Whether you’re a first-time expectant mom or expecting your 20th child, it can be difficult to keep calm during the pregnancy process and it’s especially hard to stay fit. I wanted to share some helpful tips from an inspiring fellow prego, Dawn Oliver. Dawn is a first-time expectant mother and founder of Yogiiza, an organic yoga apparel brand based in Miami.
Read through Dawn’s tips below for some helpful pregnancy advice:
· Stay Active – I continue practicing yoga during my pregnancy. The first 5-6 months my daily yoga practice was very physical. Now that I am in my 8th month I modify most poses, but remain very active. My favorite poses are Cat & Cow Pose, Downward Dog, Pigeon and Butterfly Pose. Cat & Cow Pose (Marjariasana) allows me to move the spine however it feels comfortable. I move circular, up and down and even into puppy pose during this sequence. Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) is great to release tension in the calves, especially if you are like me and having regular Charlie horses or tight muscles in the legs and feet. All hip openers feel amazing and are said to be the key to an easy child birth. My two favorite hip openers are Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) and Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana). I have been able to hold pigeon pose into my 8th month having very opened hips and creating a little nest for my belly between my legs. I recommend surrendering here for several minutes for the best effects. This feels amazing, but is getting harder to do now as my belly grows. Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana) is easier to get into and will help prepare your hips for child birth as well.
Dawn practicing acro-yoga at Wanderlust Festival in Vermont (7 months pregnant)
· Stay Comfortable – It is important to stay comfortable and wear breathable clothes during pregnancy. I am the co-owner and creator of YOGiiZA, an organic yoga clothing line. In my 8th month I continue to wear our regular women’s collection – of course a few sizes bigger. My favorites are the Organic Cotton Skinny Leggings, Foldover Shorts, Racerback Tank, and Unified Shirt. Our two signature bras are also ideal for pregnancy. The Freedom Bra, in size Large works for most pregnant women. This organic cotton bra has minimal support, but great for breast feeding. The Vinyasa Bra, for me in X-Large is super comfortable for practice and wearing all day long. If you are not as lucky as me to wear Yoga clothes all day long, I recommend organic cotton underwear and comfy long cotton dresses or organic cotton loose fitting pregnancy pants.
· Eat Well – People always talk about pregnancy cravings, however I think that this is often an excuse to eat poorly. Since being pregnant I always make myself a good breakfast and be sure to eat healthy small snacks throughout the day such as raw almonds, string beans and carrots. I also eat lots of green salads and try to eat wild salmon when I can.
· Stay Positive – Energy and positive vibrations are key during pregnancy. The baby is already aware of its surroundings and developing quickly. It can be stressful preparing business for a baby, but I maintain a positive, excited approach to the challenges ahead. It is just as important to surround yourself with positive people who can support you. If you feel like there are negative people in your life now is the time to distance yourself from them and focus on yours and your baby’s well-being.
Thanks, Dawn for your great tips!
I can attest to how comfortable Yogiiza’s organic yoga clothes are. I’m in my 7th month and I’m living in my Yogiiza yoga pants and tank (shown below). I put them on for walking and end up staying in them all day. While the clothes are tight fitting, they aren’t uncomfortable like a pair of tight fitting jeans. I’m also really loving my yoga shorts and bra from Yogiiza, but I stick to wearing those around the house only as they are a little revealing.
I’m super impressed with how affordable Yogiiza’s clothes are for being organic. An organic bra for $26.50? It doesn’t get much better than that. ladies.
To shop my look or view the entire women’s collection from Yogiiza, head over to www.yogiiza.com/store. Yogiiza also has great products for men, too!
