specifically used for giving birth. bd3 (1)
  • Relaxation and stress relief.
  • Encourages an anterior baby which is the optimal position for labor and birth.
  • Improves self-confidence and encourages a positive body image.
  • Encourages improved posture.
  • Helps maintain general fitness.
  • Improved balance and core strength.
  • Meeting new friends and laughter.

What to Bring:

Water Bottle.  Wear a skirt, leggings, comfortable, loose, breathable clothing.  Feel free to wear / bring scarves & jinglies.  Clean bare feet or soft soled shoes.

Belly Dancing is not recommended if:

You are having threatened premature labor, you have pre-eclampsia or placenta previa.

Please RSVP to reserve your spot.