conscious birth

Carol Gray on Epidurals at MamaSpace Yoga

More About Epidurals

By Carol Gray, LMT, CST, RPYT, ERYT-200 I have been thinking a lot about epidural anesthesia for childbirth. Among those who have experienced it, birth is almost universally described as painful. Who wouldn’t want a drug or procedure that takes away the pain? Clearly, most pregnant people in America want this. It is by far the mainstream way to give birth. When Did It All Begin? What I’m wondering about

Insomnia -- The Movie by Carol Gray at MamaSpace Yoga

Insomnia — The Movie

By Carol Gray, LMT, CST, RPYT, ERYT-200 Last week’s post, Pregnancy Insomnia Help, included a five-step yoga sequence for sleep. This week’s post is a 14-minute video of that sequence. It was fun making it. I hope you enjoy it. It makes sense to watch it for the first time when you’re not actually trying to sleep. That way, you can figure out where you’re going to set yourself up

Nadi Shodhana and The Fire Alarm at MamaSoace Yoga

Nadi Shodhana

By Carol Gray, LMT, CST, RPYT, ERYT-200 A True Story We were about halfway through a typical Thursday 9:30 AM prenatal yoga class when it happened. The fire alarm went off in the building. It was LOUD! I told my students to get up, walk toward the door, leave their yoga mats behind, put on their shoes, grab their belongings and walk down the stairs where we would meet outside.

Finding Your Question by Carol Gray at MamaSpace Yoga

Finding Your Question

By Carol Gray, LMT, CST, RPYT, ERYT-200 Finding Your Question is a process I have been introducing to groups for over 20 years. I have lead this activity with more than a thousand people – usually in small groups. I never tire of it. I guide ALL of my Craniosacral Therapy students to find their deepest questions at the beginning of any class series. It has been a daily practice

10 Things You May Not Know About Home Brth By Dr. Lisa Jewell, DC at MamaSpace Yoga

10 Things You May Not Know About Home Birth

By Guest Blogger, Dr. Lisa Jewell, DC YOU’RE PLANNING A HOME BIRTH?! People’s reaction when I told them I was planning a home birth was always the same, “You’re choosing to give birth with no drugs?! Aren’t you afraid?!” and now when I share my birth story it’s, “Wow, good for you. I could never do that!” or even the occasional, “Are you crazy?! Didn’t that hurt?!” The answers to

Parenthood Disconnect by Carol Gray at MamaSpace Yoga

Parenthood Disconnect

By Carol Gray, LMT, CST, RPYT, ERYT-200 I recently reflected on a meeting I had a few years ago with second-time expectant parents. As their three year old played with toys in my living room they told me about the parenting challenges they had weathered since the last time I was their midwife. They had a great home birth the first time around, but wondered why they had focused so

Questions to Ask a Homebirth Midwife at MamaSpace Yoga

Questions to Ask Homebirth Midwives

By Carol Gray, LMT, CST, RPYT, ERYT-200 With more people considering home birth or planned out of hospital birth these days it’s good to know what kinds of questions to ask while searching for your perfect birth attendant. I wrote and published these questions on my website years ago when I was a homebirth midwife. I’ll never forget the one time a pregnant couple who interviewed me pulled out my

MamaSpace Yoga Helps You Ask Your OB the Right Questions for a Better Birth

Questions to Ask Obstetricians and Hospital-Based Midwives

By Carol Gray, LMT, CST, RPYT, ERYT-200 We get lots of questions about pregnancy birth and postpartum care providers and hospitals. Our prenatal yoga students have so many choices to make – especially during the pandemic. In some hospitals laboring people can have only one support person. In others, they may have more than one. Some people are considering virtual doulas. In other situations they can be accompanied by an

Carol Gray Tells the Truth About Epidurals at MamaSpace Yoga

The Truth About Epidurals

By Carol Gray, LMT, CST, RPYT, ERYT-200 The Truth About Birth First a word or two about birth physiology: Labor is almost universally painful for birthing parents and sometimes painful for babies. One of the ways we cope with pain is to produce beta-endorphin. Beta-endorphin is an opiate-like brain chemical – the same one responsible for the so-called runner’s high. It reduces pain. What Happens as Labor Progresses? In a

Learn How to Have a Better Cesarean Birth at MamaSpace Yoga

Cesareans! Emergencies! and Strategies!

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