By Carol Gray, LMT, CST, RPYT, ERYT-200 The word “emergency” used to ONLY apply to childbirth. The baby emerges, get it? Two (Three) Kinds of Cesareans Lately, I have been hearing an emergent theme in the stories people have been sharing with me about their cesarean births. They divide them into two categories – planned and emergency. Often a parent will say to me that their cesarean birth was not
I Miss Teaching In-Person Prenatal Yoga Classes
September 29, 2020
By Carol Gray, LMT, CST, RPYT, ERYT-200 As I stand in our old yoga studio, I prepare to begin again. I’ve rearranged this room – several times. In some ways it’s almost unrecognizable. I’ve moved shelving and props. I’ve hung blankets from the ceiling and walls to produce better sound quality for our yoga videos. I’ve hauled lighting and camera equipment up and down flights of stairs. I’ve spent hours
Culturally-Relevant Care
September 15, 2020
By Carol Gray, LMT, CST, RPYT, ERYT-200 Black Women Again Turn to Midwives, Some Fearing Coronavirus in Hospitals. I was so happy to read this headline. I’m sad that fear of contracting COVID-19 in the hospital and concern over no support people allowed to attend laboring people in the hospital is driving some of the change. Nonetheless, it’s change. We’re headed in the right direction. Sobering Statistics for Black Parents
Responsibility
September 1, 2020
By Carol Gray, LMT, CST, RPYT, ERYT-200 Many yoga studios around the world have reopened or are planning to reopen for in-person yoga classes. We aren’t (yet). At MamaSpace Yoga we serve a particular population – pregnant and postpartum people. It’s obvious to me that we can’t yet know what any long-term (or short term) effects of COVID-19 infection in the first trimester of pregnancy would be. People who have
Nugget’s Birth
April 18, 2019
Dearest Carol, Thank you for your blessings and teachings! Our nugget arrived 2 weeks early. 2 days before labor baby was positioned transverse! :/ Dr wanted to manually reposition baby but baby had other plans. Everyone told me not to worry because we still have time. However, we learned later we really don’t. Thanks to you I applied the cat/cow pose during my contractions. Baby’s head dropped to the correct
Sarah’s Birth
November 5, 2018
Throughout pregnancy, I often thought that my baby would be born early. During one appointment with my midwives, I told them that I had a feeling that my baby would come early, and they responded that many of their clients “had a feeling” that their baby would come early. Some babies do, most don’t. Statistically, first babies are born after their due date. On the evening of August 27, 2018,
Thalia’s Birth Story
November 4, 2018
Oliver Milo Read born Oct 14th, 2.47. 6lbs 10 oz I was hoping for a natural childbirth and I wanted to carry my baby at least to term, hoping he’d come out on his own, despite my OB advising me to induce at 39 weeks. (due to my age, I’m 43!) However at a routine check up on Oct 10th (39 weeks and 3 days,) it was discovered that the
