Fertility Yoga for Women In Their 30s, 40s, & 50s

So much focus is placed on the potential increased risk associated with delaying motherhood and not enough attention is given to the many benefits of waiting to become a parent. In this video, we'll practice a gentle, slow, and fluid yoga sequence designed to help you feel un-rushed and aligned with the unique and perfect timing of your life.

Music by Chris Collins, “Inner Light (90-minute Delta Wave Version)”

Transcript

Hi there, Kendra Tolbert here. I'm a registered dietitian and yoga teacher, And I specialize in women's health and fertility. And I created this fertility yoga sequence for those of you who have delayed motherhood for any reason. Perhaps you're in your 30s, Your 40s, Or your 50s, And maybe you're getting the message from society that you need to hurry up or that your time has already passed. Well, I created this sequence so that you would have an opportunity to feel unrushed and unhurried and to remember to trust the pace and of your own life. As you practice this sequence, I would encourage you to think about this quote from Lao Tzu, Nature does not hurry, Yet everything is accomplished. With that in mind, Grab your mat, Roll out your mat, And let's get started. We'll start by coming to the short front edge of our mat. Bring your feet about hips width apart. Arms down by your sides. Looking straight ahead. If it feels good to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. But if you'd prefer to, You can simply cast your gaze down and slightly in front of you. This is your practice, So you get to choose what feels best to you. Bring your attention to the space around your heart. Now, Shift your attention to your breath. Notice the unique pace and rhythm of your breath. On your next inhale, Circle your arms up overhead. And as you exhale, Circle your arms down. Continue inhaling and circling your arms up. Exhaling and circling your arms down. Allowing your breath to set your pace. The next time you find your arms down by your sides, Leave them there. I'll join you. And then we'll both place our hands onto our hips. Bring your attention to the balls of your feet. And shift your weight forward onto the balls of your feet. On your next inhale, Lift your heels, Rising up onto your tippy toes. And as you exhale, Lower your heels. Continue inhaling and rising up. Exhaling and lowering down. Make this your last round. Lower your heels one final time. Release your hands down by your side. And on your next inhale, Circle your arms up. Exhale, Forward fold, Circle your arms down, Reaching down towards your feet. Bend your left knee generously. Straighten your left knee and bend your right knee. Straighten your right knee. Then bend both knees and place your palms onto the mat. Make your way onto your hands and your knees. Set yourself up so that you feel supported and comfortable. Your wrists are just about underneath your shoulders. Knees are just about underneath your hips. And your feet and your knees are about hip's width apart. On your next inhale, Arch your spine. Then as you exhale, Round your spine. Continue inhaling and arching. Exhaling and rounding. At your own unique pace. Trusting the timing of your breath. To guide you. Come back to a neutral spine. Walk your hands forward. Lower your head down to the mat. And bring your attention between your eyebrows. Slowly come back up, Walking your hands, Towards your knees. Curl your toes under. And then sit your hips back onto your heels. You can keep your hands on the mat. Or You can walk your hands up your thighs. And stack your shoulders over your hips. You get to choose how intense you'd like the sensation, The stretch in your feet to be. This is your practice. Bring your attention once again to the space around your heart. Then to your breath. If your hands are not on the mat, Bring them down to the mat. We'll all uncurl our toes. And tap the tops of our feet onto the mat. Then sit your hips onto your heels. And rest your hands onto your thighs. Reach your arms in front of you and interlace your fingers. Then turn your palms away from your torso. On your next inhale, Bring your arms up overhead, Fingers are still interlaced. Breathe here. On your next exhale, Bend over to the left. On your next inhale, Come up through center. Then exhale over to the right. Inhale to come back up through center. And as you exhale, Circle your arms behind you, Fingertips meet the mat. Your fingertips are pointing away from your bottom. Allow your chest to open. Perhaps you look up, Chin up. Bring your hands forward. So that you're once again on all fours. Curl your toes under. Lift your knees, Send your torso back towards your thighs. And then begin to straighten your legs so you come into downward facing dog. Walk your hands back. To meet your feet so you're in a standing forward fold at the back of your mat. Bring your attention to the balls of your feet. Bend your knees. And slowly, As slow as you can, Roll up to standing. On your next inhale, Circle your arms up, Overhead. Bend your elbows, And as you exhale, Straighten your arms, Pressing your palms away from your body. Again, Inhale, Arms come up, Elbows bend. Exhale, Hands press away from your body as your arms straighten. Last time, Inhale arms come up. Elbows bend. Exhale, Arms straighten, Press away. Let's add a twist to that. On your inhale, Arms come up, Elbows bend. As you exhale, Twist the right knee. And straighten your arms. Inhale to come out of your twist, Arms come up and elbows bend. Exhale, Twist to the left, Straighten your arms. Again, Inhale up through center. Elbows bend. Exhale twist to the right, Straighten your arms. Inhale up through center, Elbows bent. Twist to the left Straighten your arms. Let's make this our last round. Inhale up through center. Elbows bend. Exhale, Twist to the right. Unfurl your arms. Inhale through center, Elbows bent. Exhale, Twist to the left, Unfurl your arms. Inhale to come up through center. As you exhale, Circle your arms down. Come into a forward fold. Bend your right knee generously. Straighten your right knee. Bend your left knee generously. Straighten your left knee. Bend both knees. Make your way onto all fours. Take your time. Uncurl your toes, Tops of your feet are on the mat. Begin to make circles with your head and your hips. To the right. For Cat-Cow Circles. Change the direction of your circles. Just come back to a neutral spine. Bring your big toes together. Walk your knees out wide. Rest your hips. Onto your heels. Walk your hands forward. And lower your forehead down to the mat. For Child's Pose. Bring your attention to the space between your eyebrows. You Slowly, Make your way back up onto your hands and your knees. Bring your knees about hips width apart, Feet are hips width apart. Walk your knees back. Then lower down. Roll over onto one side, Doesn't matter which because we will do both sides. Your knees are bent. In your bottom arm. Reaches forward, I guess up really, And you can rest your head onto that bottom arm. Reach your top arm up and over, Allowing it to drape down. Over your head. Breathe deeply here. Reach your top arm back up. By your side. And then you can roll over to the other side and repeat on the other side. I am going to switch sides this way. So that I can continue to face you. So that bottom arm supports your head. And your top arm reaches up and then drapes overhead. Breathe deeply here. Reach your top arm up. And then allow it to rest alongside your body. Or on the side of your body. Roll over onto your back. Draw your knees into your chest. And rock gently from side to side. When you're ready, Be still. Envision yourself as a flower bud in a beautiful bouquet. Notice how each of the flowers in this bouquet is open to its own degree. Some are tight buds. Some are completely open and unfurled. Each in their own time and perfect in their own way. While continuing to envision yourself in this beautiful bouquet. See yourself begin to open. At your own time. As you do so, Begin to straighten your legs. Lowering them down towards the mat. Releasing your arms to the back. Take your time. You're in no rush. Once your arms and your legs are completely straightened. And resting. On the floor, On the mat. I invite you to close your eyes if they're not already closed. And rest here in our final resting pose, Shavasana. Bring movement to your body by wiggling your toes and wiggling your fingers. And bringing a gentle smile to your face. Bend both knees. Roll over to one side. And slowly. Make your way. Into a comfortable seated position. On your next inhale, Circle your arms up overhead, Palms touch. Exhale, Hands come to the center of your chest. Rest your thumbs against your sternum. Maybe you can feel your heart beating. At its own pace. Maybe you can feel the inhale and exhale of your breath. At its own pace. To close this practice, I invite you. To say the following to yourself. I trust the timing of my life. Thank you for allowing me to guide you in this practice. Be well, And bye for now.