Whole Body Breathing for Anxious Moments

(Time length: 15:06)

It’s hard to wait when you’re an anxious person, and pregnancy is one long waiting game. Even putting aside time you may have spent waiting to or trying to conceive, there’s waiting for the highest miscarriage risk of the first trimester to pass, waiting for each appointment, waiting for the results of prenatal tests, waiting for your baby to be born.

This was me.

My due date was on a Friday, and each time I hit that day of the week, I would check my pregnancy app to see the reassurance of the number of weeks I was farther ahead, and what sized fruit or other object my baby was now. Often, I’d check at midnight or my early AM pee break to get that hit of confidence as early as possible.

Each milestone, I’d be reassured temporarily, only to have the anxiety of waiting for the next milestone quickly replace it.

I felt like I should be “enjoying” my pregnancy, but I felt like I couldn’t relax until my baby was safe and in my arms.

My body was in the present - walking so much slower than I would like - and my mind was in the future, spinning out into what-ifs and worst-case scenarios.

The reality is that being present in the moment doesn’t mean blissfully enjoying every moment. But connecting with my body helped bring me into the here and now - and feel a little more whole, a little less like I was in a wrestling match with my own anxiety.

In this self-care practice, I’m sharing some tools that helped me find a bit of ease in these situations: the practice I’ve learned in AT of slowing down and “breathing into my back” and being in the position of child’s pose, which always made me feel safe and protected. Whenever my prenatal yoga teacher told me to “take a moment in child’s pose,” it never seemed long enough!

As a bonus, this will also help you: take pressure off your back, find alignment, make friends with your pelvic floor!

Notes:

Positions used in this practice: child’s pose and tabletop/ all fours.

Tools needed: a comfortable yet firm surface, like a carpeted floor or yoga mat, pillows and bolsters to support you in child’s pose, a folded blanket to put under your knees during all fours if needed.

This post references the sit bones. If you’re not sure where your sit bones are, check out this post first.

If you are experiencing pelvic pain and it is uncomfortable to have the knees wide, place the knees closer together. This post shows a nice set up of boosting with pillows for those dealing with pelvic girdle pain (PGP)/ pubis symphysis dysfunction (SPD). Listen to your own body, and follow the recommendations of your medical care team regarding any conditions.

At any time, you may also practice this sequence in side-lying, referring to this post here for set-up instructions.

Do you feel pressure to enjoy your pregnancy or struggle with anxiety? What helps you find ease?

For further help, see me for hands-on, individualized coaching at your location in Chicago or via Skype.