Yoga Mom Baby - The Most Beneficial Postures To Do

Are you enthusiastic about yoga but overwhelmed after the birth of your little one? The good news is, there is no need to separate your workouts from infant care. Mom and Baby Yoga combines asanas that you both can do. Infants are not able to walk or speak, but they have no problem bending their bodies in different positions. The specialized rooms offer lessons even for children of 6 weeks. After the facial yoga exercises that are all the rage among women, this is the new trend with a thousand virtues to follow if you are a young mother.

The benefits of mom and baby yoga or what results can you expect?

Yoga supporters say yoga with baby helps parents and infants bond and can promote the development of gross and fine motor skills. And just as this workout makes adults more aware of their bodies, it also makes them more attentive to their child's needs. Adult-guided movement stimulates muscles and nerves. The fact that the infant spends time on the tummy, for example, improves the strength of the upper body and of the neck.

Recent research has shown that yoga for toddlers has many benefits, not least because it is a form of self-massage. Stimulation of pressure receptors on the skin slows down the production of stress hormones, such as cortisol. Therefore, sleep patterns in terms of duration and frequency change in a positive way.

Yoga poses and stretches for infants aid digestion and provide relief from colic, constipation, and gas. Soothing techniques teach parents how to help babies calm down.

Sport yoga is a great way for moms to strengthen their bodies, balance their minds, feel relaxed and get back into shape. In addition, babies love yoga which is for them a form of social interaction in a playful and non-competitive environment. Realistically, healthy habits learned early in life turn into healthy uses later in life.

When can you start yoga with your baby?

Indeed, you can start mom baby yoga whenever you want. It really depends on when you feel ready, especially if you are a mother who has just given birth. Ideally, wait for your six-week check-up so that your GP can give you the go-ahead to exercise. This is important if you have had a cesarean section or have had postpartum complications.

What to watch out for while doing yoga with an infant?

• Make sure your bowels and the baby's bowels are empty.
• Do yoga on a soft surface, at best on a sports mat.
• If you're not comfortable with a pose, skip it.
• If you experience pain in your knee, back or wrist, stop immediately.
• Keep your face relaxed, smile at your baby, and keep eye contact.
• Don't overdo the asanas.
• Start slowly and gradually increase the pace as your body becomes flexible.

Top yoga poses for baby and mom

Between about 1 month and 4 months, the baby just becomes aware of his movements. By encouraging her to move in different poses, you are helping her feel her body through gentle stretches.

Happy baby

This position is something the little one can already do and you might not realize that this is, in fact, a baby yoga exercise. Have the child lie on their back and put their legs in the air. Then have him hold his feet and rock back and forth. If your child doesn't grab their feet on their own, don't worry. Gently hold her feet with your knees bent and wide open to make the stretch easier. It's a great exercise for opening up the hip muscles and stimulating digestion. Plus, it's a pretty fun pose overall!

Planks and push-ups (Chaturanga dandasana)

Lie on your stomach. Keep your hands at the side of the rib cage with the elbows bent. Place your baby in front of you. Elevate your body by putting your weight on the palms. Lower yourself close to the baby until you touch his nose. Lift yourself up again and repeat the position 10 to 20 times.

The benefits of this asana are that it strengthens your arms, wrists, and spine. It also improves your posture, tones your arms and your abdomen. However, you should avoid the position in case you have weak shoulders or palm injuries.

Leg raises

Lie on your back. Bend your knees and let your legs parallel to the floor. Place your baby on your legs and hold her hands. Lift your shoulder off the floor and kiss the infant. You can repeat the movement 5 to 10 times to strengthen your abdominal muscles. However, don't do this asana if you have back pain.

Cat-cow (Marjaryasana / Bitilasana)

Bend your hands and knees. Place your baby on the mat facing you. Your hips should be on your knees and your shoulders on your wrists. Inhale while adopting the cat pose. Face your tailbone down around your back and watch your baby exhale.

Breathe in as you step into the cow pose. Lift your tailbone and lift your head and chest. Smile or make faces at your baby while looking at him while moving his head up and down. You can entertain the baby by making a meow in the cat pose and a “moo” sound in the cow pose.

This exercise stretches the neck and torso, promotes better movement, strengthens the spine, relieves lower back pain and improves blood circulation.

When to avoid: Injured or weak wrists and shoulders, weak knees.

Photo credit: spoiledyogi.com

Laying the boat (Navasana):

Lie down on the mat with your feet close together and your arms placed on either side of your body. Place your baby on your lap. Lift your chest off the floor, while simultaneously lifting your feet off the floor. Stretch your arms out and lift the little one. Stay in this pose for five to ten seconds.

This mom baby yoga asana helps you strengthen your abdomen and back, tone leg and arm muscles, burn belly fat, and promote digestion.

Do not do this pose if you have diarrhea, breathing problems, heart problems, or low blood pressure.

Photo credit: yogiapproved.com

Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)

Lie on your stomach, keeping your legs together and palms under your shoulders. Rest your forehead on the floor. Inhale and lift your head and rib cage, and curl backward as much as possible. Hold the position for a few seconds.

Exhale and return to your normal position. Repeat 5 to 10 times. Position your baby in front of you and encourage him to imitate you.

This mom baby yoga asana relieves lower back pain, tones the muscles of the abdomen, strengthens the spine, and improves the supply of blood and oxygen to your pelvis. Do not do the position in case of spine injuries or surgeries, hernia or stomach ulcer.

Photo credit: mariashishkina.yoga

After about 5 months, the baby has a little more control over his body. He lifts his head, turns around and strikes the Cobra pose on his own. Encourage him to explore positions that come naturally to him and help him develop practical skills. Upper body strength gives him the power to get on all fours and even start crawling. Getting used to putting weight on his feet prepares him for his first steps on a jogger.

Bridge pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your foot firmly on the floor. Let your baby face you by resting him on your thighs or hips. Your feet should be at a distance from the hips. Inhale and lift the hips off the floor. Little by little, bring your back as far as possible up to your shoulders. Use your hands to hold the child. Stay in the pose for 30 seconds.

The main benefits of this position are that it strengthens your buttocks and abs, as well as your back and spine. It also reduces anxiety, relieves back pain and opens the lungs. However, avoid if you suffer from neck, lower back or shoulder pain.

Downward dog

This is a simple pose, but keep in mind that your baby won't have the strength to do it until they are at least 6-10 months old, when they start crawling. Ask the infant to place both hands on the floor and buttocks in the air. The best way to encourage her to practice this inversion is to show her and make her feel like it's a game. This playful pose improves flexibility and motor skills.

Certainly, care should be taken when practicing yoga with an infant. In general, the younger the baby, the smaller and slower the movements should be. It is even advised that parents sing lyrics to the movements to make sure they don't go too fast.

The risks of yoga for toddlers

Babies do not have adequate head control until they are about 6 months old and there are "weak spots" on the skull. For this reason, parents should support their baby's head during the activity.

About 5% of babies have hypermobile joints or tight joints, and excessive stretching poses a risk to them. Muscle and joint injuries can occur if the activity is performed too rigorously. The limbs of infants should not be placed in extreme extensions and the activity should only be performed for 15-20 minutes at a time.

To conclude, we can say that yoga for babies is a healthy, fun and exciting practice. If done in a safe and calm environment, it is a great way to interact with parents that also prepares the baby for interaction with others later in life.