I didn't have the easiest pregnancy. This comes as a surprise to so many people who see me only as a yoga teacher...forgetting that before I was a teacher, I was (and still am) a human being. I had issues with anxiety, heartburn, backaches, pelvic floor pain...I was even placed on modified bedrest at the end of my pregnancy after being admitted to the hospital to be tested for preeclampsia. Nope, at the time, I didn't feel like the beautiful and blissful pregnant woman. It's from this perspective, though, that I approach this newly-revealed branch of my path that of a doula/labor and birth assistant.

In retrospect, I feel like my experiences during pregnancy and childbirth gave me insight into the wide range of experiences during the transformative journey into motherhood. From the fear of the hospital interventions to the bliss of feeling my daughter emerge from within me, under water, in the sacred space of my own home...yes, it was all there. It seemed like a whirlwind at the time, but it was necessary for me to understand the profound significance of being Woman, Mother, and Creator.

The following reflection guided me during the last days of my pregnancy...
I am aware of what I see, watch, and witness in my daily life. Vision and acceptance are intertwined with my intentions. I celebrate my inner vision ad learn to use visualization to conquer and manage the waves of contractions. By seeing myself as a beautiful expression of the Divine, ready to see the beauty in others, I give life to an artist. I am fully Spirit, and it my right to see and be seen as I truly am: a perfect expression of the Divine. I am grateful for my vision. I am thankful for my sight. I release these words into the cosmos. It is done, and so it is. Amen.
- Giuditta Tornetta, from her book Painless Childbirth: An Empowering Journey Through Pregnancy and Birth

-- posted by Kristin Maresca, lil omm Co-Director and new Professional Doula