the class as the crowd made their way inside. I hurried after her. Lily brought her own yoga mat, which she rolled out while fiercely guarding a space for me next to her. I grabbed a mat from the pile by the door. As we sat, Poppy started bouncing in Lily's lap, and the instructor strolled in. Her slender, muscular body was neatly encased in pink leggings and a matching pink crop top that contrasted stunningly with her black skin. "She has four kids," whispered Lily as I looked down at my own body and then at the instructor's again. Why didn't I look like that? Then I glanced at Lily, who was positively glowing in her black leggings and blue top, her bouncy, blond curls pulled back into a ponytail. Why didn't I look like her either? Was it the jelly donut? That had to be the culprit! "She's been practicing yoga for fifteen years but she's not allowed to do headstands in class anymore," Lily continued.
"Why not?"
"The babies got really excited and swarmed her. Now none of us are allowed to in case we fall over and squash one."
"To think I was so looking forward to perfecting my headstand," I said, checking out my biceps. They could do with some more work too.
"You look fine," said Lily.
"I feel so unfit!" I whispered. "Everyone here looks fitter than me. I haven't even had a baby. What's my excuse?"
"You don't exercise nearly as much as you did when you were miserable," said Lily. "And single."
I glanced around at the tight bodies and their delighted babies. "Is everyone here miserable?" I asked.
"No one here has slept in at least six months and we're all powered by caffeine and Instagram envy."
"Let's begin," said the instructor, her voice soft and dreamy. "Please stand, everyone, and connect to the earth through all four corners of your feet. Let's put our babies at one with us!"
We spent twenty minutes in semi-silence, moving through the poses while the babies chuckled and giggled. Some were occasionally excused for diaper changes. When we moved onto our backs, we were encouraged to tuck our heels in as we lifted to become a “bridge.” Poppy crawled clumsily towards me and tapped me on the head. I blew kisses at her while she wobbled into a sitting position and stuck her fist in her mouth, chewing gummily as she watched me. "Isn't she supposed to do this too?" I whispered to Lily.
Lily lifted her hips. "Yeah," she huffed. "One day."
I rolled my head to the other side when something bumped into my shoulder. A baby barely a few months older than Poppy clambered onto me and sneezed in my face.
"Sorry," said the baby's mom, lifting it off me.
"That's so cute," whispered Lily as I turned back.
"It sneezed right in my face," I said in barely concealed horror.
"Adorable," said Lily.
"Would you call it adorable if it were thirty-five?" I whispered furiously.
"No, I'd kick it in the..."
"And down," said the instructor. "Feel the love in your glutes!"
Lily raised her eyebrows at me and I giggled.
"And now, table top position. Encourage your darlings to join in this magical journey."
We moved onto all fours and Poppy wobbled under me. I blew kisses at her and pulled faces while the instructor directed us through different positions. Finally, when the class was over, I picked up Poppy and snuggled my face into the crook of her neck.
"Who's broody?" asked Lily when I refused to hand over her baby.
"Maybe a little," I admitted. Poppy was soft and cuddly and she smelled so nice in her little, blue dress and white leggings. She was way beyond adorable. I wasn't so sure about the sneezy baby however.
The woman in front of me turned around. "I can recommend some great..." she started to say.
"Thanks, Janet!" said Lily. "We've already got that covered."
"It's so nice that you're sharing the baby-bearing burden," said Janet, beaming at me before she turned away.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Jord and I are thinking about having another baby," she said. "We're only planning to have two so it makes sense to have them close together. Oh! Oh!" She flapped her hands, her face looking excited.
"What? Is it your pelvic girdle?" I asked in alarm as Lily dropped to the floor and rolled up her mat, tucking it into a bag and slinging it, as well as Poppy's diaper bag, over her shoulder.
"No! I just had the best thought!" she said, springing upright and pushing her feet into sneakers.