Exercise
HAVING A BABY can be a topsy-turvy time. It’s filled with happiness and joy, but also with the type of bone-weariness and exhaustion that comes from sleep deprivation. In addition, some moms feel out of touch and dissociated from their bodies after giving birth, while also battling with the physical and mental changes that parenthood demands. WHAT IS MOM AND BABY YOGA? Postnatal yoga has three main aims: to get moms back in shape and feeling more settled and emotionally balanced after having their babies; to help babies become more aware of their bodies; and to allow moms and babies a time to bond and interact in a special, focused fashion. WHO CAN DO IT? Any mom and baby can participate safely in yoga. If you’ve had a Caesarean section you will need to get the go-ahead from your gynaecologist, but otherwise you can start practising as soon as your body feels able (usually from about six weeks after birth).
You also don’t need to have done yoga in the past in order to start prenatal yoga now. “First-time yogis and those who’ve been practising for years will all benefit from yoga,” says postnatal yoga teacher Clara Woodburn, who owns the Yoga Warrior yoga school. “Your yoga practice will almost always change after having a baby, so it really makes no difference if you come to a class with an existing and established relationship with yoga, or with a completely clean slate.”
Your time at baby yoga classes will generally end when your baby becomes mobile or is crawling, as you’ll spend much of the class trying to prevent your little one from scooting over to your neighbour’s mat, rather than in a yoga posture!
Always consult a yoga teacher before attempting any of these exercises