Alice In Yoga Pants

For many incontinent yogis, the body lives in a quiet state of readiness. Ready for urgency. Ready for leaks. Ready for embarrassment. Ready to react. That readiness often becomes bracing,  a constant, unconscious tightening of the belly, hips, thighs, jaw, breath, and pelvic floor. Even when nothing is wrong, the body stays alert. This post is about learning how to soften that vigilance. Not by forcing relaxation, but by cultivating safety . Why Bracing Happens (And Why It Makes Sense) If you live with incontinence, your body has learned some protective truths: Urgency can come suddenly. Leaks can feel unpredictable. Being unprepared can feel emotionally unsafe. So the nervous system adapts. It braces. It tightens. It stays ready. This isn’t weakness. It’s intelligence. But yoga invites something new: ✨ The possibility that safety can come from softness, not tension. What Practicing Without Bracing Looks Like Unbraced practice doesn’t mean total rel...

After release comes choice. After choice comes something even quieter: listening . For many incontinent yogis, the hardest part of practice isn’t strength or flexibility, it’s learning to trust the signals of a body that once felt unpredictable, embarrassing, or unsafe. Leaks, urgency, protection, and vigilance can teach us to override sensation instead of respond to it. This post is about undoing that habit, slowly, kindly, and without pressure. When the Body Learned Not to Speak If you live with incontinence, chances are your body learned some protective strategies that made sense at the time: Clenching before you move Bracing “just in case” Ignoring early signals Distrusting softness These aren’t failures. They’re adaptations. But yoga invites something different, not control, but conversation. Listening is how that conversation begins. What “Listening” Actually Means in Practice Listening isn’t waiting for perfection or clarity. It’s noticing without rush...

If you read Release Before You Strengthen and felt seen, you’re not alone. That post stayed with people because it named something many of us already knew in our bodies: that forcing strength without safety doesn’t work, especially when you live padded, tender, or vigilant. But release isn’t the end of the story. It’s the beginning of choice . Once your body knows it’s allowed to soften, something remarkable happens: you gain options. You’re no longer clenching out of fear or bracing out of habit. You can decide, moment by moment, whether to rest, support, or gently engage. That’s integration. And it’s where confidence quietly grows. What “Integrated” Pelvic Floor Practice Really Means An integrated pelvic floor isn’t strong all the time. It’s responsive . It can: Soften when you sit, rest, or breathe Support when you stand, lift, or move Let go again without panic For incontinent bodies, this adaptability matters more than raw strength ever could. You’re not training for control. You...

Part of the Soft Strength Series by Alice in Yoga Pants Some people start their mornings with coffee and the news. I start mine with a fresh diaper, soft leggings, and a deep exhale. That routine didn’t happen all at once. It grew slowly, out of necessity, out of trial and error, and eventually out of kindness. Because somewhere along the way, leggings stopped being just something I wore. They became care . When Clothing Stops Being About Appearance For a long time, everything I wore felt like a negotiation. How much could I hide? How little could I draw attention? What would get me through the day without questions? Leggings entered my life quietly, first for movement, then for comfort, then for support. And slowly, something shifted. I stopped asking what they made me look like. I started noticing how they made me feel . Held. Supported. Less braced. That’s when clothing stopped being about presentation and started being about function and gentleness . Care Is No...

Part of the Soft Strength Series by Alice in Yoga Pants For a long time, I treated my body like a problem to solve. If I could just hold tighter. Control more. Hide better. Strengthen harder. That was the mindset I brought into movement, into clothing, into yoga and especially into living with incontinence. But the day everything changed wasn’t the day I got stronger. It was the day I stopped fighting . The Mistake I Didn’t Know I Was Making Like a lot of people, I thought strength meant effort. More engagement. More tension. More discipline. When my body leaked, I tightened. When my clothes felt vulnerable, I layered harder. When I stepped into leggings, I braced. I didn’t realize I was living in a constant low-level clench, physically and emotionally. And no amount of strength grows well in clenched soil. Yoga Didn’t Teach Me Strength, It Taught Me Permission The first real shift came during a quiet yoga class. Nothing dramatic. No breakthrough pose. Just a mo...

There’s a kind of strength we rarely talk about — the kind that doesn’t shout, flex, or sparkle under gym lights. It doesn’t look impressive in photos. It doesn’t get applause. It’s quieter. Closer. A strength that sits under everything else, like the softest base layer you don’t even realize is doing all the work. This week, I found myself thinking about that hidden strength — the kind we build not by pushing harder, but by allowing ourselves to stay supported. The strength you feel, not the strength you perform. For me, it shows up in little moments: When I change into a fresh diaper and feel my body relax because I’m safe. When I pull on leggings that hug instead of punish. When I sit on my mat and take one honest breath instead of forcing myself through a routine I’m not ready for. When I ask for help — even quietly — instead of pretending I’m fine. None of those moments would show up on a fitness tracker. But every single one adds to my real strength — the inne...

Before we start exploring the muscles, movements, and mindful moments of pelvic floor work, let’s take a pause to simply come home to our bodies. So often, those of us living with incontinence learn to brace — to hold tension, to tighten, to protect. We forget that support doesn’t begin with strength; it begins with softness. The pelvic floor, after all, is not a wall — it’s a hammock. It supports, it yields, it moves with us. This week, instead of thinking about “training” or “fixing,” try this: Sit quietly for one minute. Breathe into your lower belly. Feel how the body rises and falls, how the seat of your body meets the surface beneath you. That gentle awareness is support. Here’s to starting this next phase of Alice in Yoga Pants with softness and curiosity — to letting strength unfold, not forcing it. —Alice. Proudly padded, softly confident. #SupportSunday #AliceInYogaPants #PelvicFloorAwareness #ProudlyPadded #SoftlyConfident

  It’s been a while since I’ve shared as Alice in Yoga Pants , but lately I’ve felt that familiar pull — that mix of softness, strength, and self-acceptance that started this whole journey in the first place. When I looked back at what resonated most with all of you, it was clear: the stories that mattered were about comfort and confidence — about learning to move, stretch, and live in our bodies as they are. Three of the top posts were about leggings and diapers; the other two about the pelvic floor and incontinence. Together, they tell a story of wholeness — of finding courage where others expect shame, and freedom where there’s often silence. So, moving forward, Alice in Yoga Pants will focus more deeply on those two threads — the visible and invisible layers that shape confidence: 🌿 Fitness Friday: practical, playful posts on yoga, leggings, and managing the VDL (Visible Diaper Line) with style and self-assurance. 🌸 Support Sunday: deeper reflections on the pelvic flo...

  A whole week dedicated to breath awareness and pelvic floor synergy Welcome to the final week of Cycle Two: Soft Strength & Release . Over the past two months, we’ve stretched, strengthened, and softened. Now, we come home to the quiet rhythm beneath it all— the breath . This week, we’re focusing on Diaphragmatic & Pelvic Floor Breathing —a gentle, mindful practice that links your breath to your body’s natural rhythm. It’s subtle, soothing, and incredibly healing. 🌬️ How to do it: Sit or lie comfortably, spine tall or supported. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Inhale gently through your nose, feeling your belly rise first (not your chest). Exhale slowly through your mouth, letting your belly fall. Once you feel settled, begin to notice the natural lift and drop of your pelvic floor: On the inhale , it gently expands. On the exhale , it softens and releases. 🕊️ Duration: Practice for 3–5 minutes , or as long as ...

Accessible, grounding, and beautifully opening for pelvic circulation Welcome back to Support Sunday ! We’ve built strength, practiced release, and found our balance between softness and stability. This week, we take that balance to the ground with a gentle and empowering shape: Supported Squat (Malasana with Props). This pose is a beautiful invitation to root down, open up, and reconnect with your center—no strain, just steady grounding and breath. 🧘‍♀️ How to do it: Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes turned out naturally. Bend your knees and lower into a squat, keeping your heels supported on a rolled blanket, yoga wedge, or low block. Place a bolster or pillow beneath your sit bones if needed for comfort. Bring your palms together at your chest (Anjali Mudra) or rest your hands on your knees. Keep your chest lifted, shoulders soft, and spine tall as you breathe deeply. 🕊️ Duration: Hold for 5–8 breaths , or longer if you feel steady ...

Spinal release, pelvic reset, deep nervous system calm Welcome back to Support Sunday ! We’re beginning our final phase of Cycle Two: Integration & Breath , where strength, softness, and stillness come together. This week’s pose, Supine Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana) , helps reset your spine, calm your nervous system, and bring soothing circulation through your pelvis. It’s a gentle reminder that sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is to let your body unwind . 🧘‍♀️ How to do it: Lie on your back and draw your right knee up toward your chest. Gently guide it across your body to the left side, letting your knee rest on a pillow or the floor. Extend your right arm out to the side, palm facing up. Keep both shoulders grounded as you breathe into the twist. Turn your head softly to the right if it feels comfortable. 🕊️ Duration: Stay for 5–8 breaths on each side. Move slowly and return to center between sides. 💞 Note: “Every twist is an exhale...

Gentle floor strength builder for pelvic stability Welcome back to Support Sunday ! Over the past few weeks, we’ve moved from deep rest into gentle movement—finding that sweet balance where softness meets strength. This week’s pose, Side-Lying Clamshell , blends yoga and pelvic floor physical therapy. It’s subtle but powerful—strengthening the hips and stabilizing the pelvic muscles that support everyday confidence and control. 🧘‍♀️ How to do it: Lie on your side with your knees bent and stacked, feet together. Rest your head on your arm or a small pillow. Keep your hips stacked (don’t roll backward). Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee slightly—like a clamshell opening—then lower it back down with control. Breathe naturally, keeping your belly soft and shoulders relaxed. 🔁 Repetitions: Do 10–15 slow lifts per side. Focus on smooth, controlled motion instead of speed. 💞 Note: “Tiny movements can build big strength, baby. Feel how steady and s...

  Wide-legged stance, powerful but soft—strength with openness Welcome back to Support Sunday ! We’re in the middle of Cycle Two: Soft Strength & Release , and this week, we step into one of the most empowering postures of all: Goddess Pose . It’s a shape of power, openness, and grounding—like sitting on a throne made of your own strength. But here, power doesn’t come from clenching or forcing. It comes from balance, breath, and softness. 🧘‍♀️ How to do it: Begin standing with your feet wider than hip-width apart. Turn your toes out about 45 degrees. Bend your knees and lower into a squat, keeping your spine tall. Bring your hands together at your heart, or extend your arms out wide, elbows bent, palms open. Relax your shoulders and breathe steadily. 🕊️ Duration: Hold for 3–5 breaths , or longer if you feel steady. You can rise up and return to it for several rounds. 💞 Note: “Strong thighs, open hips, soft breath—this is your throne, baby. Sit in...

  Opens hips, stretches pelvic muscles, builds confidence Welcome to a new chapter of Support Sunday ! We’ve just completed our Restorative Expansion with cozy, supported poses (Weeks 10–12). Now, we gently step into Strength & Flow —inviting movement and confidence back into the body. This week’s pose, Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana) , is all about opening the hips and stretching the pelvic floor with grace. It’s soft strength: powerful, but never harsh. 🧘‍♀️ How to do it: Begin on hands and knees. Step your right foot forward between your hands. Slide your left knee back until you feel a comfortable stretch in the front of your hip and thigh. Keep your front knee stacked over the ankle. Rest your hands on your front thigh, or reach your arms overhead for a fuller stretch. Keep your chest lifted and your breath steady. 🕊️ Duration: Hold for 5–8 breaths on each side. Move slowly when switching legs. 💞 Note: “Let your hips melt open like petals in sunl...

A variation of Legs-Up-the-Wall without the wall—portable, comforting, deeply grounding Welcome back to Support Sunday ! We’re in Cycle Two: Soft Strength & Release , and this week brings one of the simplest yet most comforting poses: Legs Over Bolster . If Legs-Up-the-Wall feels too formal or you don’t have a wall handy, this version is your soft, portable alternative. It’s perfect for your living room, bed, or yoga mat—and it offers the same grounding benefits with even more ease. 🧘‍♀️ How to do it: Lie on your back on a comfortable surface. Place a bolster (or two stacked pillows) under your knees. Stretch your legs out so they drape over the bolster, feet falling gently open. Rest your arms by your sides, palms up, or place your hands over your belly for extra grounding. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. 🕊️ Duration: Stay for 5–10 minutes , or longer if you’d like. Focus on letting your thighs, hips, and pelvic floor soften with each exhale. 💞 No...

  Finding the right fit for yoga, walking, and diaper-smart confidence Why Leggings Matter When You Move Leggings aren’t just clothes—they’re the stage your body performs on. A fabric that feels great standing still can bunch, ride down, or reveal lines when you start moving. For those of us living padded, the stakes feel even higher: we want leggings that move with us, support discreet comfort, and let us flow with confidence. Fabrics That Move With You Old Navy PowerSoft & Studio Smooth Buttery, mid-compression fabrics that hug without squeezing. Perfect for yoga classes where you bend and twist—these keep their shape and glide right over thicker padding. Fleece-lined leggings Cozy for walks or cooler mornings, but watch heat build-up in long yoga sessions. Great for layering with tunics or oversized sweaters. Lululemon Aligns Famous for softness, but lighter colors can show outlines. Darker tones (navy, wine, black) are yoga-mom staples that keep your confi...