|
This is an on-going 6 week series. For information, e-mail Cher:
mommaloveyoga@gmail.com.
Prenatal
Postnatal
Love Thy Belly: Prenatal Yoga
Nothing inspires hope, love and happiness like a big pregnant belly!
During pregnancy, most women flip-flop between feeling the most beautiful they've ever felt in their lives and like an alien has taken over their bodies and minds!
Prenatal yoga will NOT change those crazy feelings, but it will put you in a room with a bunch of other ladies who share the same worries. Concerns about your developing baby, excitement for the arrival of your baby, fear and questions about labor and delivery are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg! Then there's questions about what a doula is and can accupuncture really get rid of my morning sickness, and it's always nice to know that you're NOT crazy because you don't want your mother-in-law to move in and tell you how to raise your baby! After leaving prenatal yoga, you certainly will feel much more calm, relaxed and able to deal better with your waves of hormones, partners and in-laws!
That said, there are a ton of pregnancy ailments (mental and physical) that yoga absolutely can help....swollen ankles, sciatica, achey back, anxiety, it helps lower blood pressure and the breathing exercises can absolutely help you through labor and delivery (pain management).
These are all topics that we'll cover and conversations that we'll have after we've done some belly accommodating sun salutations, kegel exercises, stretches in all of the areas that ache and even build some strength and stability. This class will offer lots of modifications and options so if you've never done yoga you can move at your own pace and if you're a die-hard vinyasa-momma you can still get in your daily dose of chaturunga!
Love Thy Baby...
How amazing is it that our body can actually create another beautiful human being?
Love Thy Self: Postnatal Yoga
This is not your standard postnatal-play-with-your-baby class (although you're encouraged to bring your pre-crawling baby)! Now that we've embraced our bellies and fallen in love with our babies, it's time to love thy self! You might think that from now on you need to put your baby before everything else in life, even yourself but this is absolutely NOT true! How can you take care of that sweet, adorable, melt your heart little angel if you don't feel happy and strong? The best way to take care of your baby is to take care of you! There are a few things that you're going to need to take care of so that you can happily take care of your baby and dare I say, your partner/relationship.
This is a carefully planned class focusing on:
- rebuilding abdominal muscles
- rebulding pelvic floor muscles (so that you don't pee every time you sneeze)
- gaining strength and endurance that you are absolutely going to need to carry around your munchkin ~some much needed stretching and deep breathing so that you can relax
- and finally.....getting back your pre-baby body!
We'll absolutely take some time at the beginning or end of the class to chat and compare new mommy experiences like projectile poop and that first magical smile.
Please do not plan to come to this class and play peek-a-boo with your sweet wee one.....this is total momma time (with a little nursing and diaper changing thrown in!).
About me - Cher Lyman
I started studying and teaching pre & postnatal yoga when I was pregnant with my first son in 2003. I was teaching in New York City at the time and a group of us (yoga teachers) decided to get together a weekly group of yoga teachers, accupuncturists, nutritionists, doulas, midwives, massage therapists and just about anyone who had knowledge and experience in pregnancy, birthing and parenting. Our purpose was to share information and teach each other how to accommodate the various needs of a woman both during and after pregnancy. I have not only taught pre&postnatal yoga to hundreds of women but have practiced it myself though and after 3 pregnancies.
I've been teaching yoga for 12 years and have multiple certifications in vinyasa yoga, therapeutic yoga, Ive' assisted Shiva Rea on multiple teacher trainings and intensives, and I'm currently working toward fulfilling my final requirements for a 500hr. training.
Some extra love... Massage therapy
Peter Arebalo LMT, ECP
Integrative Therapist
631-834-0246 or e-mail trueclarity111@yahoo.com
I went to Pete for a massage after my last son was born. I had a cesarian birth and then when I left the hospital I had to go straight to the dentist to have a wisdom tooth pulled!!! Needless to say, I was a hot-mess and needed some help. Pete changed my world, seriously. If I could force you to go see Pete for a massage I would.
Accupuncture
Accupuncture is a must from pregnancy and after you've had your baby. It's fabulous for inducing labor, can help postpartum depression (I should know....I sufferd this after my 2nd son was born), but also to help milk letdown if your breast feeding, sciatica, heartburn and just about any other discomfort that you might be experiencing. I know and can recommend a number of accupuncturists that I've used as well as some of my past students have used. Ask me for a referral and I'll gladly give you contact info.
Doula- Deborah Rotunno, CD (DONA), CPD (CAPPA)
President of Long Island Doula Association
contact: doula4u@optonline.net
What's a Doula and why do you need one??? A Doula is a birthing attendant, she will be there to support you and your partner through the entire birthing process. If you want to birth naturally and would like to significantly cut your chances of having a cesarian birth then you need to have an experienced and established doula. Not only will she attend to your every need while birthing, but she'll be you advocate, make sure that your very sacred birthing space is respected (even in the hospital) and help you with natural pain management. What I absolutely find most valuable about a doula is that they support and involve your partner!
There are not only birthing doula's, but postnatal too. She'll come to your house to help make sure that you're healing well (especially if you've had a cesarian), help with any questions that you have about caring for your baby, make sure that breast feeding is going well....she'll even do dishes and laundry!
I find doula's to be SO important that we will have a doula come as a guest speaker during each 6week prenatal series!
Resources...
The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp Book or Dvd (trust me on this....if you want to get a baby to stop scrying and to sleep this is a must read for you and your partner before your little bundle of joy is born) www.happiestbaby.com
The Big Book of Birth by Erica Lyon (If you have any questions about birth, and I know you do, get this book. She covers all of the possibilities of birth in a very straight forward, educated, not opinionated manner. Erica was the director of the Elizabeth Seton Freestanding Birthing Center in NYC and the founder and director of RealBirth.....she's seen it all!)
If you're at all interested in cloth diapering talk to me! I cloth diaper my sweet lil'man and will happily share with you my experiences, favorite diapers, how to get them clean, and even how to register your diaper stash!
If you want to learn how to sling your baby (or use just about every and any baby carrier) go to
MetroMinis 212-313-9600 or www.metrominis.com. Yes, They're in Manhattan, but it's well worth the trip (and maybe a nice lunch ) to learn how to safely carry your baby!
|
