Yoga For Moms and Babies

For new moms there is no greater challenge than the first year of a baby's life. Becoming a new mom brings rich sources for joy and happiness. However the physical changes from pregnancy and birth, along with hormonal, emotional, and social changes can add up to stress, tears, sleeplessness, and feelings of isolation. For many new moms, taking a yoga class brings needed connection, relaxation, and a new way to be with their baby.

Physically, the focus of the yoga practice is two-fold. First, it gets moms back in touch with their strength in the belly, back, and pelvis, parts of the body that changed so much during pregnancy and birth. Second, yoga helps them open the chest and stretch the shoulders and spine, to counter act that hunched over "mother pose." New moms need to proceed slowly, and only start in a class with a well-trained certified teacher after their midwife or doctor has given the okay. Even if a mom didn't do yoga while pregnant, she can start any time in a postnatal class. Postnatal yoga is gentle and perfect for beginners.

Beyond physical benefits, postnatal yoga also helps with the emotional challenges of motherhood, and helps moms cope with all the changes they go through. In class, moms practice breath work, relaxation, and learn how to stay grounded and present, a big challenge for many sleep-deprived moms. Yoga helps them find their center again.

Parenting also becomes part of the yoga practice. Babies are integrated into the class. If they are having a fussy day, the teachers can adjust to accommodate that energy. The class may do a relaxation class and work to calm the energy in the room. If the babies are feeling playful, the teacher adapts the poses to be playful too. Because the teacher integrates the babies into the yoga class, the moms get to practice being flexible with their expectations, in the class and in life. New moms have to respond to the needs of the baby first, no matter how badly they'd rather be doing something else.

? 2008 Aadil Palkhivala

Aadil is the author of "Fire of Love", a book for Teachers of Yoga and Students of Life.

To buy a copy- click on this link: buyfireoflove.com buyfireoflove.com