Corinne Andrews - Birthing Mama: Your Companion for a Holistic Pregnancy Journey with Week-by-Week Reflections, Yoga, Wellness Recipes, Journal Prompts, and More

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Edited by Deanna F. Cook, Hannah Fries, and Sarah Guare
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Text 2021 by Corinne Andrews

Ebook production by Kristy L. MacWilliams

Ebook version 1.0
September 14, 2021

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These two beautiful beings chose me as their mama, and they have gifted me the profound personal, spiritual, and physical experience of conception, pregnancy, birth, and motherhood. Through many joys and challenges, they have been my greatest spiritual teachers. They brought me to places I never imagined going, illuminated layers of myself I never would have seen, and have helped my heart to grow in love and wisdom in ways I didnt know were possible.

This book is an offering from my heart. I offer it to you to support your pregnancy in being as transformational for your inner self as it will be for your outer self. I welcome you to approach each piece of this book, week by week, with openness and curiosity. And I invite you to hold yourself with love and compassion as you explore your inner landscape guided by the various prompts throughout.

Before this book was created, Birthing Mama was born as prenatal and postnatal yoga classes in western Massachusetts. It then evolved into an online program, a prenatal yoga and wellness teacher training, and now the book and keepsake that you hold in your hands. It began for me as a spark of inner guidance from the Divine Mother when I was pregnant with my daughter (my second child) and in the years that followed. I was guided to create a framework to support expectant mothers in experiencing their pregnancy as a sacred and holistic life event and as a pathway to awakening. The process of bringing Birthing Mama to life has changed me, and I pray that my faithfulness and trust in the process add to your experience.

Included in this book is a diverse array of resources and ideas from various perspectives and traditions that have touched me most deeply. Most of the offerings are rooted in the teachings of yoga, Ayurveda, and holistic health, as well as the insights Ive gleaned from experiencing motherhood, teaching yoga classes, training teachers, and working with families since 2003.

This book begins with the gifts and complexities of the first trimester, moves on to weekly offerings for weeks 14 through 40, and closes with the fourth trimester, more commonly known as the postpartum period. Each week contains a themed inspirational narrative as well as journal prompts related to your body, mind, and spirit, which will set a tone for that week. The other weekly offerings include musings about your growing babys stage of development, a yoga practice, nutritional suggestions and recipes, self-care practices, and creative projects.

As always, consult with your care provider before making changes to your physical or nutritional regime. While this book contains suggestions that I have found to be wonderful complements to the pregnancy journey, you and your care provider should always determine what is best for your health and your unique pregnancy.

The yoga offerings have been carefully chosen to address many common pregnancy-related symptoms and experiences as well as to help prepare you for labor and birth. I introduce movements and postures that strengthen, relax, and open your body and that bring deep integration and wholeness to your body, mind, and spirit. Some practices are also appropriate for use during labor and birth. It is helpful to have a yoga mat; a pair of yoga blocks; a cushion, blanket, or towel; and a strap. No worries if you dont own these thingsyou can improvise with what you have at home. Please visit birthingmama.org to access our yoga videos that go into greater depth than what this book allows.

The spirit of Birthing Mama is rooted in love and respect for all. While this book does use she/her/hers pronouns and the terms mother and woman, this was not done to exclude those birthing parents who identify as male or non-binary. Every offering in this book is intended for any and all who are walking the journey of fertility, conception, pregnancy, birth, and parenthood.