I knew there was a world dance studio in town, and one of their big dance styles is bellydancing. Now they say that bellydance (and several other forms of hip and butt shaking dance) are quite beneficial to pregnant women – in fact a lot of them were used to help women of the past get ready for childbirth.

So when my midwife told me the dance studio was going to start a prenatal bellydance class I was excited. I nervously took myself to the first class, which was 30 minutes long. It was all gentle – a lot of warm-up stretching and some yoga poses in there, then a gentle introduction into movement of hips and arms. Gentle as it was, it was still quite a workout for me!

So this weekend I went to the second session of the class – the one full length. I must admit it was tons of fun. The instructor is pregnant too and it’s really nice to be in a room full of pregnant bellies. The stretching all feels very good and the bellydancing is certainly a workout! I didn’t realize that my hips could move quite the way that they do. I love the way my instructor talks about how dance “rocks our babies” and I love the thought of getting my body ready to move through labor and birth.

I think I’m going to pick up this prenatal bellydance DVD to have at home as I’d like some review between my two weeks classes. I’ve already been enjoying finding little moments to turn on some music and practice. If you’re looking for a good prenatal exercise I’d recommend prenatal yoga as a basis because it really helps you work with your breath and stretches out. Then something more vigorous – for me dancing is a lot of fun, and it’s some time for me to just let go and enjoy myself – and it’s some time for me to sit and think about the birth and about my sweet baby.

I have done the same yoga routine through all of my pregnancies – the first three and now in this fourth pregnancy. I use the book Prenatal Yoga and Natural Childbirth by Jeannine Parvati Baker and I cannot be more pleased with it.  In addition to the wonderful yoga routine it has Jeannine’s birth stories and some of her thoughts in it and it’s truly enlightening and refreshing.  And thought-provoking.  I need to write a review to put under my book reviews!

I find yoga to be an ideal pregnancy exercise, coupled with walking.  I think swimming would also be lovely but I’ve never had a place to swim during my pregnancies.  But all three of these activities are gentle and stimulating at the same time.  Yoga and swimming especially help you to be flexible and work on your breathing.  Yoga excels in letting you focus on certain muscles and ligaments to prepare for birth.

I think that my yoga routine has helped me keep my body soft and flexible right up to labor and it has helped me get ready for labor.  It’s especially good at helping me get used to squatting, which can be a helpful position during birth.

Another thing I like is the quiet moments yoga gives me.  Moments I can look inwards and focus on the new life within me – something hard to do sometimes in a busy home.  And I take the time to pray about mid-way through my yoga routine and that is so wonderful for me, a time to pray specifically for my new child and his/her health, my health, and also for a good and safe birth.  Often I find the minutes slip away before I say these daily prayers, but my yoga routine gives me the time.  And I think that’s helped me have three wonderful births

In my yoga book Jeannine says something that I’ve been pondering over today: “Nowadays I understand that real labor begins at conception and that it takes about 9 months to give birth.”  This profound statement rings so true.  It takes all of the nine months to prepare for birth and for the new baby coming.

For me it is a time of caring for my body and preparing my body.  It’s a time of deep inner reflection which inevitably brings to light some weaknesses to work through, and it reminds me of my strengths and teaches me of those I didn’t know I had.  It is a part of labor.  Even this pregnancy, my fourth, is already teaching me new things.  It’s helping me turn a new eye to the children I already have here, and to work through issues with them (a THAT can certainly feel like labor!)  Pregnancy and birth are such an amazing time, and I feel really blessed to have the resources to realize what a gift they are.  I’m glad for the quiet moments yoga and relaxation give me to reflect.  And I’m glad for the challenges of this time that make me realize I need to change and grow.  I am glad for this journey, all nine months of it.  For the entire labor of love