It was 6 weeks after I had given birth to my son, when my OB had given me the tick of approval, that I started to head back into the world of exercise. It was a little scary at first, I have to admit. It really had only been six short weeks since I not only birthed my son, but that I had a 15cm incision made into my belly. An incision that no longer hurt but that I could still feel every time I tensed or used my stomach muscles…. which I will point out, you don’t realize how often you use them until you can’t!
It was then that an old friend from school started a Mums and Bubs walking group in town. What can I say but Perfect Timing! I joined up and every Tuesday and Friday morning we walked; it wasn’t far or fast but it was great. We walked and talked and slowly I could feel my body returning to some assemblence of normality. (If you aren’t already, why not try a little walk with your Mums group? That little bit of exercise can do wonders for your body and sleep deprived, new-mum brain. Say Hello Endorphin’s!)
A few weeks on and I thought it was time to brave that first session of Yoga. Now I’ve been practicing Yoga (inconsistently) for many years but it wasn’t until now that I truly found the peace in those 30 minutes and simply felt my body relax and exhale.
How my Yoga practice used to look….
So it became my new routine, every morning when my munchkin went down for a nap (not that he always did) I would slap on a dvd, pull on my stretchy pants and roll out my mat. For thirty minutes I could test my body and feel it stretch and release all those aches and pains. For thirty minutes I could sort of feel like myself again.
I say ‘sort of’ only because my fitness level was not where it used to be, my stomach muscles were at half their strength and simply put I was not that same energetic, competitive professional stomping around in 5 inch heels. Now I was a MUM.
It’s weird actually, it was probably the most ‘me’ I’ve felt in any job before, it all felt rather natural….. Except for those days where it didn’t. Those days during a sleep regression, growth spurt, teething, sickness or just sheer fussiness. Sometimes those days were damn hard.
But through my daily Yoga practice I would find solace. A moment to myself to breathe and re-center. A moment to find my strength (quite literally). I’ve kept up with my regular Yoga practice over the last 16 months and I love it. Now I am strong again and fit but I still need it for those few stolen moments of ‘me time’.
One thing has changed now. Now I have a new tool to help me on my journey. Something I wish I could’ve had from the very beginning because it is just awesome. Something I wish all Mums whether they are new to the ‘job’ or not could access…. and well, you can!
I want to introduce you to the gorgeous new online yoga studio specifically designed
with Mums in mind,
Bettina Rae.
Whether you are a fledgling Yogini, a ‘once-in-a-while’ practitioner or a hardcore, upside down loving master, this site is for you purely and simply because you are a Mum.
Bettina started the site as a way for her to help Mums carve out those precious few moments we need to be at our best, as a way to help you reconnect with the person that you were and to help you accept the person you are now.
The best part is that you have access to her and her wonderful online studio no matter where you are! I’ve always enjoyed practicing on my own, in the comforts of my own home, I find I can center better here. Now it’s more about convenience, I do it because it is easy and I can literally slot it in at any time of the day (read: whenever my crazy toddler gives me 10 minutes alone or actually sleeps!)
How my Yoga practice looks when the child refuses to sleep….
Before I met Bettina that is!
But better than that Bettina has specifically focused on areas that we Mums sometimes need help in, one of which (and it’s my favourite) is the Yoga for Calmer parenting and don’t even get me started on the Yoga with Kids program.. I mean geez where was this when I needed it?!… oh wait… I still do!
The other thing is the sheer accessibility of it. Just jump on your computer, log in, pick a video and away you go. No needing a babysitter or childcare while you attend a specific thirty minute class, no special equipment and best of all no judgments. It’s an open place for you to focus.
So what can you find at Bettina’s online studio?
Honestly, pretty much everything!
From her FREE 14 day Yoga reset, perfect for those who need a little, shall we say, ‘correcting’ in some of their habits. To her downloadble ebook on Yoga with Kids (yes it is as awesome as it sounds!)
You can also access a FREE 30 day trial of her full online studio, just perfect if you’re not sure if this is for you.
Once you’re in Bettina’s online studio you have access to an array of yoga programs.
- Short ‘snack-sized’ Yoga, for when you only have 10 minutes but want a quick workout and a chance to re-center.
- Full length Yoga programs that help you heal, with focuses on grief & heart opening.
- Prenatal Yoga, baby-wearing yoga, breastfeeding & even fertility yoga.
- Programs that focus on healing specific aches and pains like SI and abdominal separation.
- Yoga sequences if you’re a beginner or even if you’re wanting to get upside down (like me!)
I could keep going but she honestly has a practice for everything.
So now you know what Bettina offers… but what was it like?
I thought why not hook up my laptop through the HDMi cable to my TV for the ultimate viewing experience!
I’ve done a lot of different Yoga practices over the years and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed Bettina’s routines. She serenely walks you through each step but doesn’t feel the need to draw things out (something I quite honestly can’t stand…”Seriously I now know how to breathe!! Move along!”).
Bettina is easy to follow and easy to listen to and is the ONLY yoga practice that I have found that has actually helped me completely zone out. I’ve always struggled with that which is why I’m not a big fan of meditation but Bettina has helped change that.
I could go on and on about the benefits I’ve found in using this wonderful space but I think you won’t truly understand until you try it for yourself. Why don’t you pop over now and see for yourself! Or why not recommend it to a friend? I think we all know a new Mum that needs a little helping hand in finding herself again, why not share this with her! (What a lovely gift idea too!)
I’m off now, to go do Bettina’s Fertility yoga program again, be damned if I’m not getting another baby in this belly! So why don’t you swing by as well and say Hi… or maybe send your condolences to my hamstrings, they are pretty sore today.
What do you do to find your calm and re-center?
You can find Bettina and all she has to offer here.
Please note I am no affiliated with Bettina in anyway and these thoughts are those of my own.
champagne and gumboots 