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Going through a miscarriage
Pregnancy is an amazing wonder of the female body. It is hard to believe that our human bodies can create, hold and develop another human being. When we understand how incredibly complex human reproduction is we can only marvel at is magnificence. The truth is ovulation, fertilization of an egg, and pregnancy are such elaborate and complex processes in the body that it is natural and expected that pieces might go wrong. Due to its complexity, miscarriage is a natural part of child-bearing.
Some estimates suggest that nearly 30% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. While miscarriage is a natural part of female reproduction, it can still be a very difficult process. Those women who have experienced a miscarriage can attest to the physical and emotional difficulty they have on the body. As a result, it is important to find a nurturing practice that can calm the mind and the body as it deals with the ramifications of a miscarriage. Yoga is one good way to do this. This article will outline how yoga can be used for all stages of miscarriage: beofre/during, and after as a way to heal and help the body.
Yoga poses during miscarriage
While there is no silver bullet to stop the body from miscarrying if it is going to, there are some steps that might help to minimize its discomfort and potentially its occurance. Many miscarriages are due to chromosomal abnormalities, in which there is an imperfection in the fetus. A miscarriage is nature's way of eliminating a baby that would likely not be healthy or survive if it were to live to term.
So do not assume that you are fated to miscarry if you begin to experience spotting or lighting bleeding during your pregnancy.
Bleeding is often the first sign of miscarriage. However, there are many cases where women begin to show signs of miscarrying, such as light bleeding, but then go on to have normal and healthy babies.(Note, that many women spot/bleed throughout their pregnancy and it is NOT a sign of miscarriage.) Note that if you are pregnant and you begin to bleed, call your doctor immediately. Regardless of what is going on with the body or your desire to practice yoga, it is essential that your doctor knows what is going on with you.
As miscarriage is stressful, it is common for the body to tense and for the mind to dwell in worry. This does not help the body's need for relaxation and nurturing. Practing yoga can help with this. In addition to following the recommendations of your doctor, here are a few gentle yoga poses that might help to quell the body's reaction to the bleeding and/or calm the body and mind.
Legs up the wall
Viparita Karani is a classic restorative yoga pose. It helsp to calm the nervous system, relieve circulation in the legs, send blood to the pelvis and brain and to relax the mind. During miscarriage, this pose can help to slow down the cramping and the bleeding/spotting.
Getting into the pose
Practice this pose by following the general guidelines for Viparita Karani but make a few additions/changes to the pose given the delicate state of the body:
- Instead of using a large bolster to prop the hips, use a soft pillow or folded blankets under the buttocks and pelvis, (this is especially true if you are newer to yoga). You do not need to have the pillow/bolster moved away from the the wall as much as shown in the photo here. The goal is to have the hips very moderately lifted to help relax the pelvis and slow the contractions in the uterus.
- If your shoulders and neck are tight, you may find that you need an small additional blanket to pillow under the head to support the head. You do not want your chin to be lifiting above the rest of your face; if it does this support the head with minimal lift.
Once in the pose
- Once you are in the pose with the legs comfortably up the wall. Relax the legs, the thighs, the groins and the belly. You can even imagine that the thigh bones are dropping into the hip sockets. This should help to release the sacrum into the pillow and it should relax any unconscious tightening in the lower abdomen and organs.
- Relax the shoulders, the neck, the jaw, the eyes, the whole face and head. And feel as if the whole body is safely supported by the earth.
- Imagine the blood releasing from the legs and traveling down the legs to nourish the pelvis. Envision that this nourishing energy carried by the oxygen in the blood is pooling into the pelvis to soften, relax and fortify it and the growing embryo inside.
- Allow the breath to soften. Follow the natural cycle of the breath. Relax any holding of the breath and try to soften and lengthen the breath without any force. You should not practice ujaii breath here. Feel the gentle inhale traveling down the spine into the back of the pelvis, allow a gentle slow exhale to fill the pelvis, groins, genital organs and uterus. Feel the breath nourishing the pelvis area, feel the exhale relaxing the pelvis and deepening the bodies connection to the earth.
How long to stay in the pose
- Stay in the pose for 5-15 minutes, relax the mind, visualize the breath (or practice whatever calming technique works for you).
- Get out of the pose very slowly and carefully. You can do this by pushing the feet into the wall to slide the buttocks away from the wall. Then gently bring the knees towards the chest and roll the whole body over to the left side. Breath here for a few breaths before slowly pushing yourself back up to a seated position.
- Get out of the pose if you find that it is making your cramps worse.
- Get out of the pose if you find it is really hard to stay in it without tensing the leg muscles.
- Do not practice the pose if you find that it is really hard to get into it without causing more distress to the body.
Modified Butterfly pose
Butterfly pose, known as Baddha Konasana in Sanskrit, is beneficial for digsetive health as well as for female reproductive organs. When practiced in the supine position, it can help relax the inner groin and create space in the female reproductive and genital area. This pose can be very helpful for menstrual cramping and can have a similar effect during miscarriage.
How to get into the pose
- Place two pillows next to each other- long sides against each other. Bring the hips onto the pillow with the mid-back and upper torso lying back on the bed (can only be practiced in bed if the mattress if firm) or yoga mat.
- Prop the head under a thin pillow so the back of the neck is comfortably supported. You neither want the chin too lifted or too dropped but rather even with the rest of the face.
- Place an eyebag over the eyes.
- If you are tight in the inner groin and hips and it feels very difficult to have your knees opening towards the earth, place a rolled blanket under each knee so that each knee and thigh is supported.
- As mentioned above, do not practice this pose if it exacerbates your cramping or discomfort.
Once in the pose
- Relax the whole body. Relax the head, the shoulders, the back, the hips and the legs. Feel as if you are relaxing the hips and legs down into the soft support of the pillow.
- Invision space opening in the pelvis, between the hips and in the uterus. Imagine that this space is making way for the healthy and natural development of an embryo. Allow this space to relax and feel as if it is filling with gentle, warm, healing energy. If conceiving of "energy" is too foreign on awkward for you, imagine and healing color (such as soft yellow or soothing violet) or a warm light or soothing fluid moving through this area.
- Practice the same breathing as in the Legs up the Wall pose. Allow the breath to soften. Follow the natural cycle of the breath. Relax any holding of the breath and try to soften and lengthen the breath without any force. You should not practice ujaii breath here. Feel the gentle inhale traveling down the spine into the back of the pelvis, allow a gentle slow exhale to fill the pelvis, groins, genital organs and uterus. Feel the breath nourishing the pelvis area, feel the exhale relaxing the pelvis and deepening the bodies connection to the earth.
How long to stay in the pose
- Stay in the pose for 5-15 minutes, relax the mind, visualize the breath (or practice whatever calming technique works for you).
- Get out of the pose slowly and carefully. Draw the knees together and gently bring the knees towards the chest; then roll the whole body over to the left side. Avoid twisting the body as you come out. Breath here for a few breaths before slowly pushing yourself back up to a seated position.
- Get out of the pose if you find that it is making your cramps worse.
- Get out of the pose if you find it is really hard to stay in it without tensing the leg muscles.
- Do not practice the pose if it causes back pain or if you feel that it is causing discomfort to the body in any way.
Legs on Chair
Legs on Chair is not an official yoga pose, rather it is a modified version of Legs up the wall or Viparita Karani. Supporting the legs on a chair with the knees bent is even more gentle to the body than the legs up the wall. Legs on Chair can be a great pose for those who suffer back problems or for those who have trouble getting their legs up the wall. It is also a great final resting pose at the end of this restorative practice.
How to get into the pose
- Find a chair that has a large enough seat for you to rest your calves full on the seat of the chair. Unless you are using a special backless yoga chair or a couch chair, you will want to place your legs sideways on the seat of the chair.
- Make sure that the seat of the chair is high enough to fully support your lower legs. If it is not, place a folded blanket or two on the seat of the chair to make it higher. You also do not want to chair too high so that the legs are partially extended. The ideal is to have the shins parallel to the earth.
- Place a mat blanket on the floor. Lie on top of the blanket as close to the chair as possible. Scoot your butt closer to the chair and swing your legs up onto the seat.
- Have a blanket nearby to cover the legs if you are cold.
- Prop the head under a thin pillow so the back of the neck is comfortably supported. You neither want the chin too lifted or too dropped but rather even with the rest of the face.
- Place an eyebag over the eyes.
Once in the pose
- Relax the whole body. Relax the head, the shoulders, the back, the hips and the legs. Really relax the thighs into the hip sockets. Allow that to send a release through the entire pelvis. Imagine that the sacrum is relaxing and deepening down toward the earth. Allow that the release any tension and holding all the way up the spine and into the neck.
- As the spine relaxes down, imagine that all the muscles, fibers, tissues in the back are relaxing and dropping in towards the center of the earth. Relax the organs in the lower abdomen. Feel as if they are releasing away from each other and softly dropping down to lie on the inside of the spine. Allow this to create a sense of space and openess in the body, especially in the pelvis. Any cramping in the uterus may start to release.
- Feel as if the pelvis bowl is filling with a healing warmth or light. Allow this imagery of healing warmth or light to further relax the pelvis and the rest of the body. Envision a healthy and vital uterus and body.
- Practice the same breathing as in the Legs up the Wall pose. Allow the breath to soften. Follow the natural cycle of the breath. Relax any holding of the breath and try to soften and lengthen the breath without any force. You should not practice ujaii breath here. Feel the gentle inhale traveling down the spine into the back of the pelvis, allow a gentle slow exhale to fill the pelvis, groins, genital organs and uterus. Feel the breath nourishing the pelvis area, feel the exhale relaxing the pelvis and deepening the bodies connection to the earth and to the sense that all is perfectly well.
How long to stay in the pose
- Stay in the pose for at least 10 minutes; 20 minutes is ideal. Relax the mind, visualize the breath (or practice whatever calming technique works for you).
- Get out of the pose slowly and carefully. Draw the knees toward the end of the chair and press the chair away from you. Then bring the knees in towards the chest; roll the whole body over to the left side. Avoid twisting the body as you come out. Breath here for a minute or so just feeling the calmness of the body. Imagine that that this calmness is sinking deeply and permanently into the body.
- As with all of the poses mentioned in this article: come out if you find that your cramps or pain is getting worse. Also come out if you find that the poses is making your more agitated or worried.
What next
If you have suffered from a miscarraige that required hospitalization or a D&C, you should check with your doctor before trying any form of exercise including yoga. In general, the poses mentioned should be OK for the body during and after a miscarriage. In addition to healing and nurturing the physical body, you will want to heal the psyche. Miscarriages can be quite tramatic and taking time to nurture the emotions back to a place of balance can help to heal the body (and to prepare it for another pregnancy if you so chose!)
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