As we celebrate mums this Mother’s Day, we wanted to encourage new mums to take a few moments for themselves when they can, to quieten the mind and ease the body through these gentle yoga poses.
These yoga poses are simple poses that can be done while your baby is napping and you find a few moments to focus on yourself.
They will help to loosen tight muscles, release tension, calm nerves, and rebuild pelvic floor and abdominal muscles that have been tried and tested over nine months of carrying your baby.
They will also help to alleviate stress, fatigue and anxiety.
Yoga doesn’t need to be a one hour class, and it doesn’t need to be complicated. Even taking just a few minutes to be present with yourself and move your body can be deeply healing.
Remember to go slow, and to take these poses as you can in your own time.
Try not to be hard on yourself. Your body has been through a lot.. so give it time.
Make sure to always consult with your doctor to get the go ahead before you start.
Bridge Pose
Being pregnant and giving birth can cause the pelvic muscles to weaken. This pose works to strengthen the pelvic floor and low back, stabilising hips. Lie on your back with your knees above the ankles and your feet hip distance apart. Curl your pubic bone up towards the navel and peel the tailbone off the mat. Reach your arms up and overhead towards the space behind you. Keep the reach and then gently lower yourself down to the mat. Repeat 5 times.
Cat Cow
These poses are a great way to lengthen and stretch the spine, which helps reduce back pain. They are great for correcting the posture from carrying the baby and breastfeeding.
Start in a table-top position, with your wrists underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. As you breathe in, lift your tailbone towards the ceiling and draw your naval down, gently arching through the spine. As you breathe out, bring the naval in towards the spine and curve your back, bringing your chin to your chest. Repeat these movements 5 times, keeping the lower abdomen lightly engaged.
Mountain pose
This pose tones and stimulates the abdomen, pelvis, torso, and back. Keep the muscles in your neck soft, and lift your arms in front of you with palms open facing each other. Raise your arms over your head, and push your shoulder blades down. Extend your palms toward the ceiling, stretch body sides of your body, and suck in your lower belly. Hold for 30 seconds.
Legs Up the Wall
Bring your hips to the wall and swing your legs up the wall into an inversion. You can bring a pillow under the hips for a little extra support. This pose is very relaxing and meditative. It deepens one’s breath and eases stiffness from the legs. It also aids digestion.
Child’s Pose
Child’s pose calms the body and mind. This pose gently stretches the lower back, massages and tones the abdominal organs, and stimulates digestion and elimination.
Bring yourself to the floor and bring you knees wide apart and your toes to touch, separate your knees, bring your forehead to the floor. Find rest here.
We invite you to adopt this short but effective routine. Every new mum needs some time to herself. These gentle poses will help you recover physically and allow yourself some time to be with yourself and adapt to the changes that are taking place in your life right now.
BONUS:
Add this breathing exercise to the beginning of your practice to make it much more effective.
Alternate Nostril Breathing (Pranayama)
- Find your favourite seated position, with your back straight.
- Using your right hand, close your right nostril with the thumb and inhale through the left nostril.
- At the top if the inhale, close the left nostril with the two middle fingers, and exhale from the right nostril.
- Inhale again through the right nostril, change and close with the thumb, exhale through the left nostril.
- Trade back and forth for ten rounds, making sure you do a complete exhale and inhale before switching nostrils.
The first few times you try this one you may get your left and right confused. Don’t give up; you’re not alone in that struggle. Try to remember that each time you inhale you are sealing the breath in and that is when you switch sides.
Once you feel strong enough, and get the go ahead from your doctor, you can try out one of our classes at our yoga hub. Read more about our classes and view our timetable here.
