There is so much new information today about what not to do and what to do. I say what not to do first because it seems like there are just so many more don'ts today.  I think a lot has to do with women having children later in life and in the higher risk category.  The classic wisdom through the ages that has helped so many women through each trimester of pregnancy seems to be getting lost. Women have been historically in charge of the birthing process and giving pregnant women tips to get through each month. Presently, it seems like more pregnancies are being seen as a medical condition that needs to be taken care of by doctors. 

Pregnancy is a time when the body goes through changes very quickly. The body is more sensitive and a woman can begin to really get in touch with how the pregnancy begins to alter her body very quickly. The first trimester the breasts begin to get much more tender than during any premenstrual breast tenderness. They begin to expand quite quickly. I remember teaching physical education to young children and having to cross my forearms under my breasts so they could stay still and not hurt. No one ever warned me that I would be feeling so tender. This  was alarming to me. I have always had small breasts and pre-menstrual tenderness was hardly ever an issue. I also began to get out of breath walking up the 3 flights to my apartment. I secretly  believed that I had lung cancer. I was a yoga teacher and should never have been out of breath at 24 years old.  I could never admit this  fear to anyone because I was the healthy yoga teacher. I was secretly scared and never talked about it to anyone. Who could I have possibly shared that with?   The morning sickness was very minimal and of course, this every woman has heard about. The eating of a biscuit actually did work quite well.  If I had had a list of all the possible symptoms during the first 3 months, I would have been more relaxed. If there was a place to go and talk with other women it would have saved me months of worrying that something was wrong when it was simply a naturally occurring symptom.

Back then, if you were over 30 you were considered "high risk." You were not accepted into birthing centers!

Today there are doulas and birthing centers and yoga and Pilates classes for pregnancy. Pregnancy has become a big specialty and a money maker. Women tend to go to the classes for pregnant women when they are pregnant. Naturally, it makes sense, however each pregnancy is different because each woman has her personal history. I have taken pregnancy classes with a pregnant friend and we were both bored. You want to think the class is for you but it has so many cautionary limitation put on you that you actually believe  you must be careful. I remember standing on my head for 15-30 minutes every morning and night to prevent any circulatory issues in my feet and legs. It worked for me, but today inversions are not recommended. They happen to improve circulation, take pressure off the lower back, pelvis and bladder. Now women are told this is a no no. What happens if you are young, healthy, and a yogi who has been doing inversions for years? Why would it suddenly become bad for you? You must think beyond what the general information tells you and see what feels right for you, or find a pregnancy helper that you trust and that helps you make sense out of all the information out there.

I remember that literally the last day of my first trimester I was filled with a new heightened energy that lasted throughout the rest of the pregnancy until about 2 weeks before delivery. Again, no-one ever told me that this was a sign that I was now in my second trimester. Literally all the symptoms from the first trimester were gone. The message here is that you need to trust yourself and do your own research and make your own decisions that feel right for you.  AND find other women to talk with who have already had children. Best to speak to women who have already been there and see how they did things. See what best advice they can give you. You  might get bits and pieces of  useable information from each woman.