Like all new parents, I am obsessed with sleep. Although Ethan is generally a very happy, calm and contented 9 week old, he is one long growth spurt (he's already wearing 3-6 month clothing and occassionally 6-9) and so his sleep pattern is a cycle anywhere from 2-5hrs. I remind myself that sleep deprivation is a form of torture and I haven't cracked yet - step aside James Bond.
Thankfully, Tai Chi is fantastic for sleep. Studies in older adults and heart patients show that Tai Chi players fall asleep quicker and stay asleep for longer. Tai Chi has long been understood to help regulate hormone levels and this is utilised in Chinese hospitals and TCM as a method of treating a variety of hormone related issues including insomnia.
As well as helping with sleep during the tricky 'fourth trimester' Tai Chi boosts serotonin which aids with relaxation and appetite, helping parents recharge their batteries without reaching for the cookie jar or coffee pot (at least, not every time!) This in itself aids better sleep and more stable hormone levels.
So, although I feel like I'm not sleeping enough, I feel proud of how surprised people are at how energised Simon and I seem compared to their picture of a new parent.
Research studies/articles:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15161452
http://www.aarp.org/aarp/live_and_learn/Learning/articles/tai_chi_helps_sleep.html
http://www.taichiresearch.com/1124/study-finds-tai-chi-improved-sleep-stability-in-individuals-with-chronic-heart-failure/
Monday, March 22, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Tai Chi and Labour
Well, after a bit of a break to adjust to the arrival of Ethan Owyn Robins on January 13th, I'm back with more knowledge and understanding of just how amazing Qigong and Tai Chi are.
Despite everyone's horror stories of how terrible it could be, labour was actually a fantastic, life affirming experience for me.
Positioning:
Knowing that my mum had had issues with the position of my brother and I, and my grandma the same, I did lots of work beforehand to make sure Ethan was in the best possible position: I found that waist turning tended to move him into a more horiaontal position and so adjusted my practice to do less of these exercises.
Early Labour
Labour started at around 7pm with my 'show' and ended at 1.26 in the morning with a beautiful baby boy - around 6 hours. The first stages were all about learning to breathe with each cycle - a great insight into my qigong practice. I found that the exercise of breathing into and out of the Ming Men was really helpful at this stage, it helped to slow my breathing down, to relax the back muscles where they were cramping and deepened by physical breath to help me take in more oxygen. It also gave us enough time to work out how to use the TENS machine.
Second Stage
Once we arrived at the hospital, my breath work helped to create a focused state of intention which blocked out everything apart from the relationship between myself and Ethan and our need to help each other through his journey to the outside world. As a study in the qualities of resting in and supporting it was a truly fantastic experience; I understand much more about the qualities of connection trained in jue shou and tui shou now that before those few hours. Feeling his head transition from the womb into the birth canal and then feeling it descend and ascend, descend and ascend with each wave of contraction and working with my ability to push clearly and release the push completely to enable it to happen as effortlessly as possibly was an enlightening journey for me.
Many of our students have said that they found tai chi helped them in labour, sped things along, reduced the need for pain relief; I agree. I was more relaxed, more focused, stronger, more confident and able to trust my body's instincts because of my practice. Thank you to all my teachers.
Despite everyone's horror stories of how terrible it could be, labour was actually a fantastic, life affirming experience for me.
Positioning:
Knowing that my mum had had issues with the position of my brother and I, and my grandma the same, I did lots of work beforehand to make sure Ethan was in the best possible position: I found that waist turning tended to move him into a more horiaontal position and so adjusted my practice to do less of these exercises.
Early Labour
Labour started at around 7pm with my 'show' and ended at 1.26 in the morning with a beautiful baby boy - around 6 hours. The first stages were all about learning to breathe with each cycle - a great insight into my qigong practice. I found that the exercise of breathing into and out of the Ming Men was really helpful at this stage, it helped to slow my breathing down, to relax the back muscles where they were cramping and deepened by physical breath to help me take in more oxygen. It also gave us enough time to work out how to use the TENS machine.
Second Stage
Once we arrived at the hospital, my breath work helped to create a focused state of intention which blocked out everything apart from the relationship between myself and Ethan and our need to help each other through his journey to the outside world. As a study in the qualities of resting in and supporting it was a truly fantastic experience; I understand much more about the qualities of connection trained in jue shou and tui shou now that before those few hours. Feeling his head transition from the womb into the birth canal and then feeling it descend and ascend, descend and ascend with each wave of contraction and working with my ability to push clearly and release the push completely to enable it to happen as effortlessly as possibly was an enlightening journey for me.
Many of our students have said that they found tai chi helped them in labour, sped things along, reduced the need for pain relief; I agree. I was more relaxed, more focused, stronger, more confident and able to trust my body's instincts because of my practice. Thank you to all my teachers.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Massage in Pregnancy
I had a fantastic Hydrotherm massage today with Rick Stone of Stones Hydrotherm clinic in Lewes. He turned up at home with everything ready and I just had to lie there and be pampered. Now 37 weeks pregnant, with an enormous tummy its great to have someone give me that extra bit of support with my circulation and work on my 'cankles' as muy students are so supportively calling them.
The reason that both Si and I reccommend this kind of massage to our students, is that it's all about resting in and supporting. One of the reasons that Hydrotherm is so good as a pregnancy massage is that you are able to lie on your back not your side or front and on top of large warm water bottles so your muscles are more relaxed when worked on. Because you are being massaged from below you have to completely let go and rest in - I have to say, it is so far the most luxurious Jue Shou practice I have found!
Unlike a lot of massage, Hydrotherm can be done throughout the pregnancy. For more info contact Rick on 07722 005905
The reason that both Si and I reccommend this kind of massage to our students, is that it's all about resting in and supporting. One of the reasons that Hydrotherm is so good as a pregnancy massage is that you are able to lie on your back not your side or front and on top of large warm water bottles so your muscles are more relaxed when worked on. Because you are being massaged from below you have to completely let go and rest in - I have to say, it is so far the most luxurious Jue Shou practice I have found!
Unlike a lot of massage, Hydrotherm can be done throughout the pregnancy. For more info contact Rick on 07722 005905
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