Dear yogis,
Due to the worsening haze conditions now, today's class has been cancelled. We are monitoring the conditions for the classes for the rest of the week. For those of those mothers-to-be practicing yoga at home, here's a little mantra for you and your little one -

I can't protect you from everything
But I can protect you from this haze
Stay with me
Stay with me as long as you need
Stay with me as long as you want
I will carry your heart
in my heart

At VandaYoga, we believe in celebrating the curves and big belly that comes with pregnancies. Here's a preview of the lovely maternity photoshoot with Photography by Yew Kwang.

VandaYoga recently began a partnership with Bliss Shea Butter.  We are selling this hydrating, organic body lotion for $32.00 for a 125ml bottle.  This shea butter is great for deep hydration on a daily basis and can be used to prevent and treat stretch marks during pregnancy.  The partnership got us thinking about ways to prevent stretch marks in general.  Although the appearance of these lines is generally known to be genetic, some mothers strongly believe that certain actions can help prevent them.  No matter your genetic predisposition, here are some small tips you can try during pregnancy that might help minimize stretch marks:

-Moisturize and massage your skin daily with a hydrating body lotion
-Drink plenty of water during the day to hydrate skin from the inside out
-Use sunscreen on all exposed skin when you go out, and especially on existing stretch marks.
-Eat a diet rich in foods that contain plenty of anti-oxidants, vitamins and healthy oils to keep your skin elastic and flexible.

Of course, all these steps will lead to a healthier pregnancy for you and your baby, regardless of stretch marks.  Those little lines aside, we here at VandaYoga believe it’s better to focus on the most important thing– to have a healthy and happy pregnancy!