Sophia (Float Program Organizer)
Due in mid-June
About Sophia (Organizer of the Pregnancy Float Program):
My name is Sophia, and I’m an artist and photographer/filmmaker living in Portland with my husband and 3-year-old son, with another little one due in mid-June. I previously organized a dancer’s project for Float On, and have personally found floating to provide many benefits regarding chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and PTSD. I mostly stopped floating after giving birth to my son, but decided to dive back in with this pregnancy by organizing the Pregnancy Float Project, which will explore how floating might benefit other mamas in various ways during pregnancy and beyond.
I’m also currently working on a documentary film project about postpartum culture, and this seemed like a great opportunity to emphasize that mamas need lots of nurturing care and solo time to unplug and connect to themselves, both prenatally and postpartum — a time that is often much less visible or understood in our culture than pregnancy itself.
Since I’ve floated before, my primary hopes for this round of floating are to relieve chronic pain and experience deep rest. And because it’s much easier in pregnancy #2 to forget the incredible universal miracle that is occurring while juggling everything else, I also hope to remind myself of the larger forces at play as I grow a new person within me.
I’m looking forward to both curating this program and being a participant!
ALLISON
Due Late May
About Allison:
I’m a realtor who loves Portland and the Pacific NW – don’t we all!? My son is almost 3, and I’m pregnant with a girl. When I got pregnant with my son, I was in really great shape and continued to work out throughout my pregnancy. I love to hike, ski, travel, do yoga and was doing barre regularly. And I had BIG plans to do the same with this pregnancy. Combine a busy work schedule, a toddler, horrible morning…er, all day sickness and my plan fell apart.
This pregnancy has been harder for me, and I’m working on as much self-care as possible. When I learned that I could float while pregnant, I was intrigued. The idea of feeling weightless was appealing, and I know I need to take advantage of any opportunity I can to relax. I’ve got aches and pains already that are mostly pregnancy related, and I’m sure they will only intensify over the next 3+ months. I’m looking forward to finding relief and taking refuge while floating!
PS – I’m addicted to my phone, and I love music. I’m always listening to music. I thought I would be so bored without access to either. As it turns out, silence and complete darkness was one of the best parts about my first float!
GRACE
Due Late May
About Grace
My name is Grace. My husband and I have two little girls, Evelyn (5) and Florence (3). We are expecting our third (a boy) in May. Right now my full-time gig is caring for our kids and that is what I will be doing for the foreseeable future. As much as I love spending my days with my children, I also cherish moments alone to read and write. I love being outdoors, whether that’s hiking/biking/running around the beautiful PNW or gardening in my backyard.
I had a few reasons for signing up for the pregnancy float program. I knew what floating was, but I had never done it, so curiosity got the best of me. I also liked the idea of having scheduled alone time to clear my head and just “be” – time to myself is precious and scarce with two little kids needing my constant attention!
The final reason is that I have an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis that has been difficult to manage so far during this pregnancy. Hashimoto’s is made worse by stress, so I liked the idea of having a place to go that naturally calms the body. I hope that it will be good for both the pregnancy and managing my autoimmune disease.
KENDRA
Due Late June
About Kendra:
I am a midwife and lover of alternative therapies. I have completed training in yoga, Ayurveda, massage, and meditation.
I seek ways to prevent dis-ease in my body and mind and respond well to hands-on and physical modalities. As a midwife, I believe magnesium is helpful for pregnancy-related ailments along with being a beneficial supplement throughout your pregnancy. I am curious to see how this does or doesn’t help support my growing body and the discomforts of being pregnancy along with its effect on my birth and postpartum.
I know no pregnancy or birth is the same, but I am intrigued to see how this plays out for my pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
L’KEISHA
Due in mid-March
About L’Keisha:
My name is L’Keisha. I’m a 29-year-old first-time mom. I’m 31 weeks today. I have a husband named Aaron and we have two adorable cats at home named Catelynn and Purrmione. I’m hoping to give birth at home in a birth tub, assisted by midwives.
I’m interested in this program because I find the effects of floating/sensory deprivation to be fascinating. I’m hopeful that at the very least I’ll get 90 minutes at a time to really enjoy my pregnancy and connect with my baby without having to think about all the planning and research and preparation I still need to do. I’m hopeful that physically I’ll be able to relax and ease some aches and pains associated with pregnancy. I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to learn to come to a place in my mind that I can turn to again during labor and find some comfort during that intense time. I’m mainly curious to see what comes up in my own mind and how I’ll feel emotionally during these times when there’s nothing else going on around me. I don’t really have any expectations going in, I’m just open to seeing what happens. 🙂
Taylor
Due in mid-April
About Taylor:
I am Taylor and this is my first pregnancy. Despite a challenging first trimester, I have been enjoying all of the new discoveries that have been occurring ever since we found out we were pregnant. It has been an introspective and enlightening journey so far and I have grown to really appreciate the power and wonder of our bodies. I live with my husband, Aaron, and canine baby, Beau. We enjoy doing anything outdoors, mainly hiking, biking, trail running, and backpacking. We love traveling and look forward to seeking new adventures with our growing family.
I have always been interested in floating but never committed to trying it. When I heard about this program, I felt like this was a perfect time and opportunity to explore floating. I was curious about the benefits, especially with a growing and changing body. Mainly, I was interested in having time to practice meditation and connect with my baby. I also looked forward to giving my joints a break and discovering the benefits of floating in a giant bath of magnesium salt!
