Pregnancy weeks 25-27

The pregnancy is now getting closer to the third trimester and I have to say that no huge changes hoop wise. Everything is still doable, even 5 hoops on-body-split, which actually feels really good... it's like a massage to my hips and back! Overall I believe that hooping is good exercise during pregnancy. It's low impact cardio and gentle to joints and ligaments... It also offers some movement to back and hips, which tend to get stiff when belly grows. I found a nice  article about pregnancy hooping here.

My pregnancy weeks 24-26 I spent mostly taking it easy and resting, because I caught a cold and was really ill for over two weeks. During my flu "episode", I did my last show before maternity leave. It was a little bit of unpleasant, because of the runny nose and fatigue, but I didn't want to miss it in any case. As I said before... performing is a huge part of me and it's been really tough to sell "no". That's why I really really wanted to do the last show!

Last glow show for me during this pregnancy

As I said... everything is still doable, but the costumes are not that wearable... anymore. The belly is getting bigger!

Pregnant week 25

Here is a small, quickly edited clip from that show!

Best Spring greetings!

Wishes the lady and the bump (week27)

Pregnancy week 21 - it's a boy!

It's been a really busy week... Fire shows, glow shows, Parsifal-production rehearsals, music video shootings, hooping at the energy expo, my best friends baby shower etc. Normally I love action and busy schedule, but now I feel like the pregnancy is sucking all energy out of me. I feel a lot more tired than usually. But the best thing during this week was the ultra sound. We got to see our little one and it's a little boy!

After the glow show on last Friday

Hooping at the energy expo on Wednesday & Thursday 

Our precious boy!

www.parsifal.fi. Run troughs for Parsifal on Sunday

Before the Fire show on last Saturday

The mental roller coaster ride is getting a little bit easier. I have finally found my inner zen, peace or what ever. Well, I feel fine most of the time! But when I put on my show costumes and look in the mirror, I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

I think it should look like this: 

When it actually looks like this... 

Gotta love these mama-pants

Oh, they say that pregnancy increases your flexibility. I have had trouble with my back flexibility after I quit gymnastics. The injuries and scoliosis made my back really stiff, but now I finally found my toes again! Yippii!

I am really amazed that I can still hoop without ANY problems! People can already see my baby bump and they ask all the time doesn't it bother my hooping. But not at all! Weird! Only sometimes the little one kicks in the middle of spinning, but that just feels funny and lights my day =)!

I made a video from last week's gigs. Didn't have that much time to edit it, but here comes the
video hooping from pregnancy weeks 20-21.

Have a nice spring!!

Pregnancy weeks 14-18

I have felt more energetic during these weeks. I have trained, done shows, went back to gym and started eating more normally and healthy - like I used to. There were many days when I wondered am I pregnant at all? Well, then the belly started growing and during the 15 th week I felt the first little moves, which increased every day and became stronger. And the same time I became really aware that I had to struggle to fit my costumes... I couldn't help myself wondering, what does the costumer and audience think? Do I look fat - or just cute with my baby bump. At least I felt heavy and big... But it didn't affect my performance at all. I still could do everything in my hoop solo!

14 pregnancy week - Valentine's day.  Belly shows only when you look from the side.

(Pregnant in many of these clips)

On pregnancy week 16 I felt the first time that I can't perform trough my whole pregnancy (surprise!). I had a free spinning gig in one night club. Free spinning means that I'm dancing with my hoop on stage while dj plays the music... This normally means around 10 pm-4 am. Few breaks here and there. Around midnight I was really exhausted! And what happened to  me for the first time, when my abs and muscles became tired, I could no longer do multi hooping on my body (well a long period of time at least)... I switched to poi every 20 minutes. When it was finally 4 am. I literally passed out to my hotel bed... and felt extremely tired for three days!

No nightclubbing for this mama for a while

Now I'm in the end of 18th pregnancy week and you can clearly see the belly. This week I also noticed that I can't do inversion anymore. Headstands, shoulder stands etc. make me dizzy and little bit nauseous. Everything else is still do-able.

Summary:

+ More energetic

+ Feeling more like me again

+ Multi hooping with 5 hoops still doable.

- No more inversions

- Back pain

- Gotta hate the sellulite