My Postpartum Journey

I am now 7 months postpartum.  I am a yogi.  I own a yoga studio, and I taught yoga until I was 40 weeks pregnant.  I really didn’t miss a beat.  Right after my birth, I can not tell you the number of people that said, “You look great!” or “Wow, already in your jeans?” or “Did you really just have a baby?”  These are nice things to hear, but do you know what these comments don’t address? How I was actually feeling. 

I had complications after my birth (which so many mothers have in some shape or form).  My body was working extra hard to keep me functioning and to keep my baby healthy.  So, on the outside, I looked fine. But on the inside, I was struggling, I had no idea what was going on, and I didn’t feel amazing.  Instead of reaching out for help and listening to my body, I tried to push through the discomfort.

I went back to practicing yoga almost immediately.  In spite of my efforts to be gentle, I felt a pressure to pick up where I left off before pregnancy. I went back to teaching public classes 6 weeks postpartum. I had not fully healed, but I figured I could manage.  

In search of connection and community, I joined the 6 week Postpartum Yoga Series with Roxy Robbins. I thought the series would help me regain my core strength, but I found so much more.  Some days sharing, connecting, and crying with other new moms was my practice.  Other days, I focused on breathing into my pelvic floor as my practice.  And slowly, as I started to surrender to the healing process, my body started to heal.  

The postpartum yoga series has been instrumental to my healing.  Roxy brings in a Postpartum Psychotherapist, a Pelvic Health PT, and holds so much space for community to form.  I have met some of my best parent friends in this group.  Now I know where to turn to ask questions, or just to vent.  And that is so important. Because I realized, I am not just healing, I am transforming.  

I am still healing and still learning (does the postpartum period ever really end?!). But if I could offer one piece of advice to new mothers, it would be this: Go slow and find your people.  There is nothing to get back to.  The work is now stepping into this new body, this new role as a caregiver, this new journey of motherhood.  And remember, you are not alone on this new journey.