Description

Biographical Note:
Margo Shapiro Bachman, MA, is a nationally certified Ayurvedic practitioner and certified yoga teacher who holds her master’s in education. She has studied Western herbal medicine and yoga for over 20 years and received extensive Ayurvedic training with Dr. David Frawley, Dr. Vasant Lad, and Maya Tiwari. Her private practice in Santa Fe, New Mexico, focuses on women’s health. See heartofwellness.com

Review Quotes:
“Margo Shapiro Bachman is an exceptional teacher of Ayurveda and yoga. Her integrity, compassion, and wisdom shine through in all of her endeavors and I highly recommend her work.”

-DAVID FRAWLEY (PANDIT VAMADEVA SHASTRI)
Author and Vedic teacher

“Her contributions in yoga, wellness, and women’s health are a real blessing to the healing arts community.”
-TIAS LITTLE
Director, Prajna Yoga

Table of Contents:
Foreword / Dr. Vasant Lad — Introduction — How This Book Was Conceived — How Yoga and Ayurveda Can Guide Your Pregnancy — Pregnancy and Birth as Rites of Passage — How to Use This Book — My Gift to You — Part 1. The Basics — Chapter 1. Ayurveda, the Science of Life — Ayurveda: The Basic Principles — The Physical Body: Elements and Doshas — Your Unique Constitution: Prakruti and Vikruti — Exercise Dosha Self-Assessment — The Subtle Body: Prana, Tejas, and Ojas — Exercise Assessing Your Ojas — The Mental Body: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas — Exercise Understanding Your Mind — Chapter 2. The Complete Practice of Yoga — Fundamental Principles of Prenatal Yoga — Body: Prenatal Yoga Postures (Asanas) — Breath: Breathing Practices (Pranayama) — Exercise Observing the Qualities of Your Breath — Mind: Meditation — Exercise Exploring Intentions for Your Meditations — Focal Points for Practice by Trimester — The Three Doshas and Yoga Practice — Exercise Observing the Doshas at Play in Your Yoga — Chapter 3. Nourishing Diet — Sattvic and Ojas-Building Foods — Eating According to Your Body Type — Exercise What Do the Dosha Guidelines Mean for You? — Digestion — Journaling Exercise Observing How Food Affects Your Body — General Guidelines for Improving Digestion — Preparing the Kitchen — Vegetarianism or Not? — Honoring Your Roots — Vital Nutrients — Sample Pregnancy Meals According to Body Type — Chapter 4. Harmonious Lifestyle — Peaceful Mother, Peaceful Baby — Exercise Increasing Sattva in Your Life — The Positive Use of Sound — Healthy Daily Rhythms — Daily Rhythms for Each Dosha — Daily Rhythms in Pregnancy — Daily Rhythms for Women with Babies and Young Children — Journaling Exercise Your Daily Rhythms — An Essential Practice: The Ayurvedic Self-Massage — Part 2. Your Pregnancy: A Month-by-Month Guide — Chapter 5. The First Trimester — What’s Happening in Your Body? — Chapter 6. Month One: Intuition and Dreaming — Dreams — Journaling Exercise Dream Journal — Breathing Practice Relaxing and Calming the Breath — Meditation Practice Moonlight Reflection — Sound Practice Mantra Pushpam — Chapter 7. Month Two: Protection — Using Milk in Pregnancy — Journaling Exercise Acknowledging and Releasing Fears — Breathing Practice Shitali Pranayama — Meditation Practice Protection — Sound Practice Devi Sureshvari — Chapter 8. Month Three: Peace — Journaling Exercise Accepting Your Changing Body as Healthy — Breathing Practice Ujjayi Pranayama — Meditation Practice Focusing the Mind, Encouraging Peace (So Hum) — Sound Practice Shanti, Shanti, Shanti — Chapter 9. The Second Trimester — What’s Happening in Your Body? — Chapter 10. Month Four: Nurturing — Journaling Exercise Nurturing Yourself — Nurturing the Cravings and Desires of the Mother — Asana Practice Beginning a Home Prenatal Yoga Practice — Breathing Practice Shitali Pranayama with Ujjayi Exhale — Meditation Practice Trataka, Nurturing Yourself with Candlelight — Sound Practice Ha Vu Ha — Chapter 11. Month Five: Mothering — Journaling Exercise What Being a Mother Means to You — Asana Practice Pelvic Openings — Breathing Practice Shitali Pranayama with Ujjayi Exhale and Counting — Meditation Practice You Are the Perfect Mother for Your Baby — Sound Practice Ma — Chapter 12. Month Six: Support — Birth Vision — Dharma — Journaling Exercise Exploring Your Dharmas and Support — Asana Practice Supported Restorative Poses — Breathing Practice Nadi Shodhana Pranayama — Meditation Practice Support from the Mountains — Sound Practice Asato Ma — Chapter 13. The Third Trimester — What’s Happening in Your Body? — Chapter 14. Month Seven: Opening the Heart — Exploring Your Changing Relationship — Journaling Exercise Exploring Intimacy with Your Partner — Fun Practice Creative Intimacy — Asana Practice Opening the Heart — Breathing Practice Shitali with Alternate-Nostril Pranayama — Meditation Practice Partner Meditation, Sending Love — Sound Practice Hridayam Mayi — Chapter 15. Month Eight: Balance and Blessing — Instability of Ojas — Journaling Exercise Blessings in Your Life — Fun Practice Hip Circles, Figure Eights, and Dancing — Rituals and Blessings to Prepare for Birth and Motherhood — Asana Practice Balance Poses — Breathing Practice Silent Recitation Pranayama, So Hum — Meditation Practice Balance — Sound Practice Ayur Mantra — Chapter 16. Month Nine: Completion — Simple Practices: Abhyanga and Yoni Pichu — Preparing for Birth and Postpartum — Eating and Digesting in the Last Month of Pregnancy — Journaling Exercise Building Confidence — Asana Practice Integration — Breathing Practice Relaxing and Calming the Breath — Meditation Practice Flower Blooming Meditation — Sound Practice Purnamadah, Honoring the Wholeness of Life — Part 3. Birth and Postpartum — Chapter 17. The Journey of Birth — Early Labor — Yoga for Labor — Exercise Reviewing Yoga to Help You in Labor with Your Partner/Labor Support — Support During Active Labor — Marma Points to Assist with Labor — Exercise Finding the Marinas on Your Body with Your Parmer/Labor Support — Aromatherapy during Labor — Exercise What Else Is in Your Tool Bag? — Immediately After Birth — Chapter 18. Gentle Beginnings: The First Two Months Postpartum — Guidelines for Mom’s and Baby’s Health and Happiness — Journaling Exercise Writing Your Birth Story — Postpartum Diet — Diet and Breast Milk — Ayurvedic Baby Massage — Adjusting to Your Postpartum Body and Self — Asana Practice Gentle and Safe Postpartum Movement — Breathing Practice Nadi Shodhana Pranayama — Meditation Practice The Sun as a Source of Strength — Sound Practice Surya Mantra — Appendices — Appendix 1. Remedies for Common Pregnancy Ailments — Appendix 2. Food Guidelines — Appendix 3. Recipes — Appendix 4. Herbs to Avoid During Pregnancy — Appendix 5. How to Make Herbal Oils — Appendix 6. How to Use Essential Oils Safely and Effectively — Acknowledgments — Resources — Glossary — Bibliography — Index — About the Author.