By Carol Gray, LMT, CST, RPYT, ERYT-200 How it All Starts Pain in the posterior pelvis is common during pregnancy. It typically begins in mid pregnancy. Although, it can start at any time. Sometimes it goes away during pregnancy. If it does, that usually happens in the third trimester. Other times it persists long after the birth. Your mileage may vary. Your SI Joints This pain often comes from the
Prenatal Yoga Safety
March 30, 2021
By Carol Gray, LMT, CST, RPYT, ERYT-200 It’s amazing what turns up when you do a Google search for “Prenatal Yoga Safety”. Just for laughs (and some seriousness), here are 10 gems that fail the Truth-O-Meter test: 1. “Any challenging yoga poses could lead to nausea and dizziness” Any? Could lead to? Do they really expect us to believe that any “challenging” yoga pose could really cause nausea and dizziness?
Go Ahead. Do It!
March 16, 2021
By Carol Gray, LMT, CST, RPYT, ERYT-200 Is It Safe? It’s super common for people to ask me if it’s safe to practice twisting poses during prenatal yoga. The short answer is yes. Block-Bellies I remember my own 200-hour yoga teacher training years ago. We had a memorable lesson about pregnant people in our classes. Our teacher had us stuff blocks into our tank tops over our bellies and then
The MamaSpace Yoga Method
February 16, 2021
This week’s post is a video. We hope you enjoy it. It’s all about the MamaSpace Yoga Method. Yes, it’s a method. It promotes optimal fetal positioning. Carol has dedicated her professional life to supporting expectant and new families by promoting gentle aware birth. She has attended births for over 35 years – at first as a doula and from 2000 to 2012 as a midwife. She has since retired
Postpartum Doulas Fill the Healthcare Gap During COVID and Beyond
December 1, 2020
By Guest Blogger, Marnellie Bishop The arrival of a global pandemic on America’s shores has quickly and glaringly brought to light the dangers of the US healthcare system. The COVID-19 crisis made it painfully clear that our medical institutions are failing a significant portion of our citizens. Sadly, postpartum doulas have known this for a long time. Fortunately, these newborn specialists are ready and able to support the whole family
The Truth About Epidurals
October 13, 2020
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
Cesareans! Emergencies! and Strategies!
October 6, 2020
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 Hate Podcasts
September 22, 2020
By Carol Gray, LMT, CST, RPYT, ERYT-200 I guess I’m not an auditory type. However, I LOVED this podcast – every minute of it. I listened to ALL of it! I love James McKenna! I really do! I LOVED his books – especially his most recent one: Safe Infant Sleep: Expert Answers to Your Cosleeping Questions by James J. McKenna. Ph.D. Dr. McKenna hit another home run with this book.
