Dancing for birth

I was invited to a free "dancing for birth" class by an instructor who is just starting out and wanting to do some practice classes and is also a friend of a friend.  I was really excited about it when I was initially asked, but as the day approached to go I was hesitant because dancing is certainly the last thing I physically feel like doing right now.  My back is aching with reminders of lifting too much during packing and each time Elyse asks to be held, the prick stings just a little worse.  I'm not resting well with the anxieties that come along with doing a double closing and moving in 36 hours, so dancing was not on my to-do list.

I'm not one to break commitments and if nothing else, I knew it would give me a couple of hours to myself.  I had the sitter come an hour or two early so I even squeezed in a couple of errands before hand.  I was going to go.

The class was wonderful!  The instructor had us doing things and get into positions that not only eased my discomforts now, but I can definitely see would be beneficial for labor and delivery.  She handed out brightly colored scarfs with coins that jingled together to tie around our waists.  It was a room of jingling bellies and for the first time in awhile I felt confident to be sporting mine.  I worked with my body and my baby girl to Latin, African, and other types of music.  We rocked, swayed and did the salsa together in a rhythm all our own.  I embraced her and the way my body has changed because of her in such a fun and enjoyable way.  It was our first "mommy and me" time devoted to her like that and I'm so thankful I went. 

There were affirmation cards read, we were educated on why and how to work with our bodies natural design to positively affect our births, it was great.  I left there feeling closer to my daughter and physically more confident in carrying her.  I've hidden behind the largeness of my belly and cowarded away from comments as to how far other people think I am.  I embarrassingly knock into things and bump my protruding belly into random objects and people as though even I am unaware of the space it consumes.  Not tonight.  My body is fulfilling one of it's primary purposes and I'm disappointed I haven't embraced that more.  I'm holding my belly a little higher now, if there is such a thing.