I am a perpetual doer. There is never a day I don’t hear the siren song of the to do list, and I love nothing more than checking off a box upon completing. And when I teach Childbirth education I often see my students clicking into the same trap. They want the homework, they want to know what they can DO to prepare for labor, or after birth what they can DO to feel like they’re on the path “back” (I don’t know where we’re going back to, but that was an earlier e-mail)
But here’s the thing. THE most important and powerful thing we can DO both birth preparation and parenthood isn’t a doing at all.
It’s Relaxation!
Yep, the best thing we can do is slow down and take a moment.
Relaxation isn’t just a luxury during pregnancy—it’s a necessity.
Our bodies are in the midst of incredible transformation. Muscles stretch, organs shift, hormones surge. And yet, while all of this is unfolding inside us, the outside world always demands more: keep working, keep doing, keep up. It’s a cultural script we know too well, especially as women and mothers—the idea that rest is lazy, indulgent, or even unproductive. But here’s the paradox: the more we push ourselves to do, the less we actually gain.
Rest is one of the most essential tools we have for birth preparation.
It’s during periods of deep rest that our tissues regenerate, our nervous system resets, and our mind returns to center. Rest builds resilience. And it teaches our bodies what we’ll need most during labor: how to soften, how to let go, and how to trust support. Practicing rest through yoga allows us to rehearse those exact skills. It’s not passive—it’s powerful.
As midwife Fiona Hallinan once said: “What opens the cervix isn’t the power of the contractions. It’s the depth of the sigh of relaxation in-between.”
Shavasana for Pregnancy
Shavasana (final relaxation) is one of the most important poses we practice—and for some it’s one of the hardest. Not physically, but mentally. Learning how to be still in a culture that glorifies constant motion takes practice and permission. You may even notice the inner voice that whispers, “Shouldn’t I be doing something?” That’s the moment we lean in, or rather let go.
Shavasana is both a posture and a practice. The classic posture of lying on your back has a few variations as we progress in pregnancy.
Around 20 weeks or so, lying flat on your back is no longer recommended. The signals to watch for are feeling dizzy, woozy, or slightly nauseous or short of breath. When you notice these we need to adjust Shavasana to support the changing body. At first, reclining on an incline of blocks and bolsters can feel soothing. But as the baby grows, even that can become too much pressure for your circulatory system—and that’s when we turn to Side-Lying Shavasana.
How to Practice Side-Lying Shavasana
Lie on your left side (this encourages optimal blood flow and may help baby find a good position).
Extend your left leg and bend your right knee, resting it on a firm pillow or bolster to support both your knee and ankle.
Tuck a folded blanket or small pillow under your belly for added support.
Create a long blanket roll and snuggle it like a teddy bear—resting one end under your head and wrapping the other across your chest for grounding.
Let your bottom arm either stretch out beneath you or tuck behind your back—whichever feels more easeful for your shoulder and neck.
Once supported, allow your body to roll slightly forward, bringing your weight onto the front of your thigh rather than the bones if your pelvis.
Once you’re settled, take a long, slow breath. Notice the ground beneath you. Feel the steadiness of your support.
And here’s where the practice piece of Shavasana comes in. Th posture is whatever feels supportive for us, but the practice is where the rubber meets the road. The practice is to let your senses expand to take in whatever might be going on around you. Sounds, smells, sensations, all of it. But take it in as simply sense perceptions, without the usual labels we might attach to them. Feel yourself resting in the midst of the very weird, post-modern symphony you live in the middle of. Nothing to do, nowhere to go. Just relaxing with things as they are at this moment. The practice is learning to relax with imperfect situations just as they are.
Stay here for as long as feels nourishing—5 minutes, 10 minutes, or even longer. This is not time "off." This is time on purpose. You are doing something powerful by choosing rest.
A Final Thought
In a world that measures worth by output, choosing rest can feel radical. But growing a human being is already the most productive thing your body can do. You don’t need to earn rest—it’s already yours.
So, Mama, take the time. Breathe. Settle. Be. If you’re waiting for the world to become calm before you let yourself take a moment, you’re going to be waiting for a very long time.
You're not falling behind—you're tuning in.
In deep admiration and rest.
The essential mama poses at your fingertips
Click the link below for a free downloadable ebook version of my Essential Mama Poses so you can take my most recommended poses right to the mat.