Pilates and the Essence of the Greek Goddess Artemis: Embracing Body Patience in Your Prenatal & Postpartum Journey by Natalie Deuschle

(Image Source of Greek Goddess Artemis)

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 I discovered Pilates 16 months after having my first baby. At the time, I was physically crooked, in pain, and frustrated with the limitations I was experiencing as a result of my physical strength and lack of balance. 

Also during this postpartum time, I found myself accompanied by negative thoughts concerning my body image. No amount of stretching, lifting weights or seeing the chiropractor helped me rebalance my body. I had never felt so against myself, mentally or physically. I gave myself almost no grace about the extra weight I carried during the 18 months I spent breastfeeding.

It wasn’t until I started private Pilates sessions that my crookedness and negative self-talk began to alleviate. Through working with my Pilates teacher, I learned that I hadn’t regained a connection to my transverse abdominis or my glutes. I also learned that there was more opportunity for me to strengthen my mind-body connection. 

As a long-time yogi, having taught throughout my 20s, I thought yoga was the ultimate source of connecting mind to body. I was genuinely surprised to find that there were even deeper layers of this wholebeing connection to discover through the Pilates practice.  

By better understanding the functionality of my body and regaining my balance, some of my negative body image issues lessened. I enjoyed feeling capable again in my physical strength and balance. 

I’ve spent the last few months training to become a perinatal Pilates specialist and I’m 38 weeks pregnant with my second baby. Throughout this training, I’ve been blessed with an incredible amount of information regarding women’s perinatal health as well as new ways of discussing body patience for this resilient population. 

Now I’m excited to share a framework I’m using to embrace body patience and combat the bounce back culture that places so much pressure and stress on moms to quickly get their pre-baby body back. For the record, I don’t think it’s possible to get my pre-baby body back and I don’t think it’s something I should be obliged to aspire to. 

Instead, I’m thinking about a Greek goddess, Artemis, and her twin brother, Apollo. Artemis is the goddess of hunting, wild animals, nature and the moon. She is also the goddess of childbirth and the protection of unmarried girls. Her essence can be discovered through wildness, flowing, creativity and unpredictability. Apollo is the Greek god of music, healing, light and prophecy. He is also the god of education, knowledge and agriculture. His essence can also be related to structure, timelines, order and things that are man-made. 

As women trying to embrace body patience throughout pregnancy and postpartum, let’s look to Artemis for inspiration. Instead of focusing on appearance and trying to control exactly how our bodies look, let’s welcome function and sensation, acknowledging the miraculous creative power of our bodies. Drawing inspiration from Artemis for our pre and post natal journeys, we can acknowledge that the way we feel about ourselves and our appearances may shift from moment to moment. We can intentionally step away from an Apollonian mindset of viewing our bodies as machines that should follow rigid outlines for the purpose of satisfying societal expectations. 

Here are some mantras, meditations, and movements for empowering you to embrace your inner Artemis as you navigate body patience throughout your pre and post natal journey. 

Mantra - “Out of the mirror, into the moment” is a quote shared by our teacher, Alison Marsh, and I think it’s a really powerful one. The next time you’re scrolling social media, feeling frustrated with your body or comparing yourself to others, say “Out of the mirror, into the moment”. 

• How to: Pause and ask yourself questions like “How does my mind, body and spirit feel right now?” “How do I feel when I look into my baby’s eyes?”

Body Presence Meditation -  

Move out of your mind and into your body. From the book “The Language Your Body Speaks”  by Ellen Meredith

• How to: 
• Find a comfortable seated position. 
• Gently close your eyes, if you feel comfortable doing so, or direct your gaze downwards.
• Identify the four corners of your torso: front of left hip, front of left shoulder, front of right hip, front of right shoulder. 
• Using the four corners of your torso, place your hand on the front of your right hip and visualize the color yellow, imagine your body entirely filled with yellow light.
• When you feel full of the yellow light, move your hand to the second position, which is the front of the right shoulder, and imagine your body and aura filling with red light.
• When that is full, move your hand to the front of your left shoulder, imagine your body and aura filling with black light, like the darkness of the night sky.
• When you feel full of the night light, move your hand to the front of your left hip, imagine your body and aura filling with blue light. 

Earthing - Also known as grounding, earthing is the practice of connecting your body to the Earth's natural electric charge. It involves placing your bare feet on the ground. Earthing transfers electrons from the Earth into your body and the theory is that this act rebalances your body's electrical energy. 

(Image Source: Pinterest)

• How to: Simply walk barefoot outdoors, lay in the grass, wade into a creek, pond or ocean. 

 Lateral thoracic + 360 breathing IG  LINK  - 

There are many reasons to practice 360 breathing while pregnant. One important reason is for managing intra-abdominal pressure and preventing excessive pressure on the pelvic floor. Other reasons include: 

• Creates space in the torso for the growing baby by lengthening the spine and stretching the ribcage.
• Keeps the diaphragm muscle strong and flexible
• Relieves stress by calming the nervous system - Vagus nerve stimulation
• Prevention of pelvic organ prolapse and diastasis recti.
• Prepares mom-to-be for breathing during childbirth.
• Prepares mom for healing postpartum.
•  Energizes the system! 

 Feet exercises IG LINK - 

Commonly experienced by pregnant women, plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the tissues at the bottom of the feet.  With relaxin flooding the body and with the pressure at the bottom of the feet from standing, feet can “grow” from a half size to a full size during pregnancy. Pilates can help relieve these symptoms through foot exercises.  

Gentle Hanging - Single Arm IG LINK - 

Most pre and post natal moms have tightened pecs and over conditioning of the trapezius. Opening movements like gentle hanging can help relieve this tightness, and learning how to properly lift arms overhead can help prevent injury. This is a great one to practice at least every other day.

Hug the Baby/Belly + Free the Baby/Belly - IG  LINK - 

With this technique, we shift our perspective from strictly thinking about anatomy to considering more muscles and their related fascia. This concept encourages a gentler support of the core and trains the fascial web for resilience, which has the potential to prevent or heal pressure-related issues like diastis recti and pelvic organ prolapse.