A new mother who was still performing headstands the day before she gave birth says yoga was behind her speedy 10-minute labour.
Randi Greene, 30, from Chesapeake in Ohio, who gave birth to baby Quinn last month, refused to roll up her mat when she fell pregnant, and instead shared jaw-dropping photos of her pulling off impressive moves even with a growing bump. Randi, who trained as an instructor after falling in love with yoga three years ago, credits her practice with helping her during contractions when she was giving birth, and says it helped her to create a ‘deeper mind-body connection’ during pregnancy.
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‘There were definitely certain poses and movements that I was unable to do during my pregnancy,’ Randi said.
But she adds: ‘Though I had to stop doing certain poses, my body was able to do so much more than I could have ever imagined. I was able to hold handstands up until the day Quinn was born and teach hour long Buti Yoga classes well into my third trimester.’
Randi and her husband David Greene, 33, welcomed their son on January 16.
Video: Pregnant mother Randi Greene performed yoga until she gave birth
Randi said: ‘During my first trimester, I was extremely tired and only practiced yoga two to three days a week when I was able to peel myself off of the couch. During my second and third trimester, when my energy started coming back, I would try to move my body for 45 minutes to an hour, four to five days a week. I taught Buti Yoga one to two times a week up until 37 weeks pregnant and also incorporated resistance training, dancing, and other forms of yoga into my weekly routine.’
‘I 100% think practicing yoga and exercising during my pregnancy helped with my labour. It not only helped with my breathing during contractions and delivery, but it also provided me with a certain level of confidence that allowed me to really tune into my body during labour. Yoga helped me create a deeper mind-body connection during my pregnancy.’
Randi, who started practicing Buti Yoga in 2014, works as an instructor and runs Wild Spirit Yoga Camp for women. But she revealed she hasn’t always been a yoga-enthusiast.
Randi said: ‘I was always into lifting weights and running, however I was never a huge fan of yoga. I had tried one class in my life and did not really enjoy that particular class, so I never tried yoga again, until I was introduced to Buti Yoga. I fell in love with the practice and decided almost immediately that I wanted to become a Buti Yoga instructor and share this life changing movement with others. I love that it is a complete workout all on its own and it’s a movement to empower women and help you gain confidence and feel comfortable in your own skin. It leaves me feeling strong, energized, confident, and happy.’
She added: ‘I am looking forward to getting back to practicing yoga with my new little partner, however right now I am just enjoying being a new mom and soaking up all of his sweet baby snuggles while I can.’
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