Here in Boston, we had a heatwave in the last days of May – 90+ degrees for several days! I could just hear the hundreds of pregnant women in the city who aren’t due until August or later breaking out in a sweat not just because of the heat, but because they were wondering how to make it through THE ENTIRE SUMMER while pregnant.

In case you haven’t been pregnant before in the summer, let me tell you – it ain’t pretty! That little baby inside is like an inferno, and raises your body temperature so that hot weather is a lot more uncomfortable. Red face, itchy skin, swollen legs and fingers, sweat pooling in places you can’t even reach anymore…

So here’s some tips to stay cool this summer!

1. Water is your friend.

Not only do you need to drink lots of water, but getting in the water will take care of so many of the discomforts of pregnancy. From relief for tired legs, to cooling your overall body temperature down, it’s great to float in a pool or lake in the summertime. Throw in some laps and get your exercise in too, without the aches and pains that come with being upright late in pregnancy.

2. Eat watermelon and cucumber.

You can eat your water too, not just drink it. Any fruits and vegetables are great, and full of water, but watermelon and cucumber are my two magic foods to reduce swelling and keep a pregnant body in balance.

3. Cool your legs.

Most mamas get puffy at the end of pregnancy, and in the heat waves, that’s what I hear most in class. There are some great leg gels out there, made for tired pregnant feet and legs. I used a Burt’s Bees leg lotion during my pregnancy. After a long day standing (or sitting), relieve swelling and soreness with a gentle foot bath. Just put a few drops of lavender, or anything else that smells relaxing and soothing, and let your feet soak in whatever temperature is ideal for you.

4. Elevate.

Put your legs up the wall! Or on a chair. If you haven’t been practicing yoga, and you’re in your 3rd trimester, now is not the time to start with legs up the wall. That’s where elevating your legs on a chair will be great.

5. Sitali breathing.

We have a cooling breath in the yoga tradition that really works! Yoga came from India, where it can get HOT, so I think the yogis knew what they were talking about. Here’s a brief description of Sitali.

Of course, come to yoga when it’s hot outside. All the studios I teach at are air-conditioned, and I love to watch pregnant students take a deep sigh as they settle onto their mats and literally *chill out*  :)

I’m starting a new blog series of more in-depth birth stories from some of my yoga students.    I think there needs to be more positive stories out there in the world about birth, so that’s the aim here.   

We’re starting 2013 off with a birth story that happened this fall from a strong yogini Angela, and her partner Nathan.  Angela and Nathan are amazing – check out Angela on her website.  Here’s their birth story in their own words (emphasis is mine).

——

As a longtime yogini, I wanted to approach birth by being open and inquisitive about my changing body.  Some fears and doubts crept up along the way, but I wanted to feel strong and empowered throughout the process.  Early in my pregnancy, I recall looking through, “Preparing for Birth with Yoga” by Janet Balaskas.  The illustrations of a woman giving birth seemed surreal to me and I mused that I couldn’t imagine ever getting to that point.

Over many months of pregnancy and taking prenatal yoga I became more and more ready and actually excited for the birth experience!  Throughout my entire pregnancy I can honestly say yoga was my stronghold.  In fact, my husband Nathan and I found out we were pregnant in the midst of our yoga teacher training!  I continued to practice yoga every single day and remained active throughout—right up through early labor.

Yoga and pranayama (breathwork) helped me to stay grounded when I would feel anxious and worried, and brought me back to my center when I felt out of control.  I remember three very key times during pregnancy when I had A-HA yoga moments.   One was during savasana when I was very early pregnant and not feeling well.  I remember feeling scared about being pregnant and worried that I might unintentionally hurt the baby by practicing yoga and being too active.  The teacher mentioned setting an intention and I remember setting the intention that I was safe in my body, which really helped me relax and acknowledge that my body would know what to do.   The other times were late in pregnancy.  During a centering the teacher said to trust our bodies and that all the knowledge we needed to birth our babies was inside of us.  That really resonated with me and helped me to feel so empowered!  The third time was while squatting on a brick and practicing shifting between complete engagement (lion’s breath) and total release (softening completely between each breath) just as I’d need to do during each contraction during labor.

An aside from Nathan: Throughout pregnancy, Angela certainly had moments of anxiety and strong emotions, which were fully expected and respected. Also being a yogi, I knew of the powerful aspects of yoga that could help in times of anxiety and stress, and regardless of situation.  A very useful technique which many yogis use is mantras or affirmations.  So, very early on in pregnancy, I encouraged Angela to develop a mantra that she spoke nearly every night before bed, when emotions tended to be highest.: “Nathan loves me, He’s going to take care of me, I’m going to do great!” She repeated the phrase several times until she was fully convinced of her affirmation even in the hardest times.  Though I can never really know what was going on inside Angela’s body and mind on the day she gave birth, I can guess that the mantra had a positive effect.

At 38 weeks along, I walked into my weekly prenatal yoga class feeling like I was really ready to be done with being pregnant.  Barrett encouraged me by saying feeling this way was good and would help my body prepare to birth my baby.  However, I was in that birth window where it could happen anytime over the next 4 weeks. It was so hard to be patient after waiting so long!

I took this time for myself to have a pedicure, get a prenatal massage and just nap as much as I could.  I knew I’d be nurturing my baby soon enough, so I am grateful I took that time for self-care.  In the two weeks before giving birth, I was noticing more and more contractions and my cervix was dilating, which was exciting, but still there was no way to know when it would happen!  On Aug 31, there was a surprise baby shower for my friend that I was really looking forward to attending.  There’s an old wives tale that spicy foods bring on labor, so the hostess insisted I try her chocolate chipotle cake.  I figured it was worth a try and the cake was delicious!  Nathan and I called it an early night and it was a good thing because sure enough at 5:45 am the following morning things started to really change significantly with my contractions!

I cancelled all of my plans that day and stayed home.  I knew it could be a long road ahead so I ate nourishing foods and switched between passive and active activities as the day went on.  Actual napping was difficult because the cramping would wake me up with every contraction, but I managed about an hour of sleep during the day.   I walked around the house, did gentle yoga, breathing and stretching and made sure all of our hospital bags were packed and ready.  I started to really tune in internally and tune out everything else.  Surprisingly, social me had no desire to call family or friends– I simply wanted to focus on myself and the process of childbirth.

I found the yoga ball really helpful and spent a lot of time sitting on it and rocking my pelvis.  I never stayed in any one position longer than 10 min.  As the evening went on I called the midwives a few times for reassurances and to ask questions that arose, which was really helpful and helped me feel confident that I was on the right track.  I knew when I was supposed to go to the hospital (contractions that were 5 min apart, 1 min long and lasting an 1 hour) but my contractions weren’t ever quite that consistent.  They were definitely intense but fluctuated between 2 min and 7 min apart.  Nearly 12 hours later, I got in the bath and poured warm water over my belly and back during contractions. The water felt great and actually slowed labor a bit, but as soon as I got out of the tub things really kicked up.  Nathan was amazing at giving me lots of hip squeezes, low back massages and taking care of everything around the house so I could just focus on giving birth.  I spent a lot of time on hands and knees and doing positions that allowed my lower back to relax and found sounding techniques to be really helpful in terms of diffusing the strong sensations.

Finally, a little before 11 pm we were on our way to the hospital!  We forgot the main entrance was locked after hours and had to drive around to the ER entrance.  By this time I was having contractions 2-3 minutes apart while Nathan had to run in to make sure where we parked would be OK for the time being.  It felt like forever as I waited in the car repeating my mantra, “I’m OK, I am safe, I’m OK, I am safe.”

Once we made it up to labor and delivery we happily learned I was already 6 cm dilated!  Things were progressing at a rapid pace.  We went right to the room to have the fetal monitor connected to check the baby’s heart rate.  My contractions were very fast and intense and I had to keep moving and walking and shifting my pelvis for any relief.  The baby’s heart was really strong and the nurse said I could get in the tub.  No sooner did I get in the tub, I felt a very strong urge to push and bear down.  The midwife wasn’t sure I could be ready so quickly, but said it could be possible.  Sure enough she said with amazement I was at 10 cm already and it was time to push!

It took awhile to get the hang of this sensation.  I tried the birthing stool for a while and found it really tiring.   Nathan supported me by breathing with me and staying right by my side.  My midwife and nurse were a wonderful blend of calming presence and coach.  My body felt like an inferno and cold washcloths on my face and neck really helped.  I then switched to kneeling on the bed with my arms supported, but found this terribly exhausting too.  Sidelying on the bed was suggested so I tried that position and really liked it, which surprised me because I thought I’d like squatting or hands and knees better.  Also what surprised me was that I had to actually hold my breath (rather than exhale) to push through the sensation of pushing out my baby.  All along they kept saying they could see the amniotic sac starting to come out with each push.  Suddenly, the sac burst like a water balloon with a loud pop!  I remember wondering briefly how long I’d have to push but I quickly pushed that thought aside and turned my attention back to my body and the moment and staying focused on the sensations happening right now because that was all that mattered.  I noticed the midwife and nurse gowning up and figured it must be close!

With a very intense burning sensation and one final strong push, our son’s head of dark hair emerged.  With the next push his body came out and I exclaimed, “My baby!” as they put him on my chest and he let out a huge wail!  Surya Alexander Gabor was born at 1:47 am on Sunday, September 2.  He weighed 7 lb 9.7 oz and was 20 ½ inches long.  Nathan noticed that he and Surya shared the same exact foot shape, and if you know Nathan from yoga, you’ll notice he has very distinct feet.  We jokingly call it the monkey-claw because of the unusually large space between his big toe and first toe.

Surya’s Yoga Toes!

I truly felt like a super hero after giving birth!  A very, very tired and euphoric super hero that just ran a marathon. I believe yoga helped me to stay in tune with my body and ride every wave of sensation recognizing it as energy and aliveness rather than something to fear.   Being strong, prepared and confident in my innate ability to give birth created a very positive and empowering experience.

Here’s the next cute installment of new yoga babies in the world!

Liz G., from Healthworks, had baby girl Alice on 11/1.  She weighed 8lbs, 4oz.

Alison R., from Healthworks, had baby boy Nathan on 11/3.   He weighed 8lbs, 13oz and arrived after Alison was just past 42 weeks!  After a long induction and labor, Nathan was born and Alison writes: “I am sure that I never could have done it without my dedication to fitness and yoga/mindfulness throughout my pregnancy.”

Lora B., from Black Lotus and Karma, had baby boy Gabriel, on 11/5.   She writes:  ”We certainly used every pose from the partners prenatal yoga we could remember, and it helped not just our baby but also our connection to each other.”

Alison D., from O2, had baby girl Violet on 11/7.    I cried a little when I read what she wrote:  “I will miss the prenatal yoga classes, as much for the focus and energy as for the wonder of being joined by so many pregnant women and all of their beautiful bellies.  I would often look around during class and marvel at what a sight we all were.”

Ruth R., from O2 and Karma, had baby boy Robin on 11/14.   Ruth wrote: “I went into labor at 2:30 am the day after Monday night’s yoga practice. Yoga classes certainly helped me labor at home – doing squatting, hip openers, and breathing techniques.”

Radka S., from O2, had baby girl Maire on 11/19.   She weighed 8lbs, 7oz.

I sent this out to my business class yogis recently, and thought you’d all benefit from it too.   Scroll all the way down for a cute picture!

In case you need some motivation to attend class as the days are getting shorter and the holidays are bearing down, I thought I’d give you 4 good reasons that ’tis the season’ for yoga!

1) Stress-relief!

Holidays are great, but tiring.   The end of the year often finds each of us pushing our own personal envelope in terms of commitments.   1 or 2 classes of yoga a week will help you let go of the stress that accompanies a busy schedule.

2) Physical detox.

Even if you’re not one for celebrating, everyone else around you is baking cookies and bringing them into work to share!   Yoga will help you process the sugar overload, and better yet, resist the second helping

3) Extra energy. 

During the winter months, when we all could use a bit more sleep, yoga gives you that extra hour of better-than-sleep movement and breathing.

4) Immunity booster.  

Regular practice has been shown to help us fight off common colds and flu.  Add to that some Vitamin D, probiotics, and Omega 3’s and you may sail through this winter without a single sniffle. Can’t beat that!  (Check with your doc about above supplements) J

Make yoga a priority in this last month of 2012, and everything else will fall into place.   The only public vinyasa class I teach is on Monday nights at 7:15pm at Karma Yoga in Cambridge – here’s my full class schedule.

Cheers!

Barrett

Heema S., of O2 Yoga, had baby girl Reya on October 1.  Heema says that “the yoga breathing and linking to movement helped during labor”.

Ashley W., of Healthworks, had baby boy William on October 15.

Joana E., of Healthworks, had baby girl Noa on October 15.   Same birthday as William, above!

Beau M., of O2 Yoga, had twins Adam and Cassandra on October 17.   Even though the babies came a few weeks early, they were both able to come home with Beau – yay!

Amy M., of O2 Yoga,  had baby boy Evander on October 20.  Amy wrote: “I was induced at 36 weeks after placental abruption. I was still able to make use of some techniques from class, especially practicing relaxing the muscles that aren’t actively working. It helped to relax my shoulders, head and face during contractions.”

Helen H., of O2 Yoga, had baby boy Leeland October 27.  I’ve already seen Helen in my postnatal class – wow!

The wrist is a fragile joint for anyone, but it comes under particular stress in the childbearing year.

A lot of people tend to call any wrist sensitivity “Carpal Tunnel”, but that’s not always accurate.   There are over 20 kinds of soft tissue overuse injuries that can affect the shoulders down to the fingers, many of which are felt in the wrist.  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome refers to the specific instance when the median nerve is pinched as it runs through the wrist (ie carpal) tunnel.   Someone can have wrist pain but not have a pinched median nerve.  In pregnant women, the ‘bracelet’ of the wrist bones feels especially sensitive because: the joint becomes unstable due to relaxin hormone; the increased blood flow from pregnancy is difficult to pass through a narrow joint; fluids pool in extremities, which causes swelling, causes even more narrowing of the passage.  Wrist sensitivity in pregnancy tends to resolve itself when you take these issues away.   In general, the main “cure” for it is finishing up pregnancy!   However, there are many things you can do to lessen the discomfort.

In my prenatal practice, we spend a lot of time on all fours, bearing weight on the hands with the wrists flexed.   In every class, I offer ways to modify the practice so that a woman doesn’t have to spend any time weight bearing on a sensitive wrist.   Options include: making fists and putting knuckles down on the floor with straight wrists; splaying the fingers out like tent poles to bear weight ; or coming down on the forearms.   Most women with sensitive wrists will cycle through all of those options in a class.  It’s so important to keep practicing yoga, because even though you may have to modify in the above ways, the benefits of yoga outweigh that inconvenience.

The basic hands and knees position

Modifying down on the forearms

As I mentioned above, swelling is one of the causes of wrist pain.  Minimizing swelling everywhere in the body will help the wrists.  Putting your legs up will help your wrists, as will any mild inversion (we do several in prenatal yoga).  Drinking lots of water and eating water-rich foods (fruits and veggies), which helps reduce swelling, will also help the wrists.

Legs up the wall is safe for most pregnant women and a great help for the circulatory system.

Finally, keeping your circulatory system going will help improve the wrists’ sensitivity.   Yoga is one of the best ways to improve your circulation.  The asanas we practice in prenatal yoga stretch tight chests and shoulders.  As our breasts change size in pregnancy, we tend to hunch and compress our thoracic outlet.  Often, general discomfort in the forearms or wrists is greatly improved once we work out some of the knots in the shoulders and chest, because restriction of blood flow was starting all the way up there. Getting blood and prana (life force) to flow through the whole body, but especially the upper body, is the best healer for injury.

Opening the chest keeps the prana flowing!

And don’t forget about the postpartum period!  Though the causes of the wrist sensitivity in pregnancy might subside, now we have a whole new set of circumstances that can cause wrist pain.   Women are operating on less sleep, are feeding babies in hunched positions for long periods of time, and are picking up babies often with really bent wrists (think baby sleeping in a bassinet next to mom and reaching over to pick up baby by contorting wrists).   All these things put the wrists at continued risk for injury.

There are several non-yoga treatments possible to help sore wrists.   Wearing a splint at night for sleeping or during the day when you’re resting (not when working)  will keep your wrist in a neutral position.  Acupuncture and massage are great.   Vitamin B6 might be good for keeping the nerves healthy.   Ask your practitioner about what they recommend!

It’s that time again – more yoga babies are in the world, and they’re cuter than ever

Angela A., from Black Lotus and The Breathing Room,  had baby boy Surya Alexander on September 2.   He was 7lbs 9oz. and I’d love to share what she wrote a few days after her birth (emphasis mine):

“I just wanted to pass on a little note to say thanks for all the wonderful prenatal yoga classes.  My birth was such an empowering and positive experience no doubt because of a strong yoga practice and the excellent support of Nathan!  I felt really strong, confident and powerful and really found the sounding techniques to be helpful.  

Angela and Surya

Yusyani S., from Black Lotus and the Breathing Room, had baby girl Marjorie Indra on September 5.   She was 8lbs. 3 oz.

Yusy and Marjorie

Katie D., from O2 yoga, had baby boy Gennadiy, on September 6.  He weighed 8lbs.13oz.   Katie wrote:

“Looking back on the pregnancy, I’m extremely thankful I practiced yoga up until the very end. The most useful thing for me was drishti.  It’s when we focus on a spot in the distance and use that for balance, concentration and centering. That was absolutely essential to getting through the pushing, which at the time felt like it went on forever.”

Gena!

Maggie E. from O2 Yoga, welcomed baby boy Rahm on September 17.   Rahm was in the breech position, so Maggie had a Csection.  She writes:

“Prenatal yoga was essential to my ability to stay calm throughout the surgery and immediate recovery. And now that I’m up and starting to move again, I am so grateful for the extra strength and focus I gained in your classes.”

Maggie and Rahm

Annie M. from Black Lotus and the Breathing Room had baby boy Charlie on September 20.  He was 8lbs. 4 oz.

Charlie and his parents!

Laura S, from Black Lotus and Karma,  had baby girl Liv on September 29.   Laura writes,

“Labor and delivery went very well and Liv is doing great! My recovery has been fast and amazing as well. All that exercise and yoga makes such a difference!”

Liv!

Did you know that some yoga traditions practice the same postures, in the same order, every time?  Bikram yoga, famous as “Hot” yoga, practices 26 postures in the same sequence.   In fact, the sequence has been trademarked by the founder (and he has sued people who teach his sequence without crediting him but that’s another story).    Astanga yoga, my first yoga training, likewise does the same flow every time (about 50 postures).

Some people like the predictability of doing the same practice.   The sun salutes are a great example of a flow you can memorize and just do without struggling to think about what comes next.  This is nice in the morning (traditional time to practice sun salutes) when your brain may be a little foggy!     It’s also true that when you practice the same thing over and over, you get more competent at it.

To me, though, there are lots of downsides to doing the same practice each day.   That’s why I like to change it up in every class I teach.  Here are reasons why I like a varied practice:

1)      There are thousands of yoga postures.   I can’t imagine creating one practice that would do all that I ever wanted to do for the rest of my life!  For example, when I learned and practiced Astanga in my teens, I craved Pigeon pose and Half Moon Pose, but they aren’t in the series.   Life is so much sweeter with a little Pigeon in it.

2)      We are different each time we come onto the mat.   We need different things seasonally (winter vs. summer) and throughout our life cycle (in our 20’s vs. in our 50’s).    We also might need something a little different in the morning vs. the evening, and on a Monday vs. a Friday.    Though a teacher can’t exactly predict what each person needs in a class, she can gauge the class energy and based on some quick perceptions, guide a class that is (hopefully) suitable for the common denominator before her.

3)      Repeating over and over can cause injury.   Primary series in Astanga yoga focuses a lot on forward bends.   I’ve found more than one practitioner who has chronically pulled hamstrings as a result.   Ouch!   While it’s true that the practitioner has to accept responsibility for the injury, it may have been avoided if s/he didn’t do the same practice day in and day out.

4)      Let’s face it – it’s just a little bit boring to do the same thing time and again.   Isn’t it fun to show up to class and wonder what new asana you’re going to learn?   It’s fun as a teacher too, to make new sequences that help students explore in fresh ways.

All that being said, I encourage you to try Bikram or Astanga if you’re curious!  They are dynamic, high-energy practices.  Take from them the best that they have to offer, but think about the above “argument” for a more varied practice.

Namaste!

Ok, I’m officially LOVING putting the list of new mamas and babies together every month!  It’s been a busy August as you can see!  Enjoy

Whitney H., a 3-time mama from o2 Yoga, had baby girl Frances on August 6.   Baby Frances surprised everyone by deciding not to wait until the hospital!  Whitney gave birth on her bed, with her doula (who is her sister) and husband there to catch the baby.  An all-female EMT crew showed up to make sure everyone was healthy (gotta love Cambridge!).    Whitney has been in class for her 3 pregnancies over the last 6 years, and she wrote me: “Thank you Barrett for providing a calm and focus on many Sunday nights during my pregnancies.  I feel fortunate to have learned from you.”

Frances with big sister

Marguerite R. from Healthworks had baby girl Maeve on August 10.   She was 8lbs. 1 oz, and Marguerite noted that her daughter came on their wedding anniversary.  Aww!

Marguerite and Maeve

Emily P. from Healthworks had baby boy Luke on August 11.   He was 8lbs. 10oz, and Emily said that the doctors “told me it was going to take about 3 hours for me to push him out, but once I started going, they were caught off guard… I don’t think they were ready for my yoga pushing strength!”   He came out in 20 minutes!

Emily and Luke

Kirsten H., from O2 Yoga, had baby boy Finnianon August 19.   Baby Finn stayed persistently breech, and mama Kirsten writes: “I used your prenatal podcasts twice a week throughout pregnancy to keep me in shape and well-stretched.  Breathing and staying focused and calm was very important during the start of labor and actually during the operation since I was so anxious about surgery. Thanks again for all of the excellent recommendations on breathing and strengthening poses.”

Finnian!

Lisa M., from Black Lotus and The Breathing Room, had baby boy Philip, on August 27.   He was 7lbs, 4oz.

Lisa and Philip

Sulini H., from Black Lotus and The Breathing Room, had baby girl Aisha, on August 28.   She was 7lbs, 4oz.    Sulini is convinced that all those years of yoga practice made for a relaxed labour, and a seriously chilled out baby.

Sulini, Aisha, and furry friend

Mishayla S., from Black Lotus and the Breathing Room, had baby boy Thierry on August 29.   He was 7lbs.14oz. with a thick head of hair!

Thierry!

I’ve updated my yoga resume because I am shopping around for new yoga studios to teach in since Black Lotus closed 3 weeks ago.   Yoga is a funny thing – I supposedly teach an “advanced” class on Monday nights, and I’m looking for a new home for all those dedicated yogis who take that class.

But it got me thinking – what really is “advanced” yoga?   It reminded me of something I wrote awhile back for one of my online yoga programs.  Here it is:

BEGINNER’S MIND

When are you no longer a yoga beginner? When are you advanced?  Interestingly, I think the more advanced you are, the more you have a beginner’s mind. What does that mean?

Beginner’s mind is a concept I first heard from the classic book “Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind” by Shunryu Suzuki. An online article says beginner’s mind is: “the mind that is innocent of preconceptions and expectations, judgements and prejudices. Beginner’s mind is just present to explore and observe and see “things as-it-is.”

I think of beginner’s mind as the mind that faces life like a small child, full of curiosity and wonder and amazement. “I wonder what this is? I wonder what that is? I wonder what this means?” Without approaching things with a fixed point of view or a prior judgement, just asking “What is it?”

I think about this a lot when I’m doing sun salutes day by day.  There’s a well-known yoga studio whose slogan is: “Another day, another downward dog.” That’s how it feels! It’s another day, and I’m doing the same thing. But it’s so interesting because it feels so new everyday. I think it’s because of this beginner’s mind – it’s like we ask ourselves, “I’m so curious to find out what it’s all going to feel like today.” I feel like I’m always wondering what’s going to be *available* to me today, and I just don’t know until I show up on the mat.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I definitely slag through the practice sometimes with a distinctly un-beginner’s mind. A judging day, when I wonder why something hasn’t shifted, or an impatient mind that wonders if I can skip the warmup and go right to the main event. It’s hard to keep beginner’s mind everyday, but nice to notice how fun the practice can be when we do.

Don’t you love when you get a great email?   Well, I’m so lucky because at least once a week, I get a birth announcement from one of my prenatal students!  I thought I could start sharing them with you monthly!  Prenatal students, when you have your baby, email me and I’ll include you on the blog for all your friends from class to see.

Enjoy!

Barrett

—-

Elena W. from Black Lotus had her baby girl Sienna on July 13.  Sienna was 9lbs. 2oz and 22” tall.

Lisa K. from Black Lotus had her baby girl Charlotte on July 14.   She was 8.2 pounds, and Lisa says that prenatal yoga really helped prepare her for a natural childbirth.

Lisa K. and Charlotte

Cedar P., a well-loved Healthworks teacher, had baby boy Axel on July 18.   He was 8.5 pounds and Cedar says: “It was an awesome birth – no drugs, just breathing, good positions and good mantras – and the huge benefit of being a second birth.”

Baby Boy Axel

Jenny M. from Black Lotus classes had baby girl Cecilia on July 20.   Jenny writes:   “We didn’t make it to the couples class you were teaching the other weekend, because the night following the afternoon I ran into you I went into labor.  I bet it was your fist bump that helped get things going!  My water broke on the very walk I was taking when I saw you.”  

I love when I see mamas that are on the edge of labor – it’s awesome

Jenny M. and Cecilia

Let me know what you think of this monthly posting!  It takes a little work to get it together, but I have a feeling you all will love it!

Have a fabulous day,

Barrett

Well, there’s some big news this way!

I’ve been very lucky to have long-time classes around the city in these last 13 years.  When I find a place I like to work in, I hunker down and build my classes.   For example, I’ve been teaching my O2 prenatal yoga class on Sunday nights for almost 10 years!

But things end.   Two weekends ago, Black Lotus yoga studio in Cambridgeport had such a massive flood that they have closed permanently.   It’s been devastating for our community.   I have taught 3-4 classes there weekly since 2007, which represents about ¼ of all my classes!   And currently all of my public vinyasa classes.  So…. It’s been hard for me personally too.

But with all endings come beginnings.   I just sent out my August newsletter, which had this quote in it:

“Live your questions now, and perhaps even without knowing it, you will live along some distant day into your answers.”   Rainer Maria Rilke

Though I don’t know where my new beginnings will be, I know they will happen.   I am in the NOT knowing, or question part of the journey right now, which I admit is difficult.

I have faith that one of the reasons I’ve been able to stay in one place for so long is because I take my time to make the right decision for myself and for my students.   So, bear with me please, as I figure it all out!

Love and light,

Barrett

“When you are grateful fear disappears and abundance appears.” -Tony Robbins

I’m feeling so much gratitude these days for my family, friends, yoga community, and more!  I’ve been trying to write down each day (which ends up being more like every other day) things that I’m grateful for, and it truly does help me build even more gratitude.  Like begets like, right?  Also known these days as the Law of Attraction, which I’m really starting to believe 

Here’s some upcoming classes and workshops that I’m *grateful* to announce!

PRENATAL WORKSHOPS

I’m excited to be teaching two prenatal workshops at Samara Yoga in Davis Square, Somerville.   These two 2-hour workshops will take place on Saturday afternoon, on June 30 and on July 21.

All the details are on my blog and you can sign up directly on Samara’s website.

CLASS SCHEDULE   

Prenatal Classes:

SUNDAYS 7:00-8:30PM @ O2 YOGA

MONDAYS 5:30-6:45PM @ BLACK LOTUS YOGA

WEDNESDAYS 4:30-5:30PM @ HEALTHWORKS, PORTER SQUARE

Vinyasa Classes:

MONDAYS 7:00-8:15PM @ BLACK LOTUS YOGA INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

THURSDAYS 5:30-6:45PM @ BLACK LOTUS YOGA ALL LEVELS

FRIDAYS 8:30-9:45AM @ HEALTHWORKS, PORTER SQUARE

See my online class schedule for directions and pricing for the above classes.

PRENATAL YOGA TEACHER TRAINING

If you’re a yoga teacher interested in learning how to teach transformational prenatal yoga classes, my next teacher training is fast approaching!
Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training

WHEN: September 8-11, 2012

REGISTER:   Register by August 8 to get the early registration discount!

If you have any questions about the teacher training, don’t hesitate to email me!

COMMUNITY RESOURCES 

Sister yogini Diana is also a registered dietician, and teaches a rockin Yoga and Mindful Eating series a few times per year.   She also is hosting a weekend retreat at the end of the summer about Yoga and Mindful Eating.   Check out her website for more informationand to sign up!

We’ve been travelling a lot with our kiddo, and I can’t believe how much stuff we have to pack!  Sometimes I question whether I have room to pack anything but the essentials for myself.  However, I’m committed to taking my yoga essentials and my running shoes no matter what!   I appreciated this article in the NYTimes about exercising on the road.

I’m so excited that 1) I’m offering some workshops again – it’s been since before I was pregnant!   and 2) I’m offering them at Samara Yoga, a new venue for me.

Here’s the deets:

SATURDAY JUNE 30 2:00-4:00PM  

BEING A MAMA BEAR

In this extended prenatal class, you will experience all the essential movements of the spine and pelvis in ways that are safe and comfortable for pregnancy. We will explore how our daily and weekly asana practice prepare us to be tenacious, courageous and strong mama bears. This is especially helpful when we are preparing for labor and for the postpartum period. The first half of the practice will be a powerful flow, and then we’ll end with an extended set of restorative postures and breathwork that will help you feel connected to your strength and your baby’s.

This class is appropriate for any pregnant mama, in any trimester.

$20 if preregistered at Samara, $25 day-of

SATURDAY JULY 21 2:00-4:00PM  

PRENATAL PARTNER YOGA

Here’s your chance to practice with your partner during this vibrant and dynamic time! We’ll be practicing in tandem some of the asana that we do in a regular prenatal class, as well as exploring ways to support and be supported by our partner. Trust and safety are paramount feelings in pregnancy and birth, and we’ll find these qualities in a playful way with our partner. No yoga experience necessary for either pregnant mama or partner!

This class is appropriate for pregnant mamas, and their partner of choice (spouse, sister, friend, etc.)

$30 if preregistered at Samara, $35 day-of

I’m excited to be teaching a Prenatal Yoga teacher training November 5-8!  If you’re a yoga teacher interested in teaching spectacular prenatal classes, I highly recommend taking a specialized training.  It makes such a difference in the quality of classes you can offer all your pregnant students.

At my last teacher training, we were lucky enough to have Erica Magliaro take pictures for us.  Here are some highlights:

Not all the trainees are parents, and you don’t have to have given birth to be a good prenatal teacher.   I taught prenatal yoga for 8 years before I became a mama!  I taught the training while pregnant!

The teachers got several opportunities to observe me teaching pregnant students, and to actively teach prenatal classes.

Teachers who take this training come from all over the US and Canada.  Some are brand new teachers and some have several years of experience.  Some are professionals in the field of maternity/childbirth, while others are interested to learn more.

Because everyone who takes the training is required to have completed a basic yoga teacher training, we are able to work together, in a sacred circle, and learn from each other.  We’ve got an alter in the center of our circle honoring our families and our yoga traditions.

In the training, we do lots of hands-on experiential learning.  We keep the training small so that everyone gets personal attention.

We learn how to turn up the heat in classes, and we learn how to help pregnant women relax deeply.

Best of all, we try to enjoy learning.   This past group was lots of fun!   If you’re interested in signing up, or learning more about the teacher training, check out my website or email me on the contact page.