It's almost been a full year since I stopped teaching AND practicing yoga.
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A little over halfway through my pregnancy I found that my ligaments were loosening a lot more, and a lot faster, than they had with my first pregnancy. I'm naturally hyper-mobile so yoga became a little dangerous for me and my body. It's funny because I think yoga is the most recommended form of exercise during pregnancy! But, I found that I could no longer safely practice so I stopped teaching my twice weekly classes and stopped my personal practice as well, other than light stretching.
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It takes, on average, 6 months AFTER you stop breastfeeding for relaxin (the hormone responsible for loosening up the ligaments of a pregnant woman's body to prepare for childbirth) to leave your system. This being my second pregnancy, relaxin really took it's toll on me and has left me with bones shifting out of place, a herniated disc, and some muscular imbalances I've been working soooo hard to correct. I am just a couple weeks away from the predicted timeline for when the relaxin will no longer be in my system and I really do think, and hope, that my body is starting to solidify again. .
I'm truly missing moving my body the way that I used to. I miss that feeling of responsiveness and coordination I took for granted pre-baby. I miss the flow of the movement in yoga, holding in deep stretches, taking time on my mat! I see glimmers of my body recovering though, it's little things here and there, but I feel like I'm getting closer to it!
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If you're pregnant or postpartum, listen to your body. Be willing to step back from things that don't feel right, even if everyone tells you yoga is the answer! Take time to slowly rebuild those muscles, working with a PT, chiro, trainers, if you feel you need it! I know I definitely have this time even though I didn't with my first. Recovery can be quite the process and it can be so frustrating, but...it's so important to take care of ourselves!
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Also, I just want to say Livvy was TOTALLY worth all of it. Cutest little wiggle butt.
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Wearing: michi_ny new SPRING collection! It's lovely.
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#movewithmichi #fitmama #postpartumrecovery #postpartumfitness #pregna