Choosing Waterbirth: Reclaiming the Sacred Power of Birth (9 page)

Open your knees wide and as you exhale, bring your hands to the floor in front of you and "walk" yourself down to the floor, until your upper body rests between your open legs.

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Go down as far as is comfortable, and relax. You may place a pillow under your buttocks, and/or under your chest to make this position more comfortable. Stay in this position for 45 seconds to a minute, or longer, if it is comfortable for you. To come out of this pose, slowly "walk" yourself to the upright position, allowing your head to come up last.

BENEFITS: This pose relieves the pressure of the growing baby on the pelvic floor. It provides relaxation for the lower spine, and it gives a gentle stretch to the inner thighs. It is one of my favorite positions to rest in during labor, both during and in between contractions.

Butterfly
: Sit up straight in your crosslegged position, then bring the soles of your feet together in front of you, close in to your body. Taking hold of the toes, relax the knees out. You may place pillows under each knee if this position is uncomfortable for your hips. Inhale, sit up straighter, and gently press your knees towards the floor.

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Hold for a minute, then stretch your legs out in front of you and roll them from side to side.

BENEFITS: The butterfly stretches and tones the perineum and the inner thighs. It keeps the hip joints loose and open and is a good pose to practice in preparation for the more demanding upcoming squat.

Side Stretch in "V" Position
: Coming out of the butterfly, stretch your legs out one at a time until you are in the sitting "V" position. Open your legs as wide as you can without strain. Inhale, stretch your arms above your head, and lift up.

Exhale, bend slowly to the right, bringing your right arm down; then place your right palm on the floor in front of your leg for support. Slide your right hand down your right leg as far as is comfortable. Stretch your left arm up

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and out over your right leg, feeling the stretch all the way up the side of your body and in your inner thigh.

Hold for 30 seconds, breathe normally, and relax into the stretch. Inhale, lift to center, exhale and bend slowly to the left over the left leg. Rest the left palm on the floor for balance while stretching the right arm up and out over your left leg. Relax into the pose. Breathe deeply and relax into this position, getting used to the feel and the idea of opening.

BENEFITS: This exercise stretches the muscles of the inner thighs and opens the perineum. Getting used to keeping this area relaxed and open will help you during birth when the tendency is to tighten up.

Forward Stretch in "V" Position
: Remaining in the "V" position, inhale, stretch your arms above your head, then lift up. Exhale and bring your hands to the floor;

slowly begin "walking" your hands forward, coming down into the stretch. Go only so far as is comfortable, then let your chin drop towards your chest to relax.

Breathe deeply, feeling the stretch. Hold for 30 seconds, then, "walking'' your hands back to center, come up. Take three deep "cleansing breaths" and stretch your legs out, and shake and roll them from side to side, releasing any builtup tension.

CAUTION
: Be careful not to overstretch in this position. The tendons in your hip joints and pelvis are loose due to hormones being released in your body in preparation for the birth; the looseness makes it easy to stretch beyond your normal capacity. Err on the side of caution and stretch a little less than your ability.

BENEFITS: This exercise stretches the muscles of the inner thighs and opens the perineum.

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How to get off the floor
: This may seem strange, but actually it is very useful as the seated yoga poses are often so comfortable during pregnancy. You may find yourself sitting on the floor much more frequently than normal and having to get up off the floor more often than you would expect. To get up off the floor, come into a kneeling position; bring your left leg forward, placing the sole of your foot on the floor. Curl the toes of your right foot under for support. Place both hands on your right thigh for balance, and push up until you are in a standing position.

Posture Correction
: During pregnancy there is a tendency for your posture to deteriorate. As your baby gets bigger, it pulls your belly forward, placing strain on your lower back, and pulls your shoulders down, causing neck and upper back pain. To correct this, stand with your feet a little wider apart than hip distance; see that they are facing forward and are firmly and evenly planted on the ground. Soften your knees, tuck your pelvis under, pull your belly slightly in, inhale, roll your