What is Colic and How is it Diagnosed?

The Art Of Pregnancy Yoga Relaxation

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 11:03:50 GMT

How to Relax During Pregnancy - Four Yoga Practices

The Art of Relaxation

I can remember during my first pregnancy being incredibly stressed, finding it difficult to relax and nearly impossible to sleep. Just before getting pregnant with Archie my mother-in-law was diagnosed with stage three cancer – the full implications of how that impacted on me during pregnancy is maybe another story – but what I will say is that it was a stressful and upsetting time for all of the family. And weather it is an unexpected illness, death, work crisis, a pandemic or any other life change - stress can have a negative impact on our ability to relax and get efficient sleep. But why does this matter? Well, because if we’re not able to relax it means that those nasty stress hormones will be elevated -something we could all do without, but we may want to be even more mindful of it during pregnancy. However, relaxing does not come easily to everyone and it can take practice. Read on to find out about four useful practices. But first...

Why is relaxation so important throughout pregnancy?

Relaxation during pregnancy is important because it supports the health and wellbeing of both the mother and the baby in womb by keeping stress hormones and their effects from having a potentially adverse impact. During stressful periods the brain feels that you are in danger and as such the stress response is sent to the amygdala’s danger control centre (the hypothalamus) which triggers the autonomic nervous system to switch to the fight or flight response (otherwise known as the Sympathetic Nervous System SNS). When this happens heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar rise to give you a boost to run or fight. There will also be increased blood flow to the arms and legs. At the same time there is a reduction in what the brain deems as more unnecessary functions like digestion with blood being directed away from vital organs including the womb. However, this type of extreme response usually occurs in small bursts – for instance when you need to make an emergency stop in the car, or maybe when someone startles you, or if you have an unpleasant confrontation with someone. The brain and body respond rapidly – kicking in the flight or fight response, and then we are usually able to quickly settle as the stress passes.

The bigger culprit when it comes to stressors are any ongoing medium stresses; things such as continued stressed at work, being bullied by someone, or having sole care responsibilities for someone – these tend to have longer-term implications on wellbeing. It is this type of stress that can for some individuals lead to issues of high blood pressure or chronic tension and insomnia. For women who are pregnant some research is showing that long term stresses may affect nutrient absorption, immunity, and there is some evidence that it may impact on how a baby’s brain develops its own stress response patterns in utero.

Yoga in general is known to help people to reduce and better manage stress, as the practices support making physical changes within the brain and the nervous systems - creating new neural pathways that build alternative ways for the body to cope with and respond to stressors. Here are a four gentle and simple yoga practices for relaxation.

Shavasana During Pregnancy

i. Settling the body – Shavasana (modified for pregnancy). Finding a supported laying position with support under the knees to alleviate discomfort on the lumber spine. After 28 weeks the position should not be on the back but on the left side with support to keep the knee and hip aligned, or in a semi- sitting position against a wall with knees bent. Finding and supporting a comfortable Shavasana position helps to calm and relax the body and allows the mind the opportunity to be less distracted by discomfort, pain or restlessness in the body - this increases the opportunity for rest, relaxation and recuperation while the mind can focus intentions elsewhere – such as watching the breath. Relax the body with each exhale, then enjoy the release of tensions. Allow 10 -20 minutes in Shavasana to give the body time to really release and benefit from the practice.

Using the Breath to Relax

ii. Deep relaxation watching the breath. The breath is the one place that we can tap into the autonomic nervous system and take some control of it. When the breath is deepened and elongated it activates the Parasympathetic Nervous System and supports relaxation in the body and mind - while also encouraging the release of the ‘feel good’ bonding hormone oxytocin. Watching the breath involves a focus on the breath coming in through the nose, feeling the expansion of the lungs and noticing the ease that comes to the body on the exhale. As you breath out gently extend the exhale so its long and slow; this really helps to tip the mind and body into relaxation mode. Following the soothing rhythm of the breath lulls the mind into a gentle meditation and the body into a tranquil place. This practice is beneficial if experiencing insomnia or anxiety; it can also be used to relax between contractions when in labour, and to use as a time to relax and bond with baby both during pregnancy and after. You can combine this practice with the Shavasana practice described above.

Walking Meditation

iii. Grounded Walking Meditation. The coordinating of the breath and footsteps while bring attention and connection to your baby. During this practice the eyes are open but soft, with the inhale and the exhale matching and moving with the slow rhythm of the moving feet; mindfully feeling the weight move from the heel of the foot rolling through to the toes, and then noticing the weight transfer to the other foot. Use a long slow breath (as described in the Breathing practice above) to increase your relaxation and make this practice more meditative.

Yoga Nidra for Pregnancy Relaxation

iv. Yoga Nidra – or guided relaxation and imagery. This type of relaxation is usually guided and uses the power of suggestion and/or images to guide the mind’s eye around the body to support and promote relaxation of the body and mind. One hour of Yoga Nidra is said to be equivalent to four hours of sleep, and during pregnancy can be helpful in reducing stress and anxiety, managing fatigue, and easing nausea. Have a look on line or use the InsightTimer app to find a practice to enjoy.

Why Do Breathing Practices During Pregnancy?

Sat, 13 Nov 2021 18:40:29 GMT

What are the Benefits of Breathing Practices During Pregnancy?

The benefits of pranayama during pregnancy are many. Remember, you are now breathing for two!

Many breathing practices increase the amount of oxygen available; therefore, increasing the nourishment received by the vital organs and baby – with the placenta functioning as lungs for baby, taking and receiving blood and oxygen via the umbilical cord.

Some Pranayama practices can also help to reduce feeling of stress and anxiety, ‘when the breath is steady, the mind is steady’. Practices that lengthen the exhale works to slow the heart rate – helping to combat issues such as low mood, hypertension, insomnia and anxiety.

Connecting with the breath also works to create a bond with baby though both visualisation of share the breath and also as a means of communicating. We can communicate with baby through the breath with the knowledge that baby can not only hear our breathing can but can be comforted by the slow sound, feeling and the benefits from the positive hormones released.

Breathing practices additionally can be used to bring deep relaxation as well as inner strength. Different practices are able to calm and turn the focus of the breath inward – leaving outside distractions in the peripheral, and bringing balance and focus internally. Other practices bring a sense of empowerment and can support accessing inner strength. The breath can also be an aid in brining mindfulness to the body – allowing us to tune into the subtleties of what the body is telling us; in labour this tuning in also opens the door to awareness of using breath to create rhythm and movement that is useful to birthing.

Using the breath during pregnancy and labour plays a vital role in the practices of pregnancy yoga, and in line with the Birthlight philosophy is a part of all my classes with the aim of supporting women to find ease, strength, focus and connection.

What is Colic? How is it Diagnosed & Tips for Soothing Colic

Fri, 01 May 2020 11:24:21 GMT

What is Colic, How is it Diagnosed, and What Can Help to Sooth Your Baby?

Until recently, the standard diagnostic criteria for colic was the ‘rule of three’: crying for more than three hours per day, more than three days a week for longer than three weeks.

The latest diagnostic criteria (Rome IV) has shifted focus from an arbitrary amount of crying to the excessive and inconsolable nature of the crying. Parents typically report crying episodes tend to occur in the late afternoon or evening and last several hours.

Other features of colic include:

• Redness of the face

• Clenched fists

• Arched back

Reasons For Colic

The reasons for colic are poorly understood, but several physiological and psychosocial theories have been suggested.

Physiological possibilities include:

• Abnormal bile acid levels and composition, impairing the absorption of fat and other nutrients

• Alterations in the gut microbiome

• Immature gut motility Intolerance to cow’s milk protein or lactose

• A recent study of 55 infants found a link between melatonin (a hormone that supports sleep) circadian rhythms (sleep cycle) and infant colic. Melatonin circadian rhythms begin around the third month of life, typically the same time that colic symptoms start to decrease. However, this was a small study and further research is needed to understand the hormone’s role in colic

Psycho social possibilities may include:

• Mis-reading of baby’s cues /reasons for crying

• Stresses within the household

• Over stimulation

• Inadequate interactions

It has also been suggested that colic may be a normal developmental phenomenon, reflecting part of the normal distribution of infant crying.

Soothing Techniques May Help

It may be possible to reduce crying by trying different soothing methods - some babies respond better to some techniques than others. Parents may find the following helpful:

• Holding the baby during a crying episode

• Wearing baby in a sling

• Gentle motion, such as rocking, pushing them in a pram or going for a drive

• Background noise, such as the vacuum cleaner or washing machine

• White noise

• A warm bath

• Reducing stimulation

• Baby Massage *Find Download Below*

*Information obtained from The Health Professional Academy CPD Training*

Breathing Practice for Postnatal Healing

Fri, 01 May 2020 11:24:21 GMT

Three-Dimensional Breathing For Postnatal Healing

Breathing effectively plays an incredibly important role for efficient core functioning, and specific breathing practices can support the postnatal body to come back into alignment and build and restore the core muscles. When the core muscles are in optimal condition the body feels balanced, stable and feels at ease.

When the core muscles are not functioning well, they can cause:

• Incontinence

• Pelvic prolapse

• Back pain

• Pelvic girdle pain and

• Diastasis recti (separation of the abdominal muscles)

There is more to the Core Muscles than just the Pelvic Floor

We often think of the core muscles as only meaning the pelvic floor muscles – and indeed these are important as they form the bottom of the bowl of the core muscle group. The pelvic floor muscles attach to the front, sides and back of the pelvis forming a muscular bowl that supports the organs above it – namely the bladder, the uterus and the rectum. The other three core muscles include the transverse abdominals in the front of the body, the small multifidus muscles on wither side of the spine and diaphragm below the ribs. While I won’t discuss the psoas muscle at the moment – it also has a role to play in pelvic health and stability.

What is Three-Dimensional Breathing?

Three-dimensional breathing is a breathing technique that can support the strengthening and function of all of these muscles in the core group and is a great place to begin your journey to postnatal recovery. This stabilising breath is also ideal to use during gentle and appropriate exercise such as Postnatal Yoga .

The following breathing exercise is suitable to do as soon as you feel comfortable and ready postnatally. You may initially just want to do the first three steps until your body is feeling less tender and a little more recovered.

Step 1:

You can stand or sit on a chair, birthing ball or block or cushion on the floor – ideally have the knees slightly lower than the hips (this relieves pressure on the lower back). Sitting upright yet relaxed, roll the pelvis gently back and forth until you find a comfortable position for the lower back. Then check that your rib-cage is in line with your hips and not thrust forward so that your diaphragm is stacked evenly over your pelvis.

Step 2:

With out lifting the ribcage up and forward have a full breath into the lower part of the lungs. As you breath in feel the ribcage expand all the way around the front back and sides like an umbrella opening (allowing the diaphragm to flatten). As the ribcage opens, feel a gentle soft filling of the belly and visualise the pelvic floor softening and relaxing. Your belly and ribs should be moving in unison with 70% of the air directed towards your lower ribs. Breath like this for a few breaths, allowing the shoulder to float away form the ears on the exhale.

Step 3:

Now as you exhale and the ribs are descending and the belly is drawing in, begin to draw up the pelvic floor. Start with an easy contraction (squeeze) at the anal opening – like your trying to not pass wind- and continue to gently squeeze and lift the pelvic floor. Use nice slow breaths. Remember to soften through the belly and pelvic floor muscles on the inhale.

*Note* Some visual ques that might work for you: visualising the sitz bones pulling together as well as the tailbone and pubic bone coming together – like a drawstring bag. Or sucking up a jellybean! Sipping a milkshake through your vagina! Or preventing a tampon from slipping out.

Step 4:

Getting the hang of it? Fabulous! Now, as you breath out through pursed lips feel the abdomen gently draw the belly button in as the ribcage descends all the way around like an umbrella closing (allowing the diaphragm to round up). The belly button should be drawing in and moving slightly up. Have a few breaths in this way while you explore the movements and sensations.

Step 5:

This is a progressive next step. As you’re drawing up the pelvic floor begin to notice a tightening across the lower abdomen – this is your transverse abdominals, and a small contraction in the lower back on either side of the spine – this is the multifidus. The light engagement of these muscles complete the core contraction of this three-dimensional breathing practice. It is a light contraction which you can feel if you put your hands on the inside of the hip bones. A visual cue for this contraction could be the hip bones coming closer together

Practice Anytime

Once you get your head around it, this three-dimensional breathing practice can be done using a gentle normal breath, once you have the hang of it, it’s wonderful to do during any quiet moment while laying down, sitting, standing, or even while out walking with the push chair.