Once we reached our third anniversary, my husband and I decided to start trying to conceive. We wanted to start our family while we were still relatively young. But we had no idea what kind of journey we were about to embark on. Six months off birth control, without using any protection, and still no baby in sight. We were getting frustrated. I had been healthy all my life and every female member of my family was able to get pregnant without even trying. Why was I having so many problems? We decided to head to the fertility doctor to make sure that neither one of us had any serious issues that would prevent pregnancy. Everything checked out just fine and we were back at square one.
I began doing research, tons and tons of reading on any and all topics related to fertility. After a while my eyes seemed to open, a light bulb turned on. I realized that stress was likely the cause of my inability to conceive. All the stress I was putting on myself and my husband to make a baby, in addition to all the normal stresses of my job and life in general, it was just too much for my body to bear. It was a difficult idea to come to terms with, but once I got over myself and threw a little pity party, I was ready to do everything in my power to get rid of this unnecessary stress.
My research on stress reduction techniques lead me to explore yoga more in depth. I had participated in various yoga classes through my gym throughout my young adult life, but was never very serious about it and quit as soon as life became too “busy”. But every article and personal account I read further confirmed in my mind that I needed to start doing yoga regularly. So I began my search for the perfect yoga studio. I contacted numerous instructors in my city and nearby towns, and I was able to narrow down my options.
I made a list of four studios that I wanted to try out before deciding on a long term yoga home. The first place I went to felt like a complete joke; all the cheerleaders from nearby high schools apparently decided to use yoga class as a time for socializing. I had high hopes for the second studio, as a friend was the one who recommended it to me. But those hopes died after entering the room. While the class was great for some, it didn’t feel right for me. The music was very loud and more upbeat than what I was looking for, definitely not something I could relax to. The following week I went into next studio without any expectations. Everyone was friendly and helpful, but it still just didn’t feel right. I began second-guessing my desires for a yoga class; I didn’t want to have to settle for something that didn’t suit me. But my husband encouraged me to keep looking, so I did. As I was about to give up altogether, the fourth studio shocked me. It was absolutely everything I was looking for; it felt like home.
Several weeks of yoga classes quickly turned into several months. I was getting to know the instructor and fellow yoga classmates, but there was still no sign of baby. My flexibility was slowly increasing and my whole body felt more alive and a sense of well-being flowed through my veins. But above all, my mind and body began to feel relaxed. I became content with the thought that I might not be able to become pregnant after all. Just a couple weeks after coming to terms with my body and circumstances, my husband and I shared an amazing moment together. We jumped up and down, tears streaming down our faces, as we checked and double checked the pregnancy test. There was no denying it, the test was definitely positive!
I knew that if I hadn’t begun doing yoga that I might have never been able to conceive. Regularly practicing yoga helped me to become more in-tune with my body. This new awareness helped me to take better care of my body throughout my entire pregnancy. Various poses late in my pregnancy ensured my son was head down when he was supposed to be. I even did yoga while laboring and was able to have the natural birth I had always dreamed of. Yoga has changed my way of life and after all it has done for me, there’s no way I will stop.
Olivia Nicholas is a writer, blogger and mom (yippee!). She is always happy to share her passion for life and experiences through her work, and in her spare time works as a freelance writer for Storkie.