Öhrn Life Management

I got to see my baby for the first time today. What a joy!  S/he was as active as I could feel the other evening.  But s/he was doing aerobics, rather than yoga.

I did not just do any ultrasound, as I am a bit weary about possible negative side effects of ultrasound may have. This was the kind of ultrasound that you can do between week 12 and 13+6  to check for signs of chromosome changes.

I was a bit nervous of course. Not that I know what we would do if the test showed a sad result. I do not really want to think such thoughts unless I have to. Don’t want to worry unnecessarily.

Luckily enough, the doctor said that the baby looked very healthy moving so much. So healthy that he could not ever measure the neck in a proper way, since the baby was not lying still for long enough…

So I have to come back another day, before week the end of week 14.

Dear child,

I hope you didn’t mind us having a peek at you today. I was so happy to see you and your strong arms and legs kicking around. And your beautiful heart beating so steadily.

My whole body is changing to accommodate my baby. As I am finally growing more on the front, rather than to the sides, I find this easier and easier to accept.

As my little belly that has just popped out to say hello and I showed it proudly to my dear friend today. She claims it just looks like gas. How can something so beautiful look like gas?!

Actually, she’s right. There is a lot of gas in there too. And some very soft muscles.

I have been working hard to get my core back into shape since my son left a big void in my belly two years ago. Countless are the plank and boat poses I have suffered through. Still, this time around it is already in week 12 clearly visible that I am pregnant. And gassy.

Dear child,

You don’t look like gas. But I can’t really tell where you start and the gas ends. I hope you feel safe in there, surrounded by my gassy belly. A bit like Nike Air, gently cushioning you every step that I take.

I stretched out in bed last night, relaxed and sank a little deeper into my mattress. Everything became quiet. Except my baby. Like a pulsating heart, with it’s own rhythm, s/he was doing some slumber summer salts deep inside of me. Or was it a sun salutation I could sense?

It was the first time I could feel him/her tumbling around in there. What a joyous feeling.

I had to move my leg out of the aircon’s way, and as my body came to a still I could not feel the internal yoga asanas anymore. I was lying there so still so still asking my baby to keep on moving, but no more. Maybe s/he was in savasana.

Dear child,

I am so happy to feel you move. Your confident pulsating rhythm resonated throughout my soul. Feel free to jump around as much as you like. Enjoy the space around you that is still at this point. When you come out, I will take you to yoga classes where we can stretch out together. I hope you will enjoy yoga as much as the rest of your family.

During pregnancy most women have very vivid and often weird dreams. So do I. But last night was different: it was the most wonderful dream. A perfect dream birth.

I was so relaxed, my whole body was soft and as the dream started I was at the second stage of delivery: just about to meet my baby. My baby was in breach, but that did not matter. I just relaxed and let my body and my baby do the work. I was breathing my baby out.

I will keep the memory of this dream vivid and alive and use it when I visualize how the birth will be. I hope this is a dream that will come true.

Dear child,

Did you feel how effortlessly you joined the world in that dream? I will remember that feeling when you are about to join us in this world. Relaxing and releasing, letting our bodies work together without my mind interfering.

Yes, certain discomfort comes with the deal for all pregnant women, but most mothers would agree that the result is worth a few months of slighter aches and pains. Even the sometimes overwhelming challenge of birthing.

So whenever I feel something about the pregnancy being too overwhelming, I tell myself: ‘KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRICE!’

Dear child,

I keep my eyes on you.

As with any building, a solid foundation is – per definition – fundamental.

Rationally I understand that the Wonder globe has to have something that it can attach to around my waist. It can’t just sit there on the front, like a football caught under my skin. Therefore I see my waist grow. Emotionally if find it challenging to try on pair after pair of trousers, just to see that they don’t fit anymore. Style wise this is becoming a minor catastrophe. But with the help of a hair band I can get my trousers to fit a little longer.

Dear child,

Never mind my silly thoughts about my waist size. Build as much of a solid foundation as you need in order to travel safely with me through these nine months.

Practise how to breathe? Most people don’t even notice that they breathe. It is just a natural process, taken for granted. Why would you need to practice something that’s so natural?!

Because it is such an underused source of well-being. If there was only one think that I could teach my prenatal students it would be to use their breath to their advantage.

Therefore, I often let the breath be the theme of my prenatal classes. Encouraging my students to feel it rocking the body, observe it rise and fall,  elongate it, invite the breath to move the body in different directions, in various parts of their chest and belly. Inspiring them to let the breath determine the phase of the movements.

Getting to know your breath may take practice. But it is going to be worth every minute you invest in it. When it’s time for birth and you can use it to support you and your baby’s efforts you will be happy you learnt to know your breath.

Dear child,

Can you feel how I, with each exhalation, give you a gentle hug with my belly?

In a city like Bangkok, noise and smells can be overwhelming for anyone. And a real challenge for pregnant ladies.

Sometimes I feel so over sensitive. Smells, noises, people: anything seems to send my senses into full alarm mood. I like to think that it is my body being ultra alert on any potential dangers that may be threatening my baby.

My heightened sense of smell tells me if the food is not good to eat. – Or that there are just too many food stalls around. I would be the first to recommend breathing through the nose that at least offers a bit of filter. However, when in desperate need for a break from smells, I do the obvious: breath through my mouth. Even in the Bangkok traffic.

I even think my sense of hearing is more sensitive, maybe warning me from approaching dangers – like Bangkok drivers.

When talking to people I’m definitely more sensitive than usual. Ask my dear, dear friends and yoga teacher colleagues Joung-Ah and Wolfgang: I have a 100 % crying rate when we meet up.

Do you feel extra sensitive in any way?

Dear child,

I know that my hormones are playing with both my body and feelings. It’s a bit challenging at times, but it’s of course worth it.

Many pregnant ladies find it hard to sleep at night. I’m no exception.

Either I wake up from weird dreams or nightmares, or I need to go for a pipi or it’s just like pure insomnia. But I have a few tricks that usually help:

• Take time to wind down in the evening: no TV/ computer just before bedtime
• Do a few forward bends and meditate before getting into bed
• Instead of tossing and turning, come into child’s pose, but roll over on your left side before you fall asleep like that.

How do you get yourself to sleep the whole night?

Dear child,

I suspect you are giving me a preview of what nights can be like once you join us in this world? Thanks for the opportunity to practise!

Miso soup

Sushi

Wasabi

Pickled cucumber

Am I Japanese?

And yoghurt.

Or maybe Greek?

Dear child,

I wonder what will be your favorite food?