Reviews of Fertility and Prenatal Yoga DVDs

These are the only two yoga DVD's I've ever seen.


Yoga Practices for Fertility
by Tami Quinn, and Beth Heller, Pulling Down the Moon, 2004 on video, 2005 on DVD case.

Total run-time unknown. Yoga practice is 40 minutes. DVD Menu selections: Introduction, Breathing, Practice, Svasana, Visualizations, Restorative, Training, and Play All. Filmed in the Pulling Down the Moon studio in the city of Chicago. The studio has hardwood floors and brick walls, complete with city views and noises. The production quality is simple. The music is atmospheric instrumental with a beat. Both instructors have been infertility patients and understand how stressful ttc can be. One instructor narrates while the other demonstrates in front of the class. You can tell they have mid-Western accents. There are male and female students in the class, and a few races and body types are represented. You feel like you are actually in a yoga class, and they explain the basics so this would be a good DVD for beginners in yoga. The practice is gentle and relaxing. They do moon salutations. However, once the practice moved to the floor I found it harder to follow her instructions. I really enjoy both the guided visualizations, "Lake of the Mind," and "Chakra Healing." I find all the Menu selections cumbersome, if you select Play All you have to sit through their Introduction and detailed instruction in how to breathe, but if you select Practice, you miss the breathing section. Also, the end of the Practice includes svasana, so the Svasana section seems a little redundant. It is nice that they continue the music and allow you to stay in svasana as long as you like, in both sections. And I haven't been interested in the Restorative section. I don't know that I would buy this DVD again, I might want to try something else.



Prenatal Yoga
by Shiva Rea, Gaiam, 2000

Total run-time 70 minutes. Yoga practice is 50 minutes. DVD Menu selections: Program, and Interview. Filmed in a beautiful studio in California with nature views outside the large windows. The production quality is professional and aesthetically pleasing. Shiva Rea's voice is low and steady, I find it very soothing. The music is a simple piano piece, which I really like. There are three women, in each trimester of pregnancy, demonstrating varying levels of modification for each pose. The practice flows through Seated poses, Standing poses, and Floor poses. It is a gentle and relaxing total body program. She even does some good kegel exercises. At the end she guides you through a relaxation in svasana pose. It flows well because you can stay there as long as you like, the music continues through the credits, and then it flows back into the Menu screen with continued music. I think this is the gold standard for prenatal yoga. I'd highly recommend this DVD for pregnant women, but it can also be used by ttc women if you don't mind her regular references to "your baby." I prefer Shiva's program and her explanations for the poses. She works the pelvic area and gets more circulation there than the fertility DVD does. A friend gave this DVD to me (thanks, Stephanie!), but I would pay full price for it.

The winter of my discontent

This winter I have morphed into an unhappy, ball of stress with a sedentary lifestyle. I have a desk job, and I really don't think I'm getting enough circulation in my body or reproductive area.

I finally admit to myself that my stress level is hindering our ttc efforts.

What a shame because I know so many great ways to relax, and I'm not using them. I take a weekly power yoga class, and enjoy workouts at the gym (when I'm not too tired to go). I have been trained in Transcendental Meditation (TM), plus I know how to do deep breathing, visualization, and progressive muscle relaxation... but it's like, how often do I really do these things, you know? So, I have made a commitment to myself to do some form of exercise or relaxation technique daily. I will either work out at the gym, meditate, or do yoga. I just received a DVD I had ordered a few days ago, Yoga Practices for Fertility, by Quinn and Heller, so I can do yoga at home every night if I want to. I'm really excited about it!! I think this will make a big difference in my sense of well-being, and fertility.

Also, we are going on a family ski trip to Colorado in the beginning of March! I've never been to Colorado, and can't wait!! But, I haven't been skiing in about 7 years. I really need to kick my butt into gear and try to get conditioned for the trip.

Now, let's play the "What If I got Pregnant this month" game. I think you all know how this goes. This month I should ovulate sometime around Valentine's Day, isn't that an appropriate holiday to make a baby? Then, if I were to get pregnant, I would find out on the ski trip, or hopefully before we go. My period is due the first or second day of the ski trip, don't you just love how periods like to vacation with you? I've researched skiing while pregnant, and although it's a personal decision based on competency and comfort level, the consensus is: don't do it! It is just too risky, even for good skiers, because there are too many other variables, such as someone else crashing into you. So, here's the kicker: If I got pregnant, I would choose not to ski on the trip. My husband's family knows how much I've been looking forward to going skiing, so we would have to tell them immediately! I would prefer to wait until I'm farther along, but I guess, sometimes you have to tell it early.

Thanks to all my new followers, and thank you for all the great comments! Best wishes and babydust to you all!