My Perfect Pregnancy
I have had the easiest, most wonderful pregnant experience. It has been joyous and blissfully enjoyable. I don't attribute it to luck though, and it didn't happen without some work. Most importantly, I stayed active. I kept up my Bikram practice attending class 3 times a week. It always felt amazing. I slept better and attained all the normal benefits of this yoga practice. On the days I didn't do Bikram, I walked for an hour and soaked up the sun. Later on in pregnancy my doctor told me about the benefits of getting in a pool to level off your fluids, so I added this piece of exercise in the last few months. Every day I did something, and every day I felt amazing. The activity not only kept me in shape and on track with appropriate weight gain, but released endorphins in my system that left me on a pregnancy happy high 100% of the time. My brother called me once and said, "Tara, I think you're the happiest pregnant woman ever!"
I've been a Bikram fan and consistent practitioner for over six years now. I consider myself a student for life! I absolutely LOVE the heat, flow of set postures, and the community. After a couple of days of no Bikram class, I'm just itching to get back in the room. The benefits are amazing and impact you physically, mentally, and spiritually, something that really no other form of exercise can do.
My husband, Eric, and I joke that our little girl is going to have to be soothed by listening to Bikram's CD. She definitely knows the dialogue by now!!!
There are definitely critics of Bikram yoga and pregnancy due to the heated room. Having been a practitioner prior to becoming pregnant, I had no trouble adjusting to the heat. After finding out I was pregnant and waiting a couple of weeks to get the go ahead from my doctor, after the first class back (and knowingly pregnant this time), I'll never forget going home that night and sleeping like a baby!! It felt amazing! How could I stop doing something that made me feel so good?! I developed the attitude that I would see how it went class by class. If at some point the room seemed too hot or it wasn't feeling right, I was open to stopping my practice for the pregnancy and doing an alternate form of yoga. That time never came though. In fact, things were quite the opposite. Every class I cherished and felt so much better leaving than I did when I arrived.
Being named September student of the month is very touching. Every time I think of it, my hand just crosses my heart and my mouth opens in disbelief, honor, and joy. Bikram has been an ongoing gift in my life, and in pregnancy, it's been priceless.
Update: On September 2nd at 1:06 am Tara gave birth to our newest yogini Rosslyn Roxanne Vaughn, weighing 6 pounds and 9 ounces. Photos coming soon! |
