Yoga and fertility : a journey to health and healing

417 Pages·2013·13.1 MB·English

by  Jill Mahrlig Petigara E-RYT MA

“Yoga and Fertility is a great resource for women seeking to optimize their
fertility. Yoga provides an important adjunct to the mind/body approach to
fertility proven beneficial to reduce stress and improve mental and physical well-
being. By presenting the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ of each exercise, the authors
provide the reader with the knowledge, insight and encouragement to take full
advantage of this powerful tool.”
Nancy A. Klein, M.D.
Reproductive Endocrinologist
Seattle Reproductive Medicine
Seattle, WA
“A wonderfully rich and concise manual. Lynn Jensen and Jill Petigara provide
an easy to follow program to take you through poses that enhance each phase of
the menstrual cycle, regardless of your familiarity with yoga. Beginner,
intermediate, or advanced, you will find detailed photos, descriptions, and
reasons for these healing exercises.”
Randine Lewis, L.Ac., Ph.D.
FABORM
www.thefertilesoul.com
“Only those who dare to plunge to their depths can re-emerge triumphant, wise
and fulfilled. Lynn Jensen and Jill Petigara both longed to be mothers. Their
struggle with infertility and the failure of medical intervention turned them back
on themselves and to their Yoga practice. Finally, letting go of all expectations, a
perfect baby arrived for each of them. The gratitude they both found in the gift
of their babies led them to assist other women struggling with infertility. This is
a beautiful and informative book that will give hope and help to many women.”
Angela Farmer, International Yoga Teacher
“Those who are interested in practicing yoga in the context of their path to
parenthood, whether they are yoga novices or long-time practitioners, will find
in this book a very easy-to-follow guide to poses, breathing, and relaxation. The
photographs and descriptions of poses and sequences are excellent. Also, by
including a rationale for each pose, the authors engage the reader in an active
understanding of the function of each pose and how it may be helpful during
each part of a woman’s cycle. These aspects of the book are excellent, but
perhaps the most important quality of the book is that it focuses on the mind-
body connection and encourages those seeking fertility support to begin a
journey of greater understanding, compassion, and healing for the self. Miracles
are not promised, but ‘success’ is viewed as progress along the path of
increasing wellness and acceptance, no matter the outcome.”
Cathryn Booth-LaForce, Ph.D., RYT
Professor, University of Washington
“With their extensive training in yoga and personal struggles with starting their
families, Jill Petigara and Lynn Jensen have created an informative guide for
people who are trying to conceive and wish to incorporate yoga into their own
journey to parenthood.”
Lora Shahine, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
Pacific NW Fertility and IVF Specialists
“Yoga and Fertility is a terrific resource for women who are trying to overcome
fertility challenges or just starting to prepare for conception. I specialize in
medical nutrition therapy for reproductive nutrition and my patients want to
know they are doing everything possible to conceive a healthy child. The
fertility journey can be stressful and often overwhelming and I frequently
recommend yoga. What a great resource for women to learn more about the
benefits of fertility yoga, with detailed instructions, great illustrations and
explanations!”
Judy Simon MS,RD Mind Body Nutrition, PLLC
And University Washington Medical Center Faculty and Dietitian
www.mind-body-nutrition.com
“Yoga and Fertility shows us how to apply ancient and time tested methods that
can truly heal, rejuvenate and strengthen our body, mind and spirit. Its
straightforward and holistic approach shares key teachings on how to establish
our body’s innate capacities. More than a tool to help women achieve their
dream of getting pregnant, having a healthy pregnancy, and finally bringing a
child into the world, Yoga and Fertility provides guidance that can benefit men
or women, in other words, anyone wanting to have more of the life they truly
desire.”
Rod Stryker, Founder of ParaYoga, author of The Four Desires
“Focusing the mind and body through a regular yoga practice reduces stress and
improves health. This is a great benefit for women undergoing demanding
fertility treatments. I’ve been fortunate to have Lynn’s Yoga and Fertility class
available for my patients locally and am so glad that Lynn and Jill have decided
to share their expertise with a wider audience. I know this book will be a
valuable resource and recommend it highly.”
Angela Thyer, M.D.
Seattle Reproductive Medicine
“An amazing step-by-step guide to the most beneficial yoga postures for fertility,
scientifically shown to elicit the relaxation response. Lynn Jensen and Jill
Petigara’s Yoga and Fertility is a key ingredient to nourishing reproductive
health on a cellular level.”
Kathryn Simmons Flynn, Founder of Fertile Foods and author of Cooking for
Fertility
www.fertilefoods.com
and Fertility
A Journey to Health and Healing
JILL MAHRLIG PETIGARA, E-RYT, MA
AND
LYNN JENSEN E-RYT, RPYT, MBA
Visit our website at www.demoshealth.com
ISBN: 978-1-936303-32-8
e-book ISBN: 9781617051111
Acquisitions Editor: Noreen Henson
Compositor: diacriTech © 2013 by Jill Mahrlig Petigara and Lynn Jensen. All rights reserved. This book is
protected by copyright. No part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior
written permission of the publisher.
Medical information provided by Demos Health, in the absence of a visit with a health care professional,
must be considered as an educational service only. This book is not designed to replace a physician’s
independent judgment about the appropriateness or risks of a procedure or therapy for a given patient. Our
purpose is to provide you with information that will help you make your own health care decisions.
The information and opinions provided here are believed to be accurate and sound, based on the best
judgment available to the authors, editors, and publisher, but readers who fail to consult appropriate health
authorities assume the risk of injuries. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions. The editors
and publisher welcome any reader to report to the publisher any discrepancies or inaccuracies noticed.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data.
Petigara, Jill Mahrlig.
Yoga and fertility : a journey to health and healing / Jill Mahrlig Petigara and Lynn Jensen.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-936303-32-8
1. Hatha yoga. 2. Fertility, Human. 3. Women—Health and hygiene. 4. Self-care, Health. I. Jensen, Lynn.
II. Title.
RA781.7.P478 2012
613.7’046—dc23
2012030128
Special discounts on bulk quantities of Demos Health books are available to corporations, professional
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details, please contact: Special Sales Department Demos Medical Publishing, LLC
11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor
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Phone: [phone] or 212-683-0072
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Printed in the United States of America by Bang Printing 12 13 14 15 / 5 4 3 2 1
Jill and Lynn would like to dedicate this book to all of our students,
past, present and future, and to anyone who has ever faced fertility
challenges.
Contents
Foreword Carol Knoph, MEd, LMHC
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Why We Wrote This Book
CHAPTER 1. WHAT IS YOGA FOR FERTILITY?
General Yoga Benefits
Yoga for Fertility Benefits
CHAPTER 2. WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM YOGA FOR FERTILITY?
Just Starting Out
Unexplained Infertility
PCOS
Endometriosis
Miscarriage
Is Yoga for Fertility Helpful for Men?
The Research: Is Yoga for Fertility Effective?
CHAPTER 3. GETTING STARTED WITH YOGA FOR FERTILITY
Getting Started
Deciding Where to Begin in This Book
How Much Time and How Often Should You Do These Routines?
Keeping a Journal
Basic Yoga Principles
CHAPTER 4. ROUTINES FOR THE FIRST HALF OF YOUR CYCLE
First Half Basic Routine
Summary Flow of First Half Basic Routine
POSE DESCRIPTIONS FOR FIRST HALF BASIC ROUTINE
Poses Lying on Your Back
Poses on Hands and Knees
Supine Poses and Lunge Pose
Standing Poses
Seated Poses
Relaxation Poses
First Half Intermediate Routine
Summary Flow of First Half Intermediate Routine
POSE DESCRIPTIONS FOR FIRST HALF INTERMEDIATE ROUTINE
Poses Lying on Your Back
Poses on Hands and Knees
Standing Poses
Supine Poses
More Poses Lying on Your Back
Relaxation Poses
CHAPTER 5. ROUTINES FOR THE SECOND HALF OF YOUR CYCLE
Second Half Basic Routine
Summary Flow of Second Half Basic Routine
POSE DESCRIPTIONS FOR SECOND HALF BASIC ROUTINE
Poses Lying on Your Back
Poses on Hands and Knees
Standing Poses
Seated Poses
Relaxation Poses