BODYWISE
Kitchen Yoga
Your lower back may sometimes ache because of the temporary loss of muscle tone in your abdomen and the weight of carrying the baby. Don’t worry; your body will get stronger. In the meantime, here is a posture that alleviates lower back pain. It is helpful to the pelvis as it lengthens the psoas muscle, which extends from the lumbar spine to the upper thigh, which commonly contracts during pregnancy.
- Lie on your back with your legs straight and the soles of your feet touching a wall. Inhale and bend your right knee. Press your left foot firmly against the wall.
- Exhale and bring your knee to your chest as you hold your shin with both hands. If you’re recovering from a cesarean, you may want to hold the back of your thigh instead.
- Continue to press your left foot firmly against the wall. Don’t tighten your abdomen. Hold for 3 to 5 deep breaths.
- As you exhale, release your right leg back to the wall and switch legs.
- When you’re finished, inhale and bend both your knees. Exhale and roll over to one side to come out of the pose.
HIGHER GROUND
Fourth Child
The part of me
That is quick and witty,
Decisive and efficient
Is Waiting now,
Hemming and Hawing,
Fixed in a chair
Or a series of chairs
With a glorious
Obsession positioned
Permanently
On my body.
A baby.
She has such exquisite need
Of me.
She is so gracious,
So grateful.
She is infinitely more important
Than the other things:
My work,
My calling,
My people.
So I put myself on hold,
And wait,
Not wallowing in self-pity
Nor impatient with the moment.
I wait for the need to slacken,
I wait for the grip to loosen.
And I know now
As I did not know with my first,
That I will more
Greatly grieve her going then
Than I grieve
The losing of me now.
Peggy O’Mara
About Peggy O’Mara. I am an independent journalist who edits and publishes peggyomara.com. I was the editor and publisher of Mothering Magazine for over 30 years and founded Mothering.com in 1995. My books include Having a Baby Naturally, Natural Family Living, The Way Back Homeand A Quiet Place. I have conducted workshops at Omega Institute, Esalen, La Leche League, and Bioneers. I am the mother of four and grandmother of three. Please check out my email newsletter with free tips on parenting, activism, and healthy living.
