As I stated in my previous two blogs the three factors that made my natural labor completely do-able were the yoga breath, visualization, and my husband and doulas support.  For my second labor I had two doulas.  I met them on the day I gave birth.  They were both very supportive, kind, and had different techniques that worked well together.  For example, at one point I was sitting on a birthing ball.  One doula pressed firmly on my low back, while the other would coach me with encouragement.  She’d say, “great job, keep the focus on your breath”.  My husband was great too.  He was seated, facing me and leaned foward.  I had my arms on his shoulders and he looked into my eyes and continued with words of encouragement.  The support gave me the strength and belief that I could deliver my baby natural.  It was very powerful!

For more information about doulas and my experience, click this link to listen to free podcasts http://fitbysaratip.fitbysara.com/, or visit my website www.fitbysara.com

As I stated in the previous blog message, there were three things that made my natural birth (i.e, no pain meds) completely do-able.  The first was yoga breath, the second visualization, and the third doulas and my husband, which I will discuss tomorrow.  Visualization is a big factor in making your labor easier.  You will feel an intense pressure, and pain as your baby moves down to the birth canal.  What I did and coach my clients to do is picture your baby going down the birth canal and easily passing into this world.  The visualization can help to calm and relax you so your not resisting the process and your baby comes  easier.

 I have had both of my children completely natural without the use of any pain medication with using these three important components: 1. Yoga breath 2. Visualization 3. Doulas and my Husband’s Support.  The yoga breath is a very calming deep breath done with an inhalation through the nose and an exhalation through the nose with the mouth closed.  The only difference in labor is towards the middle and end you will open your mouth on the exhale to release the tension in your body (this will happen naturally).  The key is to keep your body and mind calm by focusing on your breath– inhale deeply and exhale deeply.  Instead of trying to control the process, allow your body to do what it is naturally made to do.  The breath will keep you centered, calm, and connected to your baby.

There are many reasons why incorporating weights into your workouts are beneficial.  Weight training is good for building strong bones, improving muscle tone, plus lean muscle burns more calories…and that equals weight loss!  As I stated below for pregnancy exercise, I recommend that you work with a professional (such as a personal trainer) to show you proper form.  I also suggest you start with no weight until you understand proper mechanics then slowly up the weight from 1-5lbs. (and even more once you’re a “pro”, such as 8-10lbs.) for bicep and tricep exercises and heavier weights such as 5-8 lbs. (or up to 10-15 lbs.) for larger muscles like the pectoralis (chest). 

Pregnant women often ask me if it’s safe to lift weights while pregnant, and if so, how much weight should they lift.  My answer is two-fold.  If you’ve been lifting weights prior to pregnancy you should be able to continue your same program with modifications towards the end.  Meaning your body will tell you if it doesn’t feel right…and listen to it!  If you’ve never lifted weights, you can begin and should when you’re pregnant.  The more muscle tone you have, the stronger you will be mentally and physically for your labor, plus you will bounce back quicker.  I recommend that you work with a professional (such as a personal trainer) to show you proper form.  I also suggest you start with no weight until you understand proper mechanics then slowly up the weight from 1-5lbs. for bicep and tricep exercises and heavier weights such as 5-8 lbs. for larger muscles like the pectoralis (chest).  The key again is to listen to your body.  If you feel uncomfortable at all, stop using weights and or discontinue the exercise completely.