WEARING: Teeki Yoga Pants in Northern Lights, made in the USA from recycled PET;
Tank top in organic cotton from H&M's Mama / conscious collection;
Sports bra is conventional, but Gaiam makes a similar one for $12 out of recycled polyester from plastic bottles saved from the landfill, just like Teeki pants.
Tank top in organic cotton from H&M's Mama / conscious collection;
Sports bra is conventional, but Gaiam makes a similar one for $12 out of recycled polyester from plastic bottles saved from the landfill, just like Teeki pants.
There are a lot of companies out there marketing their exercise clothing to us ladies with growing bellies, but I was pleased to discover that my trusty Teeki leggings proved my most comfortable pair, which meant I didn't have to purchase a new (and very short-term use) item of maternity clothing, which makes me very eco-happy.
You last saw these Teeki Northern Lights leggings a while back when the dancers of Capital Movement Company modeled several pairs with me for My Fair Vanity, and I've been wearing them non-stop ever since then. Teeki leggings will run you $68-$72, but these babies will LAST and are well worth the investment. They've held up beautifully throughout grueling six-hour dance rehearsals, a half-marathon, and countless yoga classes over the last few years, with no signs of wear or tear at all.
The key to their comfort is their super-soft, elastic-free waist panel that can be worn up or folded down. You can see from these photos and the ones in this post that the top seam is much lower than your usual leggings, so that it bends where you bend at the hips. Plus, the panel is simply a swath of soft material, so there is effectively no waistband there to squeeze your belly, whether it's full of a full-term baby or a Thanksgiving dinner. I think it's genius, and of course I love their crazy, trippy patterns, which make it fun to get dressed for your favorite workout.
A closer look at some of my favorite Teeki styles:
Ulterior Motive for This Post:
I want to tell my fellow pregos out there that yes you CAN do regular yoga [insert running, dancing, gym workouts, etc]! Pre-natal yoga can be very soothing and is an especially great idea for folks who have never done yoga or who don't practice with frequency, but for those of you expecting mamas with a regular practice, I want to encourage you to continue it and to ignore the crazy people on the internet who seem intent on scaring you into limiting your exercise regimen while pregnant.
I can't tell you how many articles and emails I got from babytime websites on "10 exercises to avoid" or "When Not to Exercise While Pregnant," as if your actual doctor's recommendations might not be sufficient. I'm 40 weeks in these photos, as in 9 months, as in as pregnant as I could possibly be, and I do only a few very simple modifications like knees-chest-chin for all of my sun salutations/vinyasas, and open twists instead of closed. I do cat-cow stretches instead of laying on my belly for cobra or bow pose. I also do this crazy thing where I move slowly and carefully, listening to my body as it changes each week, and modifying the way I move to accommodate what it can do. Some days I can do a lot, and some very little.
Exercise, and particularly yoga, has been key to keeping me feeling good through the toughest parts of pregnancy and to easing any aches and pains I wake up with or acquire throughout the day. I just don't want any of you active ladies out there to feel afraid for one second of continuing to do a form of exercise that you love or that makes you feel good. I continued ballet throughout my pregnancy and I even did some running in my first term (I had already started training before I became pregnant). I did what I knew that I could, and you can, too!
That said, it is equally important to rest, to let chores go, to sit on the couch and watch Netflix, and to indulge in pregnancy food cravings. It's all about balance, and you know best what you need. I think that goes for all of us, pregnany or not, right?
