Moving to Connect with Your Breath,

Your Baby and Your Body (Yoga for

Pregnancy and Birth)
 
 
Welcome Home to Your Body 
When the miracle of life takes place in a woman’s body, a myriad of transformations
beginbegins in her physical form, her mind and her spirit. This is an exciting time to slow
down and begin a lifelong conversation with your ever-changing body. As a new mother, you
may have been overcome with a burning desire to find out every little detail concerning your
growing baby and how this miracle of growth and development is taking place. Every new
sensation, any new changes to your body’s inner and outer landscape, create a sense of
wonder, and sometimes, anxiety. The pregnancy exercises and meditations in this chapter
will assist you on this journey of magnificent transformation into motherhood. They will open
up new windows of space in your body, mind and heart. 
My first pregnancy and birth were a portal to another dimension, an expansion into a whole
new universe. However, at first this portal seemed more like a dark swirling vortex of
disorientation and fear, than an exciting shift into a new dimension. My body started to feel
like an alien spaceship taken over by a parasite. Those first few months of nausea,
indigestion, extreme fatigue and strange pains were exhausting and depressing. Perhaps
you can relate to this or maybe you are still surrounded by that honeymoon pregnancy bliss.
During my first pregnancy, I was not in a happy place with my body. I had no idea how to get
back to that happy place either. I know some women spend their entire pregnancy feeling
like this. It is my heartfelt hope that some of the suggestions for movement, breath and
meditation in this chapter will help you traverse the journey you are embarking upon with a
lot less discomfort and a lot more delight.
Our thoughts and breath are powerful tools that we can harness to improve any difficult
situation that we may find ourselves in. In fact, many of the suggestions that follow will be
useful throughout your parenting journey as well as your pregnancy. Learning how to find
your way back to sanity and being okay when you are sleep deprived and cannot get five
minutes to yourself for a toilet break, is a real gift. It all begins by finding that stillness, that
space. Finding that ability to come home to your body and to see it as a magnificent divine
life-giving vessel gives you the ability to be the witness watching from a calm place, rather
than the ship tossed about on the ocean of your circumstances… to be able to find that
peaceful place in the midst of the storm… To be able to find gratitude and love for your
present state and for the current moment with all its challenges.

During pregnancy there is an interconnectedness that can be harnessed between your body
and mind, your heart space and womb space. An incredible sequence of tremendous
changes take place at the level of your consciousness as well as your physical form. This is
why this chapter on pregnancy exercise yoga will not only focus upon grounding into your
physical form, while finding balance and strength. It will also involve ways of breathing into
your changing shape as you shift into a new way of being with yourself and your growing
baby through movement, sound, breath and meditation. You will be able to take this
knowledge with you into the birthing room, as you prepare for a c-section, perhaps that first
breastfeed or as you cope with a crying colic episode. So do not skip the breathing and
meditation sections of this chapter, for they are just as important as the movement. So my
Ddear sister and friend, for we are all on this great journey together, whether pregnant
ourselves or supporting a woman who is… welcome home to your body. Welcome home to
yourself. Know that you are perfect. You are enough. You have everything you need within
you to move into and through this birth experience and transform yourself into a more
magnificent being. You are incredible. You are amazing.
 
Embrace the Uniqueness of Your Body, Your Pregnancy, Your Birth.
I have grown and birthed three beautiful boys, and every pregnancy experience was
different. Each birth stretched me to become a better person, a wiser woman, more loving,
more forgiving, more accepting and more awake to the magic of my individual, yet universal,
journey.
After the birth of my first son it was like a veil lifted and I experienced the world, the secret of
life, the mystery of motherhood in a whole new way. This led me on a soul-searching
adventure into birth work, awaking a passion and fierce love for women and mothers
everywhere. I started to attend birth conferences, read birth books, and attend birth
workshops. s … As they say in this field, I well and truly caught the birth bug. I still remember
painting colourful spiral after spiral on my white paper as I sat in art therapy at a mother/
baby unit. I had admitted myself after realizsing my thoughts of jumping out of a speeding
car and ending it all were not normal. My first son never slept for more than 40 minutes at a
time, ever! He would projectile vomit after nearly every feeding and I was trying to keep
working as a social worker at a busy emergency department and after-hours child protection
service. I would drop my son off at daycare and then express breastmilk in police station
bathrooms. Looking back, I was an emotional sleep deprived depressed mess, who
somehow, on the outside, kept it all together. So Asas I painted these spirals, it suddenly
struck me that I was never going to be the same person again. Yet there was a beauty and
light at the end of a dark tunnel of despair as I realizsed this. It was as if I could see my part
in the great spiral of life, the mystery of it all. I suddenly knew that I was more than this body
and this experience of being a woman, a mother. If you are feeling like you are in a dark
place, in your pregnancy or on your mother journey, you are not alone. There is help, so
reach out for it with both hands and take it. Turn to the back of this book for resources and
networks of support. We feel your pain. We have been there. I promise you - youYou will get
through this. The sun will shine again. Your energy will return. Your heart will swell with love
and you will be oh so much stronger and brighter for everything you are currently going
through. 
For the past seven years, I have taught prenatal yoga, worked as a doula and offered child
birth education and birth support. I have seen how vulnerable and how strong women are.
We are designed for this incredible journey of transformation. Women are marvelous
magnificent vessels of creation. You were built for this. Becoming more aware and curious
about your changing body will allow you to find the strength and courage to continue. The
movement and breathwork will create a new sense of being, a shifting of your relation to
your incredible physical form.
As I I continue to work with women after their birth, sharing the gift of baby massage, baby
yoga and postnatal support in the hospital and community I am continually reminded that
becoming a mother is a process that spans many months, if not years prior to and after the
birth of a child. The birth of a baby is the birth of a mother, and we need to recognize this as
a community. We are not meant to become a mother alone. We are the happiest and most
fulfilled when we are nurtured and surrounded by a community of love who encourages and
uplifts us. Find your tribe. .
I have been presented with the opportunity to study with some of the best and most inspiring
women I know. Each of them has gifted me with heartfelt birth wisdom which I am now
sharing with you. Take this wisdom passed down through the ages and see what fits. Each
woman’s pregnancy and birth story is unique. There are many ways to carry a baby, birth a
baby and to parent a child. If a suggested exercise in this chapter feels wrong, do not do it.
You are the expert of your own body. Follow your inner guidance and trust your intuition.
One common message that all my mentors have relayed to me is that a mother’s intuition is
more valuable than gold. Believe in yourself. You are powerful and you know what is right for
you and your baby.
It has been my absolute honor and so humbling to be at the side of so many warrior mamas
as they surrendered themselves to the birth process. I have seen women using the breathing
techniques and exercises to navigate unfathomable depths of despair and to traverse the
greatest mountains of fear. I have rejoiced with women as they reached the highest of
blissful heights and welcomed their little ones earth-side. I now offer you a collection of
movement and mindfulness exercises that may assist you on your beautiful unique path to
becoming a mother.

Gentle Movement, Breathing and Meditation for Pregnancy.

If you are very early in your pregnancypregnancy, I suggest you listen to your body and rest,
rest, rest. Usually, we are being given strong messages to do less, sleep more, and nourish
ourselves with good food and hydration. It is a good idea to wait until your twelfth week of
pregnancy and beyond before starting any new exercises or more strength-based poses.
Walking and gentle movement that your body enjoys is perfect until then. The breathing and
meditation in this section is a great place to start while sitting or layinglying in a comfortable
seated position. Remember if you feel any pain or experience any cramping or bleeding
while doing these exercises, stop and seek medical advice before continuing. 
During pregnancy your body produces hormones called relaxin and progesterone. These
hormones relax muscles and loosen ligaments and joints to accommodate the growing baby
and facilitate a safe passage through the birth canal. You might be excited to have a bigger
angle in your splits or deeper capacity to lunge and squat, butsquat but be careful. Always
work at 80% of your range of movement when doing these exercises so as not to overstretch
or damage your joints. Use the support of birth balls, blocks and the wall, or your partner,
whenever you can. Rest when you need to and drink plenty of water.

Belly Breathing
Find a comfortable seated or lying position in a quiet peaceful place. Perhaps it is by a sunlit
window, or out in your garden, or just upon your sofa or bed. You can place cushions
underneath you for extra comfort. Place your hands on your belly and just observe your
breath gently moving in and out. Maybe your belly moves towards your hands on the inhale
and back towards your spine on the exhale. No need to change or force your breath. Begin
by being the witness… the observer. Just by noticing and watching your breath you may find
that it starts to deepen and lengthen. Can you silently count the breath in and breath out?
Perhaps you can count, in 1,2,3 and out 1,2,3. Don’t worry if this count doesn’t work for you.
Let it go. Go back to watching your breath. Now as you breathe in can you swell up your
belly like a balloon. Make the breath a bit bigger. As you breathe out feel your belly deflate,
return to the starting place. Often, we take very shallow breaths just in and around our chest.
This belly breathing will activate your parasympathetic nervous system and vagus nerve,
which means more calm, more relaxation and more feel-good hormones and endorphins
flowing throughout your body. If this is all you do today, this is enough. Practice this
breathing whenever you have a quiet moment, or whenever you are feeling anxious or
stressed. Notice after just 10 breaths in and out, how you feel compared to when you
started. While you are breathing in to your belly take time to also connect with your growing
baby beneath your hands. Your hands are an extension of your heart. Send love. Feel love.
Be love.  
(insert picture of belly breathing or a relaxing meme - Inhale Exhale)

Heart Womb River Greeting

Find a comfortable way to sit. If possiblepossible, sit on the floor while crossing your legs in
easy pose or “criss-crosscrisscross applesauce” as many of us remember from our school
days. This is a very beneficial pose for you to do during your pregnancy. If you are feeling
tired it is also very possible to do this exercise leaning back against a pillow or while lying on
your bed. 
Place your left hand over your physical heart space and your right hand over your belly
connecting with your baby. Begin by just observing your breath. Watching your chest and
belly rise and fall. Close your eyes, or place them downward, relax your shoulders away
from your ears and let your face soften. Notice any places of tension around your jaw, eyes
or forehead and let them soften. Notice the area around your throat and see if you can relax
that also as you breathe out. 
Start to take your mind to your heart space. Feel your heart beating and tune in to the love
that you have for your baby. If it is difficult to think of love, remember something that you are
grateful for, or a happy memory. Keep focusing on this love or gratitude and emotion of
happiness until you feel a warmth or expansion around your heart. Perhaps you feel just the
slightest change, or no change. There is no right or wrong. Now imagine a line of energy
traveling from your heart down to your womb space, where your baby’s heart is also beating.

Uma Dinsmore Tuli (2014), a yoga therapist with special expertise in yoga therapy for
women’s health calls this line of energy a river, and . this breath practice aA heart-womb-
river greeting. As you breathe in and out, send your love along this river of energy that
connects your heart to your baby’s heart. Feel your love and gratitude flowing down to your
baby. Also, feel your baby’s love and gratitude flowing back up to you and your heart space.
Stay with this breath meditation for as long as you like. You can also add a smile to your
face and notice any changes that this brings to your practice. Smiling may feel silly however
it has been scientifically shown to boost your mood, helping your body to release cortisol
(stress hormone) and produce endorphins (feel good hormones). Studies (Coleman, 2016)
have found that making yourself smile when you’re feeling down helps improve your mood
and increases positive thoughts. So, if you’re having a bad day, or not feeling connected to
your growing baby, try sending a smile into your own heart and down to your baby —it may
just lead to a genuine smile and lift your spirits. 
If you can place your hands directly upon your skin, this nurturing touch may feel even more
powerful. By touching your heart and belly you are also activating the release of oxytocin
(the love hormone) and your baby is benefiting from all these beneficial hormones as well. 
(insert picture of woman with hands on heart and belly)

Butterfly Pose
Bend the knees and bring the soles of your feet together. Sit with your back supported
against the wall or a cushion if you prefer. Allow your knees to fall out to the side and place
cushions underneath them to support your thighs. Here, you can gently move your butterfly
wings up and down (your knees) or just find stillness. Breathe in and out. You may be able to
reach forward and use your hands to give yourself a soothing foot massage. Or rock
forwards and backwards on your sitting bones rotating your pelvis forwards and then back.
Do whatever feels nice in your butterfly pose. Perhaps place your hands on your belly and
stay here a while tuning in to your beautiful baby. This posture opens up the thighs and hips
and has been shown to help initiate a faster delivery during labour. It can also help ease
tired legs and to reduce fluid retention while aiding digestion. 

Walking and Grounding

Walking is one of the most beneficial daily activities that you can do during your pregnancy.
If you are still feeling tired and nauseous, take it very slowly in the beginning. Perhaps begin
by just finding your bare feet on the grass or sand and slowly strolling in the fresh air. When
you start to feel more energizsed, you can begin to walk further and longer.
Did you know that your foot consists of 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments, and 19 muscles?
The health and stability of your feet affects the alignment and health of your whole body. If
you can walk barefoot and it feels good, do this and reap the extra benefits of grounding and
earthing. The Chopra Centre writes that “Scientific research over more than a decade
indicates that your body can be protected and helped—and that you feel better—when you
electrically reconnect to the Earth. That is, when you are grounded”. We are bioelectrical
beings living on an electrical planet. By placing our feet directly upon the earth, the natural
ground we can decrease stress and inflammation and boost our immune system.
Fascinating, isn’t it?
If you have painful or swollen feet and require good walking shoes with arch support, do this
for better posture and comfort. Any walking you do places you in an important upright
position which helps your baby to settle head down in your uterus. 
Renowned midwife, author and creator of Spinning Babies, Gail Tully, promotes walking as
one of the essential exercises for helping baby into the best, most optimal, position for birth.
Gail’s advice is to walk in a safe place, without ice, and at least 5 times a week, without
pushing a stroller or stopping at a window shop. Walk at a pace you can still hold a
conversation. Don’t start so aggressively that you strain yourself. Gradually work up to 3
miles, 4-5 kilometers, daily. If you live in a hot climate, then be very mindful of keeping
hydrated. Take a water bottle with you and perhaps don’t walk so far. Remember in the first
trimester, just getting out of bed and walking to the front gate or kitchen, may be enough
exercise for you. If your medical provider has told you to bed rest, or prohibited walking due
to a complication, then do not walk at all. Some women find it very painful to walk due to a
condition called pubic symphysis pain (PSP) or pelvic girdle pain (PGP). If this is something
you are struggling with you could try wearing a snug pregnancy belt or wait to walk until your
pelvis is feeling more stable. A physiotherapist can help you with exercises to restore your
pelvis.
(Insert picture of feet on sand)

Shoulder Opening and Neck Releasing Exercises

Often with the growing weight of our breasts, our shoulders become rounded and we feel
extra tightness around our necks. Begin with a simple shoulder roll to open up your chest
and release your shoulders away from your ears. Feel your shoulder blades moving towards
each other and then along your spine down your back towards your feet. 
Relax your jaw, maybe yawn first or give it a wiggle from side to side. Then as you breathe
in, feel your spine lengthening and the crown of your head moving away from your shoulders
towards the ceiling or sky. Let your chin tuck slightly forward as you lengthen the back of
your cervical spine. As you breathe out, let your left ear move towards your left shoulder. As
you inhale, allow your head to return to that neutral starting position and then exhale your
right ear towards your right shoulder. You might feel a few clicks and pops as you feel a
stretching sensation along the sides of your neck. Now tuck your chin closer towards your
chest and gently move your head from side to side, feeling the release along the back of
your neck. 
(insert pic of neck to ear stretch)
To create a deeper stretch that travels along the whole side of your body you can take your
right arm up and over your head and place your right hand on your left ear as you bend
towards your right. Feel the movement come from lower down your spine now. Change
arms, left hand over right ear and move in the opposite direction, towards your left. 
(insert pic of arm over head hand on ears )
Make a basket with your hands, place them behind your head on that occiput, cupping that
bumpy part of your skull that sticks out. Breathe in and, as you breathe out, bring your head
towards your chest using the weight of your hands and gravity to carefully deepen the
movement. Breathe in as you return to a neutral position with your head and release your
arms back down by your side. 
(insert pic of hands in basket behind head)

Cat Cow Dance

One of my favouritefavorite exercises for pregnant women at every stage of pregnancy is the
Cat Cow Dance. By coming into a table top or all-four position, with weight evenly distributed
between your knees and hands, you gently allow the hammock of your belly to release down
towards the ground (cow). Allow your spine to come into just a gentle resting place. It may
not curve very much at all remaining more like a flat table. As your belly gets heavier you
want to ensure that you do not overstretch your spine in that s-shape that is naturally
becoming more exaggerated as this may place pressure on your lower back. Now push your
weight into your hands and hug your belly and baby back up to your spine, allowing your
back to arch in the opposite direction like a cat having a gentle stretch.
You may like to place padding underneath your knees or to gently warm up your wrists with
wrist circles before you place your weight upon them. This hands and knees position is
perfect for helping the baby's spine and back to move away from your back. The gravity
encourages the baby to move into the best position for birth, especially during the third
trimester. Beginning this movement now in the first few months can help to relieve an achy
back or discomfort around your hips. 
Experiment with moving between these two positions of the cow and cat. Then close your
eyes and really feel into your spine. Do whatever feels good for you here. You may want to
wag your tailsway side to side, draw circles with your hips one way and then the other, or
rock backwards and forwards. This is your cat cow dance. Make it whatever you want it to
be. Many women find that this is a comfortable position to labor in and even to give birth in.

(insert pic of cat cow )

Supported Child Pose

Find a pillow or cushions, a yoga bolster if you have one, for a supported child pose. This
exercise is wonderful for providing relief around the sacrum and back of the pelvis. If you
have any pain at the front of your pelvis, you can keep your knees closer together. You can
also adjust how high you want your cushions to rest, supporting your upper torso and head.
It may feel better to have your head higher than your stomach if you are suffering from
heartburn or indigestion. 
To get into the pose, come to a wide legged kneeling position and turn your feet inwards with
your toes facing towards the centrecenter. Place your cushion in front of you. Keep your
pelvis on your heels as you come forward on to your hands. Come further forward on to your
elbows while keeping your tailbone towards your heels. Now stretch out your upper body
and walk your hands forward as you lower your chest and head on to the cushion. Place one
side of your face against the pillow and give in to the support of the cushion. You can even
hug it if you like. Make sure you change half way through the pose so your other ear is down
on the cushion and you are facing in the other direction. This will provide an even stretch for
your neck.
Focus on breathing into the back of your body as the front of your lungs may feel a little
squashed. Inhale, back rises; exhale tailbone sinks down towards your feet. Let your face,
jaw, neck and shoulders be soft and relaxed. Come up whenever you need to or stay for 3-5
minutes.
Child Pose can be very soothing to your central nervous system and mind also. Allow your
thoughts to turn inwards into your own world while blocking out any noise or stress from your
outer world. Go into your pregnancy cave and enjoy the calm waves of peace.

(Insert pic of child pose )

Prenatal Yoga and Exercises for Pregnancy in the Second Trimester

Mountain Pose
Begin by standing and placing your feet at hip distance and parallel. Soften your knee caps
into a tiny smile, and place your hands on your hips. Allow your tailbone to move towards
your feet as your pelvis moves anteriorly. Roll your shoulders up and then away from your
ears towards the ground, moving down your back. Allow your arms to be by your side, palms
comfortable open. Gently rock backwards and forwards, shifting your weight into the ball of
your foot and then the heel of your foot. You might also sway side to side transferring your
weight from the outer edge of your feet to the inner edge. Try a circular motion. Your weight
going forward, right, back, left and forward again, and then changing direction. Enjoy that
massage across the whole of the bottom of your foot and the play in your ankles as they find
their balance. Find that place where you feel your centrecenter of gravity and a sense of
stillness. Lift all of your toes up and try to place them back down one at a time like you are
playing a piano. Don’t worry if your toes do not obey you. Take a moment to feel that
connection beneath your feet with the earth. You might even like to imagine that you have
roots growing out from the bottoms of your feet going down ...down... down... into the
centrecenter of the earth. Perhaps you want to imagine wrapping your roots around a large
crystal in the middle of the earth. Then, as you breathe in and out, feel yourself growing taller
and taller, bigger and bigger. Feel your spine lengthening up and up and up. Maybe you can
visualisevisualize a rod of light spiraling upwards along the length of your spine and shining
out of the crown of your head towards the sky. Breathe and enjoy the feeling of alignment.
Feel your power. Feel your strength. You are strong like a mountain. You can do anything
when you are grounded and connected to your calm centrecenter. 
(pic of mountain pose )

Pelvic Tilts and Circles with a Birth Ball

When choosing a ball to use while pregnant, ensure that when you sit upon it, your feet are
planted firmly on the floor and your hips are higher than your knees. This places you in an
upright forward and open position (UFO) allowing the baby to move into the Optimal
FoetalFetal Position. 
Rest your hands on your knees or thighs and move your pelvis forwards and backwards. As
you move forward open your chest, and as you move back hug your baby towards your
spine. Let your hips sway side to side, moving your weight to the left and the right, and then
around in a circle. Front, right, back, left and then try reversing the direction. Try a figure of 8
with your hips. Put some belly dancing music on and enjoy the sensuality of this very
feminine movement. 

Squats with blocks, a ball or your partner.

If you are planning an active squatting birthbirth, then start practicing your squats now. Even
if you are not sure how you would like to give birth, squats can help to increase your strength
and stamina, while opening the pelvis and hips in preparation for birthing your baby. Squats
also help to guide the baby’s head down towards the cervix. Squatting actually provides 30
percent more space for the baby to move through the pelvis as opposed to when you lie on
your back to give birth. You may have heard of the famous midwife Ina May Gaskin’s quote,
“Squat 300 times a day, you’re going to give birth quickly.” However, if you have not been
squatting at all, start slowly and carefully before heading straight to 300!
When you prepare to squat there are a few different ways to do it. You can begin from a
standing position. Start with your feet turned out slightly and your knees over your ankles as
you slowly breathe out, bending your knees and moving your tailbone down towards the
floor. Keep your upper body leaning slightly forward and use blocks to support your bottom
when you reach the floor. Stay there awhile if you have something to rest upon and breathe.
Allow your body to be slightly forward rather than slouching back on your sitting bones. You
can also use a chair in front of you to hold on to or to lean upon.
The other method, which is very comfortable and less stressful on your joints, is to place a
birth ball between your sacral (lower back in line with the top of your hips) area and the wall.
Allow your weight to lean into the ball as you gently move up and down into the squat.
Or ask your birth partner to squat with you. One person crosses their arms, while the other
keeps their arms straight. Take each other by the wrists (monkey grip) and then as you
squat together allow your weight to pull away from each other creating a secure and strong
connection. Breath in when standing and breathe out when squatting.

(insert pic of squatting with blocks, ball and partner)

Taking time to be with your breath, your body and your baby will help you to prepare
physicaly and emotionally for the sacred birth of your baby. Moving safely with mindfulness
will create more space in your body for your baby to move in to the best position for birth,
and more space in your mind to welcome all the challenges that may come your way. Your
body was designed for this. You are a magnificent creative being.
 
 References

The Chopra Centre https://chopra.com/articles/grounding-the-human-body-the-healing-

benefits-of-earthing
Erin Coleman (2016) The Top 7 Health Benefits of Smiling
https://benefitsbridge.unitedconcordia.com/top-7-health-benefits-smiling/
Gayle Tully. Spinning Babies Website.
https://spinningbabies.com/start/in-pregnancy/daily-activities/ 
Uma Dinsmore-Tuli (2014) Yoni Shakti: A woman's guide to power and freedom through
yoga and tantra
The Chopra Centre https://chopra.com/articles/grounding-the-human-body-the-healing-
benefits-of-earthing

Midwife and Natural Birth Pioneer Ina May Gaskin,