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Breastfeeding as a Spiritual Practice

OOPS—if you were looking for the Recipe click here

This article was written by By Leslie Davis and was first published in Mothering Magazine
Issue 120, September/October 2003.

The Sangha dwells in mindfulness day and night, providing the foundation for us to realize the fruit of meditation.
-Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese Buddhist monk, poet, and peacemaker
Thich Nhat Hanh writes, in his book The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching, “Sangha is the fourfold community of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen, as well as the other elements that support our practice-our cushion, our walking meditation path, the trees, the sky, and the flowers.” In the Buddhist tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, a sangha is a group of meditation practitioners who sit together in a circle, backs facing one another, eyes facing the wall or the outside of the circle. When I sit meditating in a circle like this, I feel a tremendous strength and energy, as if all of our practicing is holding each other up as we meditate, and then as we go out as individuals to face life and all its challenges.
When my son was born I knew very little about Buddhism, let alone the meaning of the word sangha, but I often likened my nursing to a “practice.” It took such a deep commitment, and often it was such hard work to just sit still. I considered nursing to be my spiritual work. It was my quiet time, my time for solitude and a sweet togetherness with my child. My relationship to nursing had a sinuous path, as spiritual discovery can, but I was motivated by its wonder and pursued its winding course.
I nursed my son from the tender beginnings of skin-on-skin bonding just moments after his slippery entrance into this world, until a few months after his second birthday, when he gracefully weaned himself from my breast. But many, many times it took so much concentration and self-discipline to sit there, just sit there, doing nothing, being still, feeding my baby and waiting for him to finish. I’d fly through the full range of emotions-all, sometimes, within a single nursing session: love, joy, gratitude, serenity, irritation, anger, fear, impatience, selfishness, guilt, hopelessness, despair. I’d fantasize that my body could get up and cook, clean, go to the bathroom, while my nipple stayed there in the chair nursing the baby. I’d stare out the window at people passing by our San Francisco apartment, envious of the fantastic adventures they were living while I was stuck in my chair, ruled by his tiny mouth. While I nursed, I’d return calls, look through mail, and try to keep up with all the details of my life.
After about six months of this, I gave up and gave in. With each day that passed, I saw myself more and more as a mother, as a nursing mother, as a woman devoted to her child and to the importance of breastfeeding. I became an advocate for breastfeeding, trying to encourage it among all my friends and acquaintances. I awoke to the miracle of my milk and this intimate dance of nursing my child. A calmness began to quiet my restless energy, pulling me into the present moment. As Myla Kabat-Zinn says in her book, Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting, “As I felt my milk let down, a wonderful haziness descended on me, and everything else became less important. I let go of the things I had planned to do, and instead let myself be pulled into the present moment, into being totally with my baby. It was a deeply meditative time for both of us.”
One sunny afternoon we were nursing in our “big blue chair” (as we like to call our comfortable rocker), and I realized that I’d never before devoted myself to something so entirely. Of course I’ve devoted myself to my husband, to my family, to friends, to my writing, to mothering, and even to God and other spiritual endeavors at various points in my life. But in that moment I realized that, as a breastfeeding mother, I’d completely given myself to this act of nursing in a way that I never had before. Nothing was more important than nursing my son. Nothing was put before it. There was no procrastination as with exercise, no excuses as with trying to stop eating sugar, no laziness as with housecleaning and other chores. Nursing had to be done, and I did it, over and over again, multiple times a day, for more than 800 days in a row. It was the closest thing to a spiritual practice that I’d ever experienced.
I began practicing deep breathing while I was nursing. Breathing in, I am nursing my lovely baby. Breathing out, I am mother. I tried several hundred variations on this theme: Breathing in, I love my baby. Breathing out, I feel calm. Breathing in, my baby wants milk. Breathing out, milk flows freely.
I wrote nursing haiku. I turned my “nursing corner” into a sacred place by doing such simple things as keeping it clean, putting a flower in a glass of water on my dresser, making sure I had what I needed (pillows, water, etc.) so I could relax and enjoy the precious act of nursing. I spent endless hours watching my son nursing at my breast-the most beautiful sight in the world-but I also spent a lot of time getting to know patterns of light moving across the rooms of our home, the swaying of the birch tree outside our window, the shadows of our camphor tree. I became a lover of sounds-birdsongs, raindrops, traffic, wind, sirens, neighbors talking. All these things were woven into my nursing practice.
In the middle of the night I’d think, As I lie here nursing my babe, thousands of women all over the world are nursing theirs. Especially on those nights when my son wanted to nurse all night long, I’d bring myself back to that joyous vision-in my mind, I’d imagine all of the nursing mothers I knew, each of them awake or half-awake in the middle of the night, nursing their babies. Like a sangha, they were part of my nursing community-they were my air, my sky, my sunshine. Their commitment to their nursing practice made my commitment grow stronger. Their practice made my practice seem easier.
“Take refuge in the Sangha, and you’ll have the wisdom and support you need,” says Thich Nhat Hanh in The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching. I felt such comfort from my nursing community in the dark of night, even though I was the only woman nursing in our house. In bed, with my son at my breast making his sing-song nursing noises, and my husband’s hand resting on my hip, I was supported in this act, completely loved, and nurturing my child with mother’s milk. Now that I am a practitioner and a member of a meditation sangha, this concept is even more profound to me. Now, when I sit practicing mediation, I feel my body connect with the earth, I feel my breath going in and my breath going out. That full spectrum of emotion washes over me as it did when I sat nursing, so I practice saying hello to my feelings, and practice letting them go so I can just sit, enjoy my breathing, and the comfort and support of my sangha.
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Nikiah’s Lactating Mama, Postpartum Crunch

This recipe came after the birth of my second baby when all I wanted everyday was granola.
I kept a bag of it beside me and reached into it whenever I felt hungry—which was all the time!!

When I started teaching Prenatal classes I gave this recipe out to my new mothers and it was always a big hit!

Here is the recipe, it’s easy, most importantly yummy, and makes 8 cups at a time.

Take ½ cup of honey and put it into a large pot.
Add:
1 cup oats
1 cup millet ½ cup dried cranberries
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
½ cup flax seeds {optional} but helps with constipation.
2 tsp’s of vanilla extract
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 cup of coca powder!
Zest of one orange {optional}

Melt the honey and add all of the ingredients until they are coated.
Now comes the fun part! you have two choices here you can just leave it as is and follow the baking instructions OR you can add ½ cup of coca powder!
I personally love the coca option but it is just as flavorful and good if you don’t add it!
Preheat the oven to 360 and put the granola on two pans spread out flat and bake for 10 min’s

Break up and enjoy!

P.S if you have a great recipe follow this link to our recipe contest and you could win some great food from Meals for Mums!

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How to have Less pain in Labour

To lesson the pain created by labour

Having an understanding of how you personally deal with pain can be a key component to working with it during labour.
The next time you accidently huryt yourslef, like stub your toe, notice what you do to help it feel better—do you move around? Hold your breath? Curse? Cry a little?
Chances are you will use things that have worked for you in the past during labour over any new technique you may have learned!
So next time you have the chance observe your personal way of moving through something that really hurts—remember your body and mind are both amazingly resourceful and pretty darn clever!
And only you know what works best for you more then anyone else!

Below are some tried and true tips for lessening the pain of labour, these are great for your partner to have in hand as suggestions to use while you are working through contractions!
But remember—if you try it and it does not feel right—your body knows best,so just move on and try something else!

Movement and positioning
change your position often, this can help to make the sensations lessen, as well as to work with your baby who is moving slowly down the birth canal.

Walk, Walk, Walk—did we mention walking?

Try using counter pressure-if you having a lot of low back pain, have someone press firmly where it hurts.

Reflexology and Accupressure: using reflexology during labour can be deeply relaxing and can help to speed contractions. Pressing the acupressure point 4 finger widths above your ankle bone or between your thumb and index finger can lower pain as well as help your contractions get stronger.

Massage: is a great way to distract from the pain. Using either hands or tools such as wooden massagers or battery operated, pool noodles or even a tennis ball. There are several techniques that can be used.

Water: Hydrotherapy is an excellent form of relaxation. Sitting in a waterbirth pool shower or bathtub is deeply relaxing and can help you to deal with strong contractions. Having a water birth can also help during pushing by lessoning the pain of stretching. A hot shower is also wonderful especially if your waters have broken and you would still like to use water. The hot water spraying on your lower sacrum really helps with back labour. Or, how about filling up a hot water bottle. Using either hot packs or cold packs can be extremely useful.

Distract yourself:
Bring some birth art to focus on or a photo of a baby or loved one.
Try chanting using words like “open”, or “out”, or ”low”.
Making noises such as sighing or groning and moaning are helpful ways to deal with pain and to make your body more relaxed.
Move, move, and move! Sway your hips rhythmically, dance or rocking back and forth are all good ways to move.
Breathing and focusing your attention on your breath- try slow breathing, deep, patterned whatever feels right.
Try Non focused Awareness: What this means is using all of your senses instead of just focusing on the one that is giving you all of the pain which is our sense of feeling. Try listening to everything that is going on around you, really listen. Or your sense if smell, sight etc..

The terrain of pain is mainly in the brain!
Tips to help with pain and fear:
Be aware of what is happening in your body during labour.
Lesson your stress by making sure that you feel comfortable with your surroundings.
Stay home during early labour and if you are choosing a hospital birth you can take comforting things with you to the hospital such as your own nightgown and pillows.
Surround yourself with caregivers that you trust.
Have a doula present.

Help your body to relax:
Relax every part of your body one by one.
Imagine your contractions as waves. You could either ride the wave as it peaks or dive under and let it wash over you.
Imagine your cervix as a flower opening.
Listen to soothing familiar music.
Have your partner or doula massage your muscles to help with relaxation.
Try hypnosis or deep meditation. Let the contraction happen, fighting against it will only make it last longer and seem to hurt more.
Quiet, not being asked questions during contractions and keeping chatter down so you can focus.

Read, read, Read:
Reading books on this subject can also help you to get an idea of what you might like to use and what works for you.
Some suggested books are:
Birthing From Within by: Pam England
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by: Ina May Gaskin
The Thinking Womans guide to Childbirth By: Henci Goer
Mind over Labour by: Carl Jones
The Birth partner by: Penny Simkin
Easing Labour pain by Adrianne Liebman

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The importance of Eating and Drinking in labour

Hydration and nourishment are key to having enough energy to get through the intense physical work of labour. A woman should drink lots of water, diluted juice, labour-aide or ice chips throughout her entire labour. This will act as a preventative for loss of energy, dehydration which could lead to the woman needing an Intravenous drip.

Follow your instincts, eat and drink whenever you can, a granola bar or some toast will help if you are tired and low on energy. In early labour try to eat a small nourishing meal. This will carry you through a long labour. Some examples would be a light pasta meal with bread, or a big salad with chicken, seeds and nuts or cheese. Carbohydrate packing is used by athletes for stamina and energy. Birthing women need the same amount of energy- Labour is hard work!

Pack light, easily digested foods that you enjoy in your birth bag. And don’t forget to pack extra food for dad.

This is a great drink you can prepare in advance and have on hand to sip throughout labour. Use red raspberry Leaf Tea for extra beneficial nutrients. {You can bring Gatorade or any other power drink instead, but make sure you like the flavor before hand. LABOUR-AIDE
From the book Heart and hands by: Elisabeth Davis

Take about 1 Quart water or Red Raspberry leaf tea and mix it with:
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup lemon juice
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
2 crushed Calcium or Calcium/Magnesium tablets
Shake and you are all set.

Another good idea is to freeze it into pop-cicles or ice cubes-yummy!

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Why Bamboo? Why organic Cotton? Pandas?

Bamboo Fabric

Bamboo has a natural sheen and feels similar to silk or cashmere.
Only 10% of the vast bamboo forests are given over to commercial use. Only some strains of bamboo are suitable for making clothing.

  • Bamboo fabric is antibacterial, antifungal and antistatic.
  • 3.4 Bamboo absorbs water 3-4 times better than cotton.
  • Bamboo stays 2-3 degrees cooler in hot weather & warmer in cold.
  • Bamboo is the world’s fastest growing plant, sometimes rising several feet in a day.

Our goal is to utilize a diverse base of raw materials like soy, hemp, flax and others to help to keep an environmental balance. Organic Cotton is only 0.03% of world cotton production and its demand is beginning to outweigh its supply as consumers begin to realize the heinous effects of conventional cotton farming on humans and the environment.

Organic Cotton
Organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. Organic production systems replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers, and build biologically diverse agriculture. Third-party certification organizations verify that organic producers use only methods and materials allowed in organic production.”

It takes one pound of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to conventionally grow the three pounds of cotton needed to make a T-shirt and a pair of jeans.”

:The Organic Trade Association June 2007”:http://www.ota.com/organic/faq.html

The Organic Trade Association

Panda’s International


Shirtseed, the company that makes our Bamboo onsies, investigated industry claims that there has been no harm to panda habitat through commercial Moso bamboo farming
Pandas International, a non-profit organization formed to ensure the preservation and propagation of the Giant Panda, has confirmed that commercial growth for textiles is currently not effecting the Panda population in China.

We have chosen to sponsor Panda’s International as it is part of our mission to give back to the environment where these raw materials are sourced, completing the circle of sustainability.

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Secrets for Pregnancy, Childbirth and Newborn Care

Secrets on Pregnancy:

1. Add ten days to your estimated due date to get a more correct date for first-time mothers. Tell family and friends an estimate of when the baby will be born, like after Thanksgiving or before Christmas, instead of an exact day. Every day you give your baby in the womb is a gift only you can give. Plan on allowing your labor to start naturally, when your baby signals to your body that it is time, for an easier and more gentle labor and delivery.

2. Morning sickness can be caused by dehydration, make sure you are drinking plenty of water during the day, as increasing your water intake throughout the day and evening is one of the best natural secrets for relieving morning sickness.

3. To prevent many of the health challenges during pregnancy make sure you are taking a high quality prenatal vitamin and mineral supplement and increase your protein intake with small meals throughout the day and early evening.

4. If premature contractions occur during your pregnancy, drink two glasses of water and lay down on your left side. This is also a good way to tell if you are experiencing “real” or “false” labor at the end of your pregnancy.

5. If you are sitting for long periods of time during the day and evening make sure your knees are lower than your pelvis and that you are sitting up straight as this will help with optimal fetal positioning. If this is your second baby, make sure you carry your older child on your hip not your belly. Walking every evening also helps with optimal positioning.

6. Pamper yourself with pregnancy massage, pregnancy yoga, pregnancy acupuncture or pregnancy chiropractic. Look for schools that train these professionals for a discount on the service. Rest, relax and eat. You deserve it!

Secrets on Childbirth

1. Hire a professional labor coach to support you, your husband and your new baby throughout pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. Look into the benefits offered by childbirth professionals like midwives and doulas to help you create a safe and gentle birth.

2. To ease pain naturally, eat and drink fluids throughout labor.

3. Changing your position often throughout labor and delivery, by rocking, standing, walking or leaning over something will help your baby to turn and rotate into a good position for birth.

4. You can ask for nitrous oxide (laughing gas) instead of an epidural. You will be able to move about during labor and you will be able to control the exact amount of pain relief needed by increasing or decreasing the amount used. Asking for an epidural too early into labor can cause problems for both mother and baby.

5. Decline the option of an induced birth. Induced births are twice as painful as normal labor with twice as many potential medical challenges. Wait until your labor naturally begins for a safe and gentle labor.

6. When you are fully dialated, supported standing, supported squatting or a hands and knees position will get your baby out without pushing as it will trigger your natural fetal ejection urge. Have your partner cut the umbilical cord only after it stops beating to make sure your baby gets every bit of the vital cord blood supply that has been stored in your placenta.

Secrets on Life with Your Newborn

1. Begin to breastfeed your baby within moments of birth. This will help you to take advantage of the strong instinctual urge your baby has to breastfeed during the first three hours and three days after childbirth.

2. Always choose the room-in option with your new baby to further assist your natural parenting hormones to be released within your body after childbirth. Make sure your partner has plenty of contact with the new baby in order to assist your partner’s natural parenting hormones to be released as well.

3. Suggest friends and relatives send you a baby gift of postnatal doula care. This is a wonderful gift for a new mother, and one that you, your partner and your baby will most certainly appreciate. A postpartum or postnatal doula helps the new family work together as a team, keeps an eye on breastfeeding challenges and the health of the new mother and baby. Ask your caregivers to help with the many tasks that need to be done so you can focus on bonding and attaching to your new baby.

4. Make sure you continue to take your prenatal vitamins and minerals to help restore your body for at least six months after the birth of your new baby or longer if you need to. This will help to prevent prenatal depression. Good nutrition also helps to prevent postpartum depression.

5. Nap at every opportunity you can. The laundry, dishes, errands will wait. Watch out for the “super mom” syndrome. It is easy to feel overwhelmed when you are tired.

6. You should find your bleeding beginning to taper off and change from bright red, to brown to a light clear discharge after a few weeks. If you find yourself with a bright red discharge all of a sudden, slow down your activities and bring your baby back to bed with you for two or three days and rest.

Secrets E-Newsletter 2008. Gail J. Dahl, “Pregnancy & Childbirth Secrets”. This article may be reprinted or posted without prior permission for the purpose of childbirth education if references are included. The information contained in or provided through this publication is intended for general consumer understanding and education only and is not intended to be, and is not provided as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your midwife, physician, nurse or other qualified health care provider before you undergo any treatment or for answers to any questions you may have regarding any medical condition. “Pregnancy & Childbirth Secrets is a valuable gift for any new parent and is available across North America at all major bookstores. For more great secrets newsletters go to the Pregnancy Secrets web-site.

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The Benefits of Water Birth

By Heather Hill
Considerng a waterbirth? Think about it this way…..Wouldn’t a peacful and serene birth, with a relaxed and focused mother be a wonderful way to bring a baby into this world? Having a waterbirth is an option for Mom’s who want to give birth naturally. Childbirth is such a powerful experience for a woman. But, too often, women totally give up their power and gift of childbirth over to other people to control. Having a waterbirth gives the woman a feeling of empowerment and pride in being able to choose how she delivers her child.

What about what the baby goes through? Just imagine that your little one is as cozy and warm as can be for the past 9 months. You have given that little wonder a warm and secure environment only to have him arrive in a cold, bright and noisy world. That is why waterbirthing is such a beautiful way to bring your little wonder into this world. Imagine the having your baby arrive in a warm, quite, safe and inviting environment where the first touch is your arms. I can’t think of a more beautiful way to start a relationship.

The benefits of waterbirthing is so numerous… here are just a few,

Ease the pain of labor where only 10% of mom’s ask for pain relief

Relaxation of mom,

Can faciltate a slow labor,

Relaxed pelvic floor,

Relieve anxiety,

Empowers the mom,

Can increase blood circulation.

If you decide you want to use water to help you labor, you need to have a few things in mind. The water temperature should be around your body temperature. Be careful when entering the tub and try to enter between contractions. Make sure the tub is large enough so that you can move freely and be able to change positions to what makes you feel comfortable.

Women usually enter the tub when they are about 5-8 cm dilated. Check with your caregiver, but you should not need to worry about infection if your membranes have ruptured, as long as your are following proper hygenics.

The following are some interesting statistics about waterbirths

  • The women had shorter labors.
  • Cervical dilatation was more efficient- 2.5 centimeters per hour compared with 1.25 centimeters per hour for mothers who did not take advantage of water during their labors.
  • The descent of the babies was twice as fast.
  • The women reported less pain.
  • The cesarean section rate was one-third that of traditional hospital births.
  • Mothers labeled “high-risk” because of high blood pressure showed a dramatic reduction in their blood pressure within minutes of immersion in the pool.

Whether you decide to just labor in water, or have an actual waterbirth you can still take advantage of what water has to offer.

Waterbirthing can be not only a gentle way to bring your little one into the world, but as you can see, it is also a SAFE alternative. Also, remember that being educated is the most important thing you can do to keep yourself happy and healthy througout your pregnancy.

Sears, William,Martha Sears,and Linda Hughey Holt.
The Pregnancy Book. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1997.
Heather Hill is the author of several natural childbirth articles.

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Red Raspberry Leaf Tea - Can this herb ease childbirth?

Red Raspberry Leaf Tea – Can this herb ease childbirth?
by Stacelynn Caughlan

First recorded in the 1500’s, red raspberry leaf tea (Rubus ideas) has been used for centuries in Europe, China, and both North and South America. This popular tea has earned the reputation of “herb-supreme” amongst pregnant women. According to folklore it can relieve almost any discomfort of pregnancy from morning sickness to leg cramps. And there may be good reason for its reputation.

Red raspberry leaf tea is very high in an assortment of nutrients including calcium, iron, and B vitamins, all of which are very important during pregnancy. The herb also contains a variety of chemicals , most of which have yet to be identified, that produce a direct effect on the pregnant uterus. They have been shown to strengthen the uterine wall, relax smooth muscle, and help to make delivery easier and speedier by helping the uterus contract more efficiently.

Historically women have taken raspberry leaf tea throughout their pregnancies up to and including childbirth. Many mothers extol this herb’s ability to make childbirth easier and less painful. In a letter to the editor of the medical journal The Lancet, Dr. Violet Russel wrote “somewhat shamefacedly I have encouraged expectant mothers to drink this infusion. In a great many cases labour has been free and easy from muscular spasm.”

Some women also drink the tea throughout their labour, or suck on frozen cubes made beforehand. It reportedly helps expel the placenta, and its nutritional value is thought to be responsible for encouraging and enriching the mother’s breastmilk. Many women continue to drink the tea long after childbirth as it is thought to help restore the reproductive system and continue to help nourish the new mother.

Studies have not yet been done to give us statistical data on the use of raspberry leaf tea, but as more women and health professionals discover its potential, its popularity will surely continue to grow. This is one herb that all pregnant women should have in their cupboards!

NOTE: Some medical and popular media make reference to raspberry leaf tea as something to avoid during pregnancy for risk of miscarriage. This notion stems from a study conducted in 1954 where fractions were isolated from Rubus sp. and applied in vitro to the uterine tissues of guinea pigs and frogs. The scientists discovered such things as one fraction acted as a spasmolytic whereas another caused uterine contractions. Herein lies the risk of isolating the parts of a whole. When used as a whole plant, neither action is exacerbated and the herb is deemed safe. If a mother is prone to miscarriages she may feel safer avoiding raspberry until the third trimester. This is an herb with centuries of safe use behind it, there is usually little cause for concern.

References
C.J. Briggs and K. Briggs, Canadian Pharmaceutical Journal, April 1997
Rosemary Gladstar, Herbal Healing for Women, Fireside, 1993
Richard Mabey, The New Age Herbalist, Gaia Books, 1988
Susun S. Weed, Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year, Ash tree Publishing, 1986
Joy Gardner, Healing Yourself During Pregnancy, The Crossing Press, 1987

Click Here to see our Red Raspberry Leaf tea

Stacelynn Caughlan is a Clinical Nutritionist and Certified Herbalist who specializes in Prenatal and Pediatric Health.

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Review of Belly Dance Prenatal Fitness & Dance Instruction Program with Naia

World Dance New York has just released a new DVD of belly dancing for prenatal fitness. Let me begin by saying that I REALLY like this DVD. The producers have put together a thoughtful, satisfying, and safe program for belly dancing during pregnancy.

The program is intended primarily for beginner belly dancers and non-dancers. Seasoned belly dancers may not find this video to be very challenging for themselves, but will certainly find it useful as an outline for developing and teaching prenatal belly dance classes.

Naia is an absolutely beautiful hostess and video instructor. She exudes a complete comfort with her body and her wonderful smile conveys that she knows the secret of creating life. She is absolutely resplendent in her abundant state! A goddess for sure!

The production quality of the DVD is excellent. The voice-over is in Naia’s own voice, and her calm, clear and poised manner of relaying the information is very reassuring to the viewer. The use of a voice-over, the expert camera shots, and the occasional inset boxes illustrating movement options all contribute to the exceptional quality of this video. The entire video experience is further enhanced by Jehan’s beautiful and evocative music.

After a welcome sequence in which all of the requisite cautions are outlined, the dance program itself starts. The program is comprised of five parts, each named after an element. Throughout the entire program, the viewer is given reminders about some of the normal body changes to be expected with pregnancy, and information about how some of the belly dance movements can be helpful in countering common pregnancy discomforts and in preparing for labor and birth. The teaching format is a follow along plan, with relatively little actual breakdown of how to do the movements, but because the movements presented are the most basic and simple ones from the belly dance repertoire, I feel even absolute beginners should easily master most of them. Each of the segments ends by linking the individual movements taught into a short combination.

The dance curriculum begins with “Water”- a gentle warm-up sequence that includes instruction in basic posture, and lovely hand and arm movements. Included as well are many of the common warm-up movements that we are all familiar with, such as shoulder rolls, head rolls, and spinal flexion and extension. The viewer is encouraged to “focus on the relaxation phase of each movement” and to “wash away the stress”, putting her in a nice open state of body and mind for the rest of the instruction.

The “Earth” section follows with a focus on hip movements and includes the following hip isolations: hip slides, semi circles on the horizontal and vertical planes, horizontal hip circles, hip lifts, and “infinity loops” (figure eights). The viewer is advised that hip movements help to keep the pelvis moving in various ways, thereby exercising the muscles used in giving birth, and may also be useful in helping the baby to find the best position for birth. I completely agree with this claim, by the way! Once the basic isolations are covered, they are put together into a short combination.

The segment titled “Air” focuses on the upper body and encompasses arm movements, and chest movements. Pretty combinations of snake arms with a step back, and forward arm wave with lunge are offered, along with alternatives that are demonstrated via an inset box within the frame. Other movements in this segment are chest lifts and slides, and chest circles on both the horizontal and saggital planes.

“Fire” is the title of the segment that covers traveling steps. Among the movements presented are a Step-pivot-rock back combo, a three step turn, and a hip lift step. Once they are demonstrated singly, they are all are put together into an extended combination.

The next segment titled “Dance” offers a follow along choreography that makes use of all of the movement combinations presented in the preceding segments.

The final section, called “Light” is a cool down sequence. It uses many of the movements already presented in a slower tempo and with a more tranquil intention. The viewer is encouraged to “think of each movement as refreshing, relaxing, soothing” and to tune in to her body.

After watching it a few times, I wanted to see for myself how much of an actual workout performing the video would give, so I did the entire program as presented. It was a very gentle and grounded workout that gave me some mild cardio stimulation and had some really good thigh and glute work.

In evaluating this video, I had an opportunity to communicate with both the producer, and the OB/GYN consultant on the program. I can tell you from my conversations with them that a lot of thought and care was given to creating a fun and safe program. The choice of movements to include was deliberately limited to the safest and most comfortable for use during pregnancy. All of my personal concerns about an exercise program for pregnant women, including being aware of the changes in the center of gravity that occurs as pregnancy progresses, and being careful to avoid injury as a result of the normal joint laxity that occurs in pregnancy, were addressed in this program.

I also wanted some input from other birth professionals, so I took the time to share the DVD with a couple of the OB/GYN docs that I work with, and both felt that they would have no problem approving its use for their own patients.

Any woman using this video is sure to feel like the mother goddess, the giver of life that she is as she follows along with Naia in this beautiful and affirming video program! I congratulate the producers for creating an outstanding video that is sure to fill a need in the market. I will recommend it without hesitation to anyone looking for a prenatal belly dance fitness program.

About the author:
Cathy Moore is a Certified Nurse Midwife with over 20 years experience in Women’s Health Care, and a co-owner of The Goddess Dancing™ Belly Dance Company. She is also certified as a Dancing Thru Pregnancy™ Pre and Postnatal fitness instructor and has been developing a Belly Dance for Pregnancy and Birth curriculum.

You can visit her web-site at: The Goddess Dancing

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