Second Trimester Bikram and a battle wound from standing bow

image compliments of http://www.worldgallery.co.uk/art-print/Flower-Power-III-130131.html

Second trimester Bikram is GREAT!!!  In general, for the most part, I feel human again - in the first trimester I definitely felt pregnant and weird enough to keep me tentative.  Not just in the studio, but also just in regular life.  You never knew when a random wave of nausea of extreme tiredness would hit.

Second trimester is very different.  As I said, I feel like myself - as opposed to feeling pregnant.  Sometimes I have to remind myself there is a little being growing inside of me.  I remember though when I get dressed, as no pants fit anymore (thank you bella band.)

In the studio, even after a week off for Thanksgiving travels, I was able to do a whole class, all postures, no problem.  Sure it was hard but that's because it's Bikram!  In the first trimester I never knew when I'd be sitting some of the standing series or feel wobbly or dizzy.

The pregnancy series does leave me feeling a little bit sad because I miss doing standing head to knee the way everyone else does it.  And I REALLY MISS standing separate leg forehead to knee.  If you get to do that pose a lot, CELEBRATE it!!  The benefits to your endocrine system are incredible and the compression to the internal organs and digestive system is unparalleled.  I cannot wait to do that pose again.

So I have a serious Bikram battle wound from Monday's class.  I was practicing in the back (as I do when I'm doing pregnancy modifications) and was kicking so hard in standing bow that my foot slipped out of my grip and the top of my big toe left side smashed down onto my glass waterbottle which was sitting on the window sill behind me.  Luckily: I didn't break my toe or the glass, just spilled the water.  My toenail is still attached.  I was bleeding as I sliced the top of the toe skin near off.  Huge flap.  Blood and grossness.  Also I swore loudly as I went down.

I was transported back to training when there was unbearable pain and the breath, and that was it.  I didn't get up for balancing stick I was sort of looking at it and realizing I was bleeding.  A few paper towels helped mop it up and I finished class as best I could.  Wow.  I was really kicking.  Note to self: stay away from the window sills.  Never again.

Hope you are all finding joy in your yoga practices whatever and however they may be - celebrate the fact that with life we can do yoga and that is wonderful!