A Mother’s Journey: Why Yoga Is So Valuable After Childbirth
October 28, 2022
There are so many benefits of yoga for women – but especially during the postpartum period. The physcial benefits of working on the back, abdominal muscles and pelvic floor are essential for postnatal recovery after pregnancy and childbirth. However, there are also so many other benefits of postnatal yoga with and without baby!
The Physical benefits of postnatal yoga
- Removing excess fluid from the body: Postnatal yoga can help to remove excess fluid from the body by doing breathing practices and certain postures that engage the whole body. Both you and your baby will benefit from this!
- Improving coordination and balance: After birth, your body has gone through many changes. Not only do you have a new baby to care for, but a new body too. One of the changes you may notice is a reduction in your balance and coordination.
- Improved strength and muscle tone: The abdominal and pelvic floor muscles are essential to support the uterus, bladder and bowel – at YogaBellies we call these the BAPs (back, abs and pelvic floor.) These muscles may be weakened during and after pregnancy. Yoga can help strengthen these muscles and reduce the risk of incontinence and prolapse.
What about the Psychological benefits of postnatal yoga? - Increased self-awareness: In yoga, we talk a lot about being ‘in the now. No matter what you’re doing, be it a yoga pose, breastfeeding, or caring for your baby; try and be fully present in that moment. This is not only beneficial for you, but also for your baby.
- Finding a sense of calm: After going through the physical, emotional, and hormonal changes of pregnancy and childbirth, you are probably feeling a little anxious and overwhelmed. Yoga can be a great way to find some calm in your life again. It’s good for stress reduction and relaxation and will even help you sleep better – assuming the baby allows it!!
- Increased self-confidence: After becoming a mother, you may start to question yourself and your abilities. Yoga can be a great way to rebuild your confidence, both physically and emotionally.
Benefits of baby yoga - Strengthening the bond between mother and child: When a child is close to their mother during the early days and months, this can support their physical and emotional development. Yoga is a great way to bond with your baby. You can hold your baby in your arms or on your lap, close to your heart and do yoga poses together.
- Developing a child’s motor skills: When you begin your child’s yoga practice at a young age, it can help them develop their motor skills. This is particularly the case when they start to crawl and walk.
- Heightening a child’s awareness: Because yoga is a practice that involves being present, it can help your child to become more aware of their surroundings.
Benefits of yoga for mum and baby bonding - Aids bonding: Yoga is a very bonding experience. Both you and your baby can participate in the same practice. This can be a great way to bond as a family.
- Enhanced relaxation: Yoga is an amazing way to relax both your mind and body. This is especially true when you do yoga with your baby. When you practice with your baby, you’ll not only be spending time with them, but also teaching them valuable life skills.
When should I begin practicing with my baby?
As soon as your baby is born, you can start to bond with them through yoga. There are some specific practices that can be done with a newborn, such as savasana (corpse pose) where your baby can rest on your chest or even just deep breathing while feeding baby – you’ll notice that baby will begin to copy your breathing patterns.
We recommend attending Yogabellies for mum and baby classes around 6-8 weeks postpartum for a vaginal birth but 8-10 or maybe longer for a c-section. If you are in any doubt at all please check with your health visitor. If you are in any pain at all – it’s best to focus on breathing and wait for a full recovery before returning to a physical postnatal yoga practice.
Yoga is a great way to connect with your baby and experience the many benefits together. As your baby gets older, they can also start to reap the benefits of yoga too! Now you know the many benefits of postnatal yoga, it’s time to get started – check out our YogaBellies for Mum and Baby classes online and in your local area and check out our mini postnatal yoga kit here.
Would you like to teach postnatal yoga for mum and baby and baby massage too? Check out our Mother& Child 50-hour Post-Natal and Baby Yoga teacher training here.
Contact us today for a yoga teacher training online classes.
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ABOUT
YogaBellies®
I’m an inclusive, not scary, totally normal yet heavily qualified yoga instructor and founder of YogaBellies® and the Birth ROCKS Method. I’m trained in self hypnosis and meditation and what I love is helping women (ALL women) enjoy yoga without having to whisper all the time and wear fancy activewear that cost a month’s rent.
I believe Yoga is for everyone.