Breathing for Two

When I first found out I was pregnant, I was thrilled. My husband and I couldn't be happier to take this journey and welcome the new life it would bring.

But it didn't take long for the first trimester blues to set in. The love and excitement were still there, sure, but between fighting off constant nausea and hormones making me irritable, it was a battle to express anything positive!

For many, the first trimester is the worst -- and it's also when the news is still not public -- so I became convinced that communities need to host First-Trimester Anonymous support groups. We need groups for women who are struggling through the bodily and emotional changes and need to commiserate, I thought; a place where women could just walk in and spend an hour with others who were in their same boat, before going back to their lives.

Then one day I attended prenatal yoga, and I found much more than support. I walked in mostly because my stiff body desperately needed a stretch. And, for someone not into the spiritual side of yoga, I could have never anticipated how much it would soothe my spirit. This class was different than any yoga class I’d ever attended — now it wasn’t just about “my center” or my breathing; this time it was about being in tune with . . . my baby!

"Put your hands over your baby. Send warmth and love to your baby," the instructor spoke in a soft voice. "Now, receive the warmth and love from your baby, to you."

In an instant, I was a changed woman. Her words cut through all the weariness. I soon realized the best antedote wasn't reaching out to other pregnant women; it was reaching out to my little baby. Afterall, we're in this together.

Photograph via bgraph on Flickr.