Since learning I was pregnant, I've developed a deep love for a few new things... and I thought (mostly due to a lack of anything exciting to write about at the moment,) I'd share them.
1. Prenatal Yoga: On Saturday I met Julie at CNY Yoga Center in Liverpool to take a prenatal yoga class. When Julie asked me I was a little skeptical. I've never really thought of myself as a yoga person. But since learning that I was pregnant I've tried to keep an open mind and entertain possibilities that I may not have before. So, I tried a Prenatal Yoga video that I bought early on. I thought if i liked the video than I'd like the class. Well... I totally hated it. It was way too slow and relaxation oriented for me. I'm more of a fast paced, action packed kind of girl when it comes to any type of excercise. (Think kickboxing, or step classes.) I decided to go and try it anyway and, wouldn't you know, I absolutely loved it! I even went out and bought my own yoga mat so I don't have to use the sweaty ones at the Center. This is something I think I'll probably continue right up until delivery. I think when I'm not in my own living room feeling self-conscious every time Brian walks through and makes a comment, I'm much more apt to relax. It was mostly about flexibility, stretching, and breathing, and supposedly this all has great benefits when it comes to labor. Since I'll take any help I can get in that department, I'm very excited to continue! The one hard part was not laughing. A lot of the moves require balance and as a first-timer, I just didn't have it. I kept tipping over and hitting the wall, or nearly falling in the middle of something. The dumbest things tend to trigger a laughing attack for me, so it should be interesting to see how I handle that in the very silent room.
2. Bella Bands:
Bella Bands are stretchy rings of fabric, very similar to a nylon/spandex camisole. But, there are no straps, and they're tighter at the bottom. So, you can wear the over your(unbuttoned!) pants and everyone is none-the-wiser. I bought two the other night while I was on my "Operation: Find Fat Pants" shopping trip. Today I tested them out with my favorite pair of gray pants. These pants, to be honest, were getting tight on me
before I got pregnant, so they were a good pair to test this product out with. I have to say, I'm now madly in love with Bella Bands. I wore mine all the way up like the model on the right. I felt like a total dork (think Steve Urkel) with it pulled up like that, but whatever-- no one knew. It looked like I'd layered a camisole under my shirt, and even with the pants unbuttoned, they stayed up and in place all day. I may order a few more colors off the internet (right now I have black and white) because I really think that not only will these make the transition from regular pants to maternity pants easier, but I'll probably be able to use them on my transition back down come this winter. I could also keep them handy for future Thanksgiving dinners and fat days... Or to keep up my old fat pants once I'm no longer pregnant and I magically slim down into the supermodel-svelte shape that I was meant to have =)
1. Prenatal Yoga: On Saturday I met Julie at CNY Yoga Center in Liverpool to take a prenatal yoga class. When Julie asked me I was a little skeptical. I've never really thought of myself as a yoga person. But since learning that I was pregnant I've tried to keep an open mind and entertain possibilities that I may not have before. So, I tried a Prenatal Yoga video that I bought early on. I thought if i liked the video than I'd like the class. Well... I totally hated it. It was way too slow and relaxation oriented for me. I'm more of a fast paced, action packed kind of girl when it comes to any type of excercise. (Think kickboxing, or step classes.) I decided to go and try it anyway and, wouldn't you know, I absolutely loved it! I even went out and bought my own yoga mat so I don't have to use the sweaty ones at the Center. This is something I think I'll probably continue right up until delivery. I think when I'm not in my own living room feeling self-conscious every time Brian walks through and makes a comment, I'm much more apt to relax. It was mostly about flexibility, stretching, and breathing, and supposedly this all has great benefits when it comes to labor. Since I'll take any help I can get in that department, I'm very excited to continue! The one hard part was not laughing. A lot of the moves require balance and as a first-timer, I just didn't have it. I kept tipping over and hitting the wall, or nearly falling in the middle of something. The dumbest things tend to trigger a laughing attack for me, so it should be interesting to see how I handle that in the very silent room.
2. Bella Bands: Bella Bands are stretchy rings of fabric, very similar to a nylon/spandex camisole. But, there are no straps, and they're tighter at the bottom. So, you can wear the over your(unbuttoned!) pants and everyone is none-the-wiser. I bought two the other night while I was on my "Operation: Find Fat Pants" shopping trip. Today I tested them out with my favorite pair of gray pants. These pants, to be honest, were getting tight on me before I got pregnant, so they were a good pair to test this product out with. I have to say, I'm now madly in love with Bella Bands. I wore mine all the way up like the model on the right. I felt like a total dork (think Steve Urkel) with it pulled up like that, but whatever-- no one knew. It looked like I'd layered a camisole under my shirt, and even with the pants unbuttoned, they stayed up and in place all day. I may order a few more colors off the internet (right now I have black and white) because I really think that not only will these make the transition from regular pants to maternity pants easier, but I'll probably be able to use them on my transition back down come this winter. I could also keep them handy for future Thanksgiving dinners and fat days... Or to keep up my old fat pants once I'm no longer pregnant and I magically slim down into the supermodel-svelte shape that I was meant to have =)
7 comments:
If anyone sees it, they will just think you wear huge granny panties and well I heard those are in style too!!! (he he he).
I too am so high strung I am unsure if I am a yoga person but knowing I get to wear comfy pants may be enough to get me there. Some people at work go and have asked me to go.
I tried to do prenatal yoga a bunch of times -- I liked the idea of expanding my torso to allow for greater room for the babies -- however, I kept getting so annoyed at the woman in the video -- because she kept telling me that yoga and deep breathing would calm and relax my baby. Um, or not! The yoga seemed to make them super-hyper and I would have two little monsters kick-boxing in-utero. I eventually gave it up when I was about 28 weeks pregnant -- I actually fell asleep on the floor in the living room while attempting to do the video and decided that was probably enough ...
I never really wore bella bands -- I had one, but didn't love it. I preferred the hair-twisty through the button-hole. I also started wearing maternity clothes pretty early on (probably about where you are now ...)
I am so glad that you liked yoga! It is especially for people who are high-strung because it forces you to clear your mind. At-home videos just don't cut it. Sometimes I envision Matt watching me do the yoga and I internally smile. But, that is why I go alone!
I loved the Bella Bands too. I am beyond that point now, but I am assuming I will wear them after the baby is born too. Well, I could wear them now if I left my pants completely unzipped.....but I am not sure how I feel about that one:)
BTW, it was kinda funny when you tipped over, but I didn't laugh because I tried the tree pose last class and I quickly learned to keep my foot anchored pretty low on my leg:) That woman who is preg with twins is a show off! (but, I am sure that she won't be able to do that much longer)
Funny I did yoga a ton before I was pregnant but never during. My LR is just too small I guess. I used to try to do the on demand prenatal excerise shows but I lost interest.
I wore bella bands later in pregnancy to keep my belly covered when my shirt wouldn't reach my pants. Even maternity shirts were no match for my ever expanding toroso!
I'm sticking my lip out and pouting because I don't get rapid fire comments like this within two hours of posting! No fair no fair, everyone likes you better as usual!
Ugh! Hit spell check JONES!
Haha, toroso...
Anyway, I want a bella band!
Yoga will do wonderful things, but you have to really stick with it. My instructor always used to say "yoga is for life", and even though I skipped a lot of classes, I found myself to be a more relaxed and "flexible" person overall.
You could call it "The Adventures of Phat Kristeen."
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