[lily]

Veena I cannot wait for your foam roller lessons!  I had been meaning to subscribe to your lessons again and this thread gave me the push I needed!

I have recently discovered the foam roller and am IN LOVE with that thing!  

[lily]

That’s so fantastic you have bounced back so quickly, congratulations on becoming a mother!

Everyone and every pregnancy is different, I agree with everyone else about giving yourself time.

I have always bounced back really well after baby, but my last pregnancy was twins so it’s taken me much longer this time. My babies are almost 11 months now and I am still not quite back to my previous level of strength but am working hard and getting closer!

You’ll be back doing all your fave tricks before you know it! 🙂

[lily]

My name is Jillian and I am 6 weeks pregnant! I just found out this weekend! Yay! I have been taking pole dancing classes and really working out strong since April but have always been athletic and fit.
I have read all the previous posts and I know I can continue to spin and work out and stretch and that it will help me through out my pregnancy. I am concerned about climbing the pole and about getting winded during a routine. Is it safe to pull up your weight? Any extra info you can offer would be great! Thank you!

Congratulations Jillian! I recently pole-danced my way through a twin pregnancy, my best advice is to just listen to your body. I read everything Veena had to say about it, and stopped inverting at around 3 months…it just started to feel wrong. I continued climbing moves until 20 weeks, and then after that it was pretty quick to where holding my body weight just put too much pressure on my belly so I stayed totally grounded and just did walks, turns, pivots and gentle strengthening and flexibility exercises. Becoming so big and bulky is a great opportunity to work on balance, body awareness and grace. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

Pregnancy is SO amazing, enjoy it and be active and be gentle with yourself! Definitely be careful of getting too winded, a little exercise can go a long way when you’re doing the hard work of carrying a baby.

And I just gotta put it out there, please consider birthing in a gentle and natural way – it’s so SO good for you and your baby! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_sunny.gif

[lily]

Felix Cane! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_queen.gif
Bobbi Smith https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_salut.gif
Pantera Blacksmith
Jenyne Butterfly

Those are my faves! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

[lily]

Aw thank you Audball! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_sunny.gif I know, people are so funny – they’d find out I had twins and would be like ‘ https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_surprised.gif ‘what are you doing up, shouldn’t you be on bed rest?’ https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif It is so healthy for you to continue being active if that’s what you’re used to, even of by the end you’re just stretching gently and taking walks.

I had been so bummed about being knocked off the pole, I had just started feeling comfortable with Gemini to scorpio’s and pole is so exciting how you can see yourself get stronger, I love it! I’ve been going backwards for so long, it feels good to be moving forward – I’m about to bust out my Bobbi’s dvd’s and learn a routine to make a new a video to. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_bounce.gif

[lily]

^^^ https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif I remember reading about her poling through pregnancy. The video I did is the last one I’ve made….at the time I thought there was only one baby, I had an ultrasound just a couple days later that showed us there were two babies and that was the last time I did any climbing moves! Pretty soon after that I got too big and heavy to even hold myself up to do spins, but I kept doing walks and turns and stretches on the pole all through pregnancy. Like any exercise, you just have to listen to your body and modify.

The babies are 7 months now and while I’ve been back to poling since pretty much right after birth it’s been very very slow going….my skill level is pretty much where I was at that 20 week vid, all I’m doing right now are beginner/intermediate spins. My abdominal muscles separated during pregnancy so I’ve been so nervous to push myself, if you work your abs the wrong way when they’re separated you can really screw your body up. I’ve been working with a personal trainer to get them back together, and am feeling much stronger and finally ready to start work on inverts. I miss it so much, can’t wait to really get back to it!

[lily]

I continued to pole dance through my pregnancy, I have actually have a video posted here when I was 20 weeks pregnant with twins!

Veena did an amazingly beautiful pregnant pole dance video….

But yeah, Christina Applegate made me LMAO, too funny! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif

[lily]

Hi and WELCOME!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

I’m in Austin too – did you take your lesson at Brass Ovaries?

[lily]

http://www.plasticsurgery.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

i support cosmetic surgery..find a board certified surgeon in your area using this website and save your money or go to carecredit.com to apply for a credit card specifically for medical procedures. sorry to everyone who disagrees but thank god for plastic surgery.

Dude, I would really rather not…..but I so will.

And yes, I totally bought that tabloid with Octomom giving her bikini body tips. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_redface.gif And I do NOT for one second believe she didn’t have plastic surgery! ….though she did also have some pretty decent diet & exercise tips. Like not losing weight too quickly which can result in loose skin, working out with weights to combat that and eating foods rich in natural fats like salmon, avocado, etc. I’ve read that carrots and strawberries are great for skin elasticity too.

[lily]

We all lose weight on different parts of our body first. I weigh as much as a feather and STILL have to hold myself in the right way to conceal a belly I know you saw this vid Glitter but I’ll link it here again. Work WITH the body you have don’t fight it. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_sunny.gif

Yes its for postpartum mom but it also applies to everyone.

http://ver3.studioveena.com/lessons/view/1199" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

omg Veena I freaking LOVE you for making this video! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_salut.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_queen.gif

I have had 2 children and totally got my body back both times (dare I say my kids made my body even better??) with diet, exercise, taking good care of myself through pregnancy and belly wrapping after my baby was born. But now…..I’m expecting TWINS and am having a hard time not stressing! I’m much more focused on carrying these boys healthily to term but I cannot ignore my vanity, I want to get my body back again so bad! I’m really freaked out about ab separation, as I hear you need surgery to fix it. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif Do you have any tips for things to do during pregnancy to avoid ab separation and help your skin stretch?

I was in the best shape I’ve ever been thanks to the pole https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif before I got pregnant, I’m eating well and continuing to exercise, lots of yoga and cardio – though I am officially off the pole for now.

I’m using tons of body oil, have a belly support band and have skin tightening & toning products along with a belly wrap ready to go for after the babies come.

I’ve been doing the baby spinning exercises: http://www.spinningbabies.com/" and lots of visualization (for labor of course) but also for the stretching my uterus and belly has to do in these last few months ……’I am elastagirl, I am elastagirl, all of the elasticity of the universe is MINE!’ https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif

It’s really been a great pregnancy and I do feel like I am carrying these boys very well…..I really want a happy and healthy bounce back! I’m planning a natural birth at home which I know will help me bounce back faster, and am planning to encapsulate my babies placenta’s which is supposed to be amazing for energy, hormones, and helping your uterus contract back to normal. Also planning to breastfeed of course, tandem style! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_eek.gif Holy shit that will be nuts!!!!

PLEASE give me your advice and encouragement mama!!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif

[lily]

Wow babe – those are gorgeous photos!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

[lily]

https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif ugh, the HuffPo always makes me feel like I’m on crazy pills – but this is a new one. Seriously WTF are they talking about? https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif

[lily]

I get into a reverse grab on spinny from a leg hook, like this:

http://ver3.studioveena.com/lessons/view/343

I need to learn how to keep it going and spin around back up to the pole how Simply Sweet does!

[lily]

aw, I think this was the very first Veena video I ever saw! I love this, you are such a fabulous dancer.

[lily]

Dude, I have always loved your videos and thought it was so awesome you danced to praise & worship!

Pole dancing for Jesus? I say hell yeah! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif I grew up going to spirit-filled Evangelical Christian churches so I’ve seen serious joy in dancing in praise. Sadly I’ve also seen enough of judgmental, hypocritical Christians to make me stay away from church – though I’m a bigger fan of Jesus than I’ve ever been in my life right now.

I find his whole question of should be pole dancing be condemned to be totally offensive. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumbdown.gif