Hello My Kula Guru,

Here I am, on this beautiful Sunday morning, able to enjoy some
down time while Michael holds the baby and there are no visitors for a
few hours.

Jessica, it was amazing. I've been thinking about how to write
the story to you that would be helpful in your classes, and I'm just
gonna tell you and it's up to you to make it a koan or lesson for the
ladies still in wait. Oh, and do pass off a hello to Christina for me.
I'm thinking of her and I can't wait to hear her story.

The labor went WAY faster than I imagined. While people think
it's great my labor only lasted 5 1/2 hours, let's not forget, that
means twice the pain in half the time. I was literally crippled with
contractions. When I would get hit with one, somewhere in the back of
my mind I was trying to find that place that pushed me through so many
of those tough poses in yoga (both before and after I was pregnant).
There is a lesson to be learned when you push through pain in a
non-stressful situation. When you make your mind push through it, you
don't forget how to use those "muscles" when the pain is beyond your
control.

I was very vocal. I would moan and almost sing at times. I had
to be constantly reminded by the midwives and Michael to relax my face
and jaw. I had to release my shoulders and breathe into the pain. Not
and easy task, but mighty helpful thing to concentrate on instead of
the pain itself.

The tub was AMAZING! Things progressed so quickly for me that
it wasn't set up until I was 10 centimeters. I got in the water and
let it relax me. It did the job so well that I actually fell asleep
between contractions. Most interesting feeling. When the contraction
would come I would try so hard to relax through it, but when it was
over, I would fall back into Michael (he was sitting in the tub behind
me) and fall asleep. It was around 1 in the afternoon and it was hot
outside and the tub was 100 degrees and I'm sure that helped to get me
good and sleepy.

So here's the best part, when I was pushing (and I do mean
pushing, it's unlike any muscle strength I've ever had to call up
before)Michael would hook his feet behind my legs and help pull my legs
apart. When I would push honestly it felt like my hips were opening
they way the do in a squat or when you do a really good inner spiral
while in down dog. There was no doubt in my mind that the mind opening
up the hips helped my body know what to do when I needed the opening.
Annelise came out with her hand at her head and the midwife had to
reach inside and grab her arm and pull her out. Let me paint the
picture; not only was there a good sized baby head coming out, but the
baby's hand and the midwives hand were all competing to get around my
perineum. I think, if I didn't have such open hips, I would have had a
nasty tear. I had a slight tear that the midwives debated sewing. I
did get three stitches, just for safety.

I was up and walking around with out much pain and my body is
snapping back beautifully.

If I had to say the one thing that would be beneficial is to keep
those ladies pushing through the pain and moving around. You can't sit
still during a contraction and moving really helps. I was on all fours
rolling my pelvis around, I was sitting on the couch swaying back and
forth and breathing through the pain.

You do an amazing job of getting the hips open and that's so key.
But get those ladies walking and dancing around because that's going to
help get things open and if there is pain involved, all the better.
That's just my humble opinion. I also am a huge hiker, so that with
yoga made me feel like super Mom!

I loved your class very much, I so wish you taught a Mommy and me
class. I'm on the search for the next class (when I'm allowed to do
yoga again.) I hope all is well and I would love to stay in touch
with you. I must know when you have your own bun cooking the oven.
I'll have many, many, many tips to share with you and we all know new
mother's love to share their stories.

Namaste,
Jenny and the most amazing Annelise.