Preparing for Birth with Yoga: Exercises for Pregnancy and Childbirth (Women's health & parenting)

228 Pages·2016·32.68 MB·English

by  Janet Balaskas

PREPARING
BIRTH
fi^ '^ith
YOGA
JANET BALASKAS
FOREWORD BY SANDRA SABATINI and DR YEHUDI GORDON
Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive
2011
in
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PREPARING
>r R T H
B
with
YOI GA
Janet Balaskas was horn and educated in Johannesburg,
South Africa and emigrated to England in 1968. She is well
known internationallyfor her pioneering work as a lecturer,
author, childbirth educator and activist. In the late 1970s she
introduced a hew approach to prenatal preparation with Yoga and
the concept of 'Active Birth' whichfocuses on women's self
empowerment in pregnancy, andfreedom and autonomy in
birthing. Her work has influenced change in maternity practices
in many countries and helped tofurther understanding of
physiological childbirth.
She is thefounder ofthe Active Birth Movement, the Active
Birth Teacher Training Course and the Active Birth Teachers'
Association. She is co-director ofthe International Active Birth
Centre in London with her husband Keith Brainin. This is a
resource centrefor Active Birth, Yogafor Pregnancy and Water
Birth, and produces a range of Water Birth poolsfor use at home
and in hospital. She is also co-founder of the International Home
Birth Movement.
Janet is the mother offour children - three ofwhom were
born at home.

PREPARING
>r B R T H
with
YOI GA
Janet Balaskas
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CONTENTS
Foreword 6 Postureand breathing 81
Standingand walking 82
Acknowledgements
9
Sitting 86
Preface 10 Restingandsleeping 88
Introduction U Postureafterbirth 89
CHAPTER
1 CHAPTER
5
Why do you need
YOGA in PREGNANCY? 23 PRACTISING YOGA in PREGNANCY 91
How tostart 93
Yourbaby before birth 23
Honouringyourpregnancy 25 Group 1: Warming up 97
The benefits ofyoga in pregnancy 26 Group 2: Pelvicexercises 110
Preparingforbirth 29 Group 3: Kneelingpositions 141
Copingwithyourlabour 31 Group4: Neckandshoulder releases 144
Discoveringyour innerpower 33 Group5: Standingpostures 150
CHAPTER Group 6:Advancedpostures 164
2 Group 7: Relaxation 171
CHANGE and TRANSFORMATION 35
Howyourbodychanges 36 CHAPTER
Howyour uterus changes 40 6
APPROACHING LABOUR 173
Yourbodyandyourbaby 41
Emotions 46 Creatinga settingforlabour 174
Becominga mother 46 Connecting to theEarth 176
Innerwork 51 Sharing theexperience-thepartner's role 176
Pre-labour 178
Approaching birth 55
Lookingbeyond the birth 56 Practisingfor birth - thefirst stage 178
Practisingforbirth - thesecondstage 185
CHAPTER
3 Birthingpositions 188
BREATHING 59 After the birth- the thirdstage 193
Yoga andbreathing 60
Breathingandemotions 64
Appendix - An A-Z of yoga for
Developingawareness ofthe breath 66
self-help 195
CHAPTER
4 Recommended Reading 218
EVERYDAY POSTURE 75
Resources 219
Standing upright 76
Useful Addresses 220
Thespinal curves 78
Discoveringyourcentreofgravity 80 Index 221
PRfPARINC FOR BIRTH WITH YOGA
FOREWORD
By Sandra Sabatini
Whenapregnantwomanjoinsoneofmyyogaclasses,Ialwayslook
forward to her first lesson. I know with certainty that after the first
few words she will step rightinto the trueessence ofyoga. Shewill
immediately realize how natural it is to feel the contact with the
ground through her feet, and the subsequent impulse to grow and
spread inherownspace.Sheisalreadyinawhollycreativestate.She
isconstantlylisteningtowhatishappeninginsideher.Sheisglowing
withaninnersmilewhichper\'adesherwholebeing, fromthecentre
to the surface. She needs yoga only to maintain this 'light from
within'.
Yoga gives the pregnant mother the capacity to adjust to inner
and outer changes with extraordinary flexibility. The constant
presence of the breath as a means of connecting her to gravity
discharges tension and tiredness into the earth, whilst her body
maintains a state of cleanliness and lightness. The daily practice of
simple,effortlessyogapositionsleadsherintochildbirthwithaclear
mind, interested,e\'en curiousaboutthecomingevent. Asthebirth
getscloser, herwholebeingopens up and thefivesensesarestimu-
latedtoperceivenewdimensions: timeandspacedilate.Givingbirth
becomesa uniqueopportunitytogetintouchwithherinnerpower
as a woman. Once she has experienced it, she will always remem-
ber its intensity and, like an everlasting spring, she will draw from
it for the rest ofher life.
ThankstotheworkofJanetBalaskasovertheyears,thisimmense
natural gift need no longer be taken away from us. In writing this
book, she shares her profound perception ofthe ways in which we
can benefit from the cosmic forces that surround us. These influ-
encesarenotconfined toyogapositions.Theyaretransplanted into
our daily life and become our way ofbeing.
Janetnot only pours all herpersonal experience into these pages
as someone who practises yoga, but also passes on the scientific
knowledge needed by those who may assist in a birth. It is only
when you are helped by someone totallyaware ofthe beautyofthe
wholeprocessofchildbirththatyoucanabandonyourlastvestiges
of resistance and step consciously into motherhood.
With these few lines 1 would like to express my gratitude as a
woman to Janet Balaskas, and her colleagues Lolly Stirk, Yvonne
Moore, and other Active Birth teachers for their work in showing
pregnant women a better approach to childbirth.
Sandra Sabatini
Florence
1993
PKfc PARING f()R BIKIH WIIH YfJGA
FOREWORD
By Yehudi Gordon md frcog fcog sa
I am very pleased to write a foreword for this book. Janet Balaskas
and I share a lineage. We have both been taught by Mina Semyon,
Mary Stewart, Sandra Sabatini and Vanda Scaravelli: we have
practised together, and we have shared our discoveries and our
experiences withparents during pregnancy, birth and infancy.
Yoga is wonderful. The style taught in this book is inspiring and
magicaland focuses ourawareness on the universalpull ofgravity.
Onceingravitywearetaken,stepbystep,breathbybreath,through
the discovery of our feet, heels, spine, and finally our head. The
exploration is an adventure which is safebecause we acknowledge
the anchor of gravity to the earth and this allows our bodies to fly.
This yoga is not abouthow far we can stretch, it is about discover-
ing gravity and feeling the infinite ocean from which 'the wave' of
thebreath originates and returns.
Practisingyogaisaccompaniedbymanybenefits. Itawakensour
spine, releases the tension in ourjoints, ligaments and muscles and
releases our energy and vitality. As our body relaxes actively we
discoverthe spacewithin. Itisalways safebecauseeveryposture is
carried outon the wave ofthebreath.
The discovery oftheoceanand thewaveswith thebreatharising
andreturningisapricelessgift. Itallowsustofindourselfwhatever
circumstancesourlivesarein. Thebreathispresentwhetherweare
calmandrelaxed,duringastormylabourwhentheoceanwavesare
high,inthemiddleofthenightwhenourbabyiscrying,andduring
lovemaking. The wave of the breath is always there, it is always
accessibleprovidedweareattentivetoitspresence. Itcalms,centres
and energizes us. The practice of yoga is one way to discover the
wave, and once discovered itempowers us throughout our lives.
Thisisapracticalandinspiringbook. Theexcitement,joy,richness
andbenefitofyogaisindoing.Thisbookactsasaguidealongthepath.
Yehudi Gordon
London
1993
PREPARING fOR BIRTH WITH YOGA
K.\u Gi\"L\G Birth to the U.m\erse
This wooden carving ofthe Goddess Kali
comesfrom a prayer cart in a temple in
India. She tells us that the birth giving
regenerative power ofwomen is sacred.
Her body symbolizes thefeminine source
ofall life and renewal. She is a symbol of
the active autonomous
birth giver - standing in the squatting
position to give birth infullpossession
ofher own strength andpower.