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...

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...

  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...

  A gentler, longer hold version of Bridge—emphasizing release over strength Welcome back to Support Sunday ! We’re in Cycle Two: Soft Strength & Release , where each week brings another small gift of rest and gentle power. Last week we softened into Reclined Bound Angle Pose, and today we shift into a restorative version of Bridge. Instead of lifting and holding with effort, we’ll rest on support—learning that sometimes, release is the deepest form of strength. 🧘‍♀️ How to do it: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip-width apart, close to your hips. Press into your feet and gently lift your hips a few inches. Slide a yoga block (or a stack of folded towels/pillows) under your sacrum. Let your hips settle onto the block, arms resting at your sides, palms up. Relax your jaw, soften your belly, and breathe deeply. 🕊️ Duration: Stay supported for 1 2–15 minutes . Focus on slow, expansive breaths. Feel your pelvic floor soften with each e...

Just a little reminder from me, Alice in Yoga Pants. 🌸 When incontinence first entered my life, I’ll admit—I did what so many of us do. I stayed up late at night with my phone, Googling every possible cause, reading medical articles I barely understood, and scrolling through endless posts online. It felt like if I could just find the right explanation, I’d finally feel in control. But here’s what I’ve learned: searching like that rarely brings peace. It usually brings more confusion, more fear, and sometimes even shame. What does help? This community. Here, we can share the “how” with each other: What diapers, pads, or covers actually work. How to care for our skin and prevent irritation. Which clothing choices or layering tricks make us feel confident. Even yoga stretches, breathing, and routines that make daily life softer. That’s the beauty of being together—we get to swap ideas, lift each other up, and remind ourselves that we’re not alone. But the “why”—the r...

  Welcome back to Support Sunday ! We’re beginning Cycle Two: Soft Strength & Release —and we’re starting with one of the most restorative poses in yoga. This week’s pose invites us to rest deeply, soften our pelvic floor, and feel completely supported. 🧘‍♀️ How to do it: Lie down on your back on a comfortable surface (mat, blanket, or bed). Bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees gently fall open to the sides, like butterfly wings. Place pillows, yoga blocks, or folded blankets under each thigh for support—so you can fully relax. You can also slide a cushion under your head, and even a bolster or pillow under your spine for extra comfort. Rest your arms beside you, palms up. 🕊️ Duration: Stay here for 3–5 minutes , or longer if it feels good. Focus on slow belly breaths and let your pelvic floor melt open with every exhale. 💞 Note: “Butterfly wings resting on pillows—your body is safe, soft, and beautiful. Let the earth hold you ...

Sweet friends, we’ve walked through the first nine weeks of  Support Sunday  together—building awareness, creating a foundation, and learning that softness and strength aren’t opposites, but partners in pelvic floor health. Cycle Two is about  Soft Strength & Release . Think of it as unwrapping a new season of gifts—each Sunday offering another way to breathe, stretch, and honor the body you live in (yes, every body, exactly as it is). Weeks 10–12: Restorative Expansion We’ll begin with longer, supported holds—postures that whisper to the pelvic floor,  “It’s safe to let go.” Week 10: Reclined Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana) Deep pelvic floor relaxation, supported with pillows or bolsters. Week 11: Supported Bridge (with block) A gentler, longer hold version of Bridge—emphasizing release over strength. Week 12: Legs Over Bolster A variation of Legs-Up-the-Wall without the wall—portable, comforting, deeply grounding. Weeks 13–15: Strength & Flow Once ...

Welcome to Support Sunday, where we continue our soft journey through poses that nurture the pelvic floor, calm the nervous system, and remind you that even diapered bodies deserve dignity, beauty, and strength. This week, we’re unfolding. From the curled embrace of Child’s Pose, we now open into stillness, letting the body rest fully. A pose of surrender, softness, and complete release. Let’s lie back together in the healing quiet of Savasana with Diaphragmatic Breathing. How to do it: Lie flat on your back in Savasana. Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Close your eyes, soften your jaw, and let your breath guide you. Inhale gently into your belly, then exhale slowly, allowing tension to melt. Option: Rest your legs over a bolster or pillow to ease your lower back. Duration: 5–10 minutes. Note: “In this stillness, feel your breath cradling your pelvic bowl. You are safe, and you are healing.” Closing Reflection Savasana is often called the “final rest,” bu...

Welcome to Support Sunday, where we continue our soft journey through poses that nurture the pelvic floor, calm the nervous system, and remind you that even diapered bodies deserve dignity, beauty, and strength. This week, we’re curling inward. A pose of stillness, of openness, and of elegant surrender. Let’s fold together into the gentle embrace of Child’s Pose (Balasana). How to do it: Kneel on your mat with your big toes touching and knees apart. Sink your hips back toward your heels and fold forward, resting your forehead on the mat. Stretch your arms forward, or let them drape softly by your sides. Option: Place a pillow or bolster under your chest or between your thighs and calves for extra support. Duration: 1–3 minutes, or longer if it feels nurturing. Note: “Curl inward. Feel the earth hold you. In this pose, your back widens, your hips soften, and your whole body whispers: I am safe.” Closing Reflection Child’s Pose (Balasana) is a posture of surrender, but not d...

How to do it: Choose your position—either lying comfortably on your back with knees bent, or on all fours with hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Gently tilt your pelvis forward, letting your lower back arch slightly, then tilt it back, flattening your lower back or rounding your spine. Move slowly and intentionally, focusing on how your lower belly and pelvic floor feel as you move. Reps: 10–15 slow, mindful repetitions. Note: "This is a whisper of movement —just a nudge, a curl, and a loving lift. You don’t have to force it; think of it as a soft conversation with your body, one that reminds you it’s safe, strong, and cared for." Why it’s wonderful for pelvic health: Pelvic tilts help awaken and strengthen your deep core and pelvic floor muscles without strain. They improve circulation, bring awareness to your posture, and help release tension in your lower back and hips. They’re a beautiful starting point for reconnecting to your body after injury, surg...