The newborn days can leave you exhausted and frazzled, whether you’ve just delivered your first or sixth child. Yoga to the rescue! You’re in desperate need of some peace and tranquilly.
In the postnatal time, gently moving your body through a series of poses can aid with your physical and mental health, as well as providing additional benefits. What’s the best part? To get started, all you need is a mat and some comfortable clothing.
What is the definition of postnatal yoga?
Yoga for postpartum women is all about acknowledging your postpartum body while also soothing your mind. Giving birth and maintaining life is a difficult task. Yoga allows you to breathe, balance, and tune in to yourself while you adjust to life with a new baby at home, when you would otherwise put “me” time on the back burner.
Specific postnatal or postpartum yoga courses may be promoted at your local gym, or you may find yoga videos with similar titles on YouTube or other fitness websites or apps.
The exercises in these sessions are often low-intensity and adapted in some way to address your postpartum body and any postpartum limitations (hello, core muscles!).
When will you be able to begin?
Some people may be ready to resume activities just a few days after giving birth, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). But don’t worry if none of this applies to you. If you had a straightforward vaginal delivery, you could be up to the task. But what if you had a caesarean section after a particularly tough pregnancy?
There are a variety of factors that could affect your unique schedule, so talk to your doctor before starting any type of activity after giving birth.
Most people’s demands can be met by modifying postpartum yoga exercises. Once your doctor has given you the go light, talk to your teacher about any current or former physical concerns you may have — such as persistent back pain, incontinence, and so on — to learn about possible changes that could aid you.
Yoga for postpartum women has a lot of advantages.
Yoga is so much more than a simple activity for staying in shape. Yoga can, in fact, be a way of life. Daily yoga practise, according to proponents, keeps their stress levels down, strengthens their bodies, and creates an overall sense of well-being.
It makes the body stronger.
Women should strive for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each week in the postpartum period, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source. While postpartum yoga isn’t considered an aerobic activity, it is a total-body strengthening workout that can be tailored to your unique requirements as your postpartum journey progresses.
Consider mixing in a couple yoga classes for strength training in addition to taking a brisk 30-minute walk 5 days a week.
May help to prevent postpartum depression.
A group of women with postpartum depression (PPD) took part in a yoga programme for eight weeks, two lessons per week, in a 2015 study. What were the outcomes? Approximately 78% reported a significant improvement in their sadness and anxiety symptoms.
The researchers came to the conclusion that larger-scale research is required. Yoga, however, may be a good supplemental therapy to try if you have PPD, which affects up to 20% of women.
Helps in the production of milk
Yoga may enhance milk production, according to a 2017 research of 30 yoga and postpartum mothers. Yoga is supposed to bring profound relaxation and soothing, as well as a rise in self-esteem. All of these factors may work together to promote the release of prolactin and oxytocin, two hormones that help milk flow.
Strengthens the pelvic floor
Do you have problems with incontinence? You’re not the only one who feels this way. Incontinence affects up to 30% of pregnant and postpartum women, according to a reliable source. Yoga, in particular yogic breathing and certain muscle group exercises, may assist to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and reduce incontinence.
More research on yoga and incontinence is needed, according to the researchers, but it could be a viable alternative to typical physical therapy pelvic floor exercises.
It’s good for you and the baby.
Bringing your infant into the action, according to experts, can also be beneficial. Parent and baby yoga courses may provide you with a general sense of well-being as well as a stronger bond with your child. Babies who attend these programmes may experience better sleep, less colic, and better digestion. It’s a win-win situation!
You’ll need the following items for postnatal yoga.
To practise yoga, all you need is yourself and a mat. If you don’t have a mat, yogi Beth Spindler of Yoga International notes that any flat surface (bare floor, rug, or carpet) can be substituted if you’re careful not to slip.
With the relaxin hormone still circulating in your body, you may be prone to overextending yourself during the postpartum time. Stick to matless routines that don’t demand moving balance and are basically stationary.
Aside from that, there are a few other extras that could make the experience more fascinating or comfortable:
- To add some more stability, use yoga blocks or straps.
- bolster pillow for extra support while seated or lying
- blanket for increased warmth and comfort or support in certain situations
- candles or soft lighting to set the mood with peaceful music
If you attend a yoga session at a gym or studio, the staff may be able to equip you with everything you require. You should dress comfortably, such as in yoga pants and a T-shirt, and bring a water bottle with you to stay hydrated.
Precautions to take during the postpartum period
Before beginning any workout regimen after birth, see your doctor. While you may feel up to stretching and exercise after delivery, your body may require additional time for recuperation and care.
Ask your doctor what positions you should avoid, such as lifting heavy weights, if you have diastasis recti, which is a separation of the abdominal muscles after pregnancy, and what other workouts and therapies may help correct the separation.
Although exercise may be difficult during the postpartum time, it should not be avoided. If you’re in pain, have increasing or excessive bleeding, or have any other concerns, seek medical advice as soon as possible.
Sample routine of 15 minutes
Place your infant in a safe environment if you plan to perform yoga at home. Take your time while you go through the process below.
You might want to move through each position in 2 or 3 minutes, or you might want to stay longer if it feels nice. You may choose to stay in the final Corpse Pose for a bit before returning to life with your newborn.
Mountain Pose
Start your practise by putting yourself in the correct mindset.
- Stand on your mat with your toes spread outward and your feet firmly planted on the ground.
- With your palms facing forward, bring your arms to your sides, shoulders relaxed away from your ears.
- Breathe in and out as you shift your focus from your duties and pressures to your body and mind.
- Before moving on to further poses, spend a few minutes reconnecting with your breath.
Child’s Pose
- Kneel on the mat and place your hands on your knees.
- Bend your upper body over your legs and reach your arms out in front of you, bringing your knees out wide to give your belly and breasts space.
- Relax and feel a stretch in your lower back as you place your palms on the mat.
- Relax your jaw and close your eyes.
- Take a few deep breaths while you settle into this pose for a few minutes.
Cat-Cow Pose
- On all fours (hands and knees) with your spine in a neutral position, move your body.
- Inhale deeply as you pull your chest and buttocks upward, allowing your stomach to sink toward the mat (Cow position).
- Exhale as you return to a neutral spine, arch your back toward the sky, and softly tuck your pelvic inward as you look at the ground (Cat position).
- For a few minutes, keep moving with your breath in this manner.
Extended Bird Dog
- Begin to interact with balance while remaining on all fours.
- Bring your left leg straight behind you while extending your right arm out in front of you (toes pointed down at the floor).
- As you breathe into this exercise, engage your core.
- Rep on the opposite side.
- You can progressively flow between the two sides with your breath for a few minutes as you gain confidence.
Birds with Extra Legs The transverse abdominal muscles are worked by the dog, which may aid in the correction of abdominal separation after pregnancy.
Eagle Pose
- Adjust your body such that you’re sitting on your sit bones (buttocks) and your legs are in Lotus position (crisscross applesauce).
- With your palms facing each other, extend your arms out in front of you.
- Bring your elbows to a 90-degree angle and cross your left arm underneath your right. Weave your palms together.
- Feel the stretch in your upper back and shoulders, which may have been strained by breastfeeding or carrying your baby.
- Relax your neck and stretch your head from the crown to the nape.
- Hold this position for a minute or more while breathing, and then switch sides.
Corpse Pose
Laying down on your back will bring today’s practise to a close. If you choose, you can use a rolled towel or blanket to support your neck. If you don’t want your knees to be fully extended, you can put a bolster under them.
If the room is cold, consider wrapping yourself in a light blanket for further warmth. Before returning to your daily routine, the goal is to fully relax and reconnect with your breath. For several minutes, lie here breathing in and out.
FAQ
- Why is yoga good for postpartum?
During the first three months following delivering, postpartum yoga provides the biggest advantages. Postpartum yoga, for example, has been demonstrated to reduce the risk of postpartum depression. Yoga can help you maintain a healthy energy level, regulate your blood pressure, and relieve tension and anxiety.
- What are the best postpartum exercises?
Diaphragmatic breathing and Kegel exercises are also important during the postpartum period.
– Exercises for the pelvic floor (Kegels).
– Diaphragmatic breathing is a type of breathing that uses the diaphragm
– Walking.
– Holds a Swiss ball bird dog.
– On the tabletop, there’s a cat and a cow.
– The Swiss ball glute bridge is a great way to strengthen your glutes.
– Planks for postpartum recovery (aka standard plank hold).
– Leg raises in the side plank position. - Which yoga is best after normal delivery?
Yoga can be a terrific method to build strength, improve posture, enhance energy levels, and minimise symptoms of postpartum depression once you’ve been cleared for activity following childbirth.
You should be aware of which stances you should avoid.
– cat pose.
– cow pose.
– plank pose.
– revolved triangle pose.
– malasana.
– hanumanasana. - When can you start doing yoga postpartum?
So, how soon after giving birth can you perform yoga? Most women are advised to restart yoga 6 weeks after giving birth vaginally. This may seem severe, especially if you practised a lot of yoga prior to having your baby.
