"A Mother's arms are more comforting than anyone else's". - Princess Diana
This post is for not only for all the new mothers but also for all the moms who juggle with work, children and personal space for themselves.
Being a mother is a boon which God has bestowed on us. Carrying a life inside our bodies and then giving birth to that beautiful, little life is indeed a blessing. I can say all this from the wonderful experience of being a mother.
Our bodies transform, undergo changes after being a mother. It takes us a few months to get into the normal hustle - bustle of our life. We happily embrace sleepless nights, heaps of laundry, and brains being attentive to just one small little creation - 'our baby'. But, the reward is precious - million dollar smile, warm snuggles, love and warmth from the little ones.
Finding time from the daily routine gets tougher as each day passes through. The 'Me Time' vanishes in thin air. Our bodies require a lot of rest, sleep and relaxation at this time. This is the advice that my mother had given to me. She had also suggested me to take some time in the day, of course after getting a go ahead from my doctor, to start practicing yoga for relaxing not just my body but also my mind.
Getting the green signal from our doctors is very necessary for new mothers, as our bodies require time to heal themselves internally.
Time is important for us as children sometimes, wake up when the mother is not around. I had this experience, occasionally.
One good thing about Yoga is, that it a can be practiced at anytime in the day. Try to practice it as slowly as possible. It is not a task but a natural healer and energy booster. Just go slow.
But mornings are always best as yoga is not just an exercise, but a practice which calms our mind and fills our body with energy. It remains throughout the day. Also, early in the morning, it is just that 'Me Time' we need as our kids enjoy their sleep.
Benefits of Yoga For New Mothers
1. Helps You tackle postnatal Depression and Anxiety
Postnatal depression is an issue which some of the new moms face. We often neglect ourselves and our near and dear ones, when taking care of our children. This sometimes takes a toll on us which causes mood swings and anxiety. Meditation, pranayam combined with the yoga poses helps us relax our nerves.
2. Relieves Moms From Backache
Carrying the baby for nine months inside and then holding the baby most of the time, puts a lot of pressure on the back especially on the lower back. Marjaryasana and Bitilasana (Cat and Cow poses) gives a lot of relief to the spine and the lower back.
3. Provides the body with stamina
Yoga poses provides the mothers with the much needed stamina which is required when handling the baby. It improves the blood flow in the body and promotes muscle flexibility which strengthens the body, especially our shoulders and legs.
4. Relaxes the Mind
Yoga helps in calming the mind through various means like Meditation, Breathing Techniques, and the Asanans (Yoga Poses). It improves our ability to concentrate and juggle our schedule throughout the day like preparing meals, handling the baby. Sometimes, we feel sad when the baby cries and it creates pressures in the mind. But Yoga with its different poses, and meditation calms us and gives us the strength to handle it.
Things you Need to Start Moms
1. A Yoga Mat
2. Any Dress you feel comfortable in.
3. Water
4. Yoga Blocks or Pillows If Necessary
Yoga Poses for Moms
Please keep in mind that start with the easy poses as we need time before going for the challenging ones. Here are a few poses which new moms can incorporate in their routine to get that flexibility and relieve themselves of the stiffness which sometimes they experience. Please consult your doctor before starting Yoga practice after childbirth.
1. Child's Pose Balasana
This pose provides the muscles calm that they very much need and helps in digestion. The forehead when touches the floor provides a sense of calm and relief to the mind. The back and the neck are stretched in a position to relax themselves hence, giving a relief to the back and the neck. This asana gives the much needed eases the muscles in thighs, legs, the back, neck and abdomen.
Balasana (Child Pose)
Credits: Gustavo Fring, Pexels
Instructions to Perform the Pose
Breathing is of utmost importance when performing yoga. Breath gently so that it doesn't put pressure on the lungs.
Once you are in the Bhramanasana (Table Pose), take a deep breath and slowly rest your hips on the heels and touch the forehead to the ground. Then exhale. You can either stretch your hands or keep them rested beside yourself. Do gentle breathing so as to relax. Keep yourself in this position until you are comfortable.
Benefits of the Asana
It brings the child within you alive and you feel like sitting like that for hours. It relaxes the entire system and generates a childlike energy. It reduces the back ache and also relaxes your thigh muscles.
2.Marjaryasana and Bitilasana (Cat and Cow Pose)
Since, we mothers have to hold our babies from time to time throughout the day while nursing the baby or pacifying them when they cry, it puts some amount of pressure on our back and shoulders. Marjaryasana (Cat pose) and Bitilasana (Cow Pose) helps relieve this pressure.
Instructions to Perform the Pose
Marjaryasana that is, the Cat Pose, once when you are in the Table Pose, inhale and move your back in a curve position with the belly going in and the head bending down. The toes which were earlier lying flat, now have to point to the ground. Hold this Yoga Pose for a while. Close your eyes and just inhale and exhale.
Marjaryasana (Cat Pose)
Credits:Anastasia Shuraeva, Pexels
Bitilasana (Cow Pose)
Credits:Anastasia Shuraeva, Pexels
As the cat and cow pose go together, next comes the Bitilasana. So, inhale and lift your head , keep your toes flat, push the belly bit down and straighten the back like in the table position and exhale. Close your eyes if you need that calming effect or you can look straight for better concentration.
Benefits of the Asana
These poses provide the benefit for the spine as it gets a gentle massage. It improves metabolism and provides grip to the feet. This also provides relief to the shoulder blades and provides them with the much needed boost. The neck muscles also gets rubbed gently and this eases its movement.
3. Sethu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)
The back is where the pressure comes in during pregnancy and also post pregnancy. I remember holding my back with my palms when walking for supporting it and massaging it. The spine needs lot of care if we have to get back to the normal life. It holds us together.
The spine is the bridge (Setu) for us. We give it a lot of work like when sitting, standing, bending, and many other things. This Yoga pose is primarily for that and also for our shoulders, legs and hands.
Instructions to Perform the Pose
When doing this, we need to lie down on our back. Inhale and fold your knees. then slowly lift your lower back, next the middle portion and later the upper part of the back. Do not pressurize yourself. Keep your arms rested besides you or you can interlace them below the lower back for providing support when lowering your back. It prevents from directly landing your lower back on the floor.
Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)
Credits:Elina Fairytale, Pexels
Benefits of the Asana
This pose strengthens the back muscles and improves digestion. It increases energy in the neck, back and shoulder muscles. It opens up the chest and is very good for air circulation within. This scales up the energy in the feet and the knees.
4. Jathara Parivartasana (Belly Twist)
After the baby comes out, the abdomen muscles loosen up. Sometimes we find like it is wanting support to tighten again. The pelvic floor muscles also need to be provided the strength.
Instructions to Perform the Pose
This pose begins with lying down on the floor. Stretch your arms and then gently bend one of your knee. After which, either with folded leg or fully stretched, tilt it towards the other leg. Then move your head in the direction opposite to the leg as shown in the photo. Then bring the leg back to the central position and do it with the other leg.
Jathara Parivartasana (Abdomen Twist)
Credits: Marta Wave, Pexels
Benefits of the Asana
The major benefit of this Yoga Pose is that it will not only improve the digestion process but also tone your abdomen. This also provide the much needed flexibility to the spine. The Belly Twist pose also strengthens the legs. Since, there is movement of the head, the spine moves from the neck to the lower back and it stretches.
5. Shavasana (Corpse Pose)
The name itself is self - explanatory. 'Shava' means Corpse. This position is done towards the end of the all the yoga poses. It generates the energy, the calmness not just physically but also mentally.
This pose should always be as the finishing step because when doing this pose we close not just our eyes but also our mind. We shut ourselves. It is only the breathing activity that goes on, in a subtle manner with zero thought process.
Shavasana (Corpse Pose)
Credits: Karolina Grabowska, Pexels
Instructions to Perform the Pose
Lie down calmly on your back with closed eyes. Fist should be open. Loosen your body. Keep your hands besides you and feet slightly apart. Do not think about anything when doing this pose. But, do not fall asleep. Rest and relax and feel the positive energy within you.
Try not to move your eyes. Feel your breathe and try to connect your breath with the rhythm of your heart and feel the silence in the brain.
Benefits of the Asana
It creates a sense of awareness within your mind by shutting the thoughts. Look how our mind can remain still for sometime wherein, otherwise, millions of thoughts fly by.
You ae not asleep but aware, but without any thoughts or ideas. This is your power of control on those innumerable conceptions which either make you happy or try to drain you out. Therefore, Shavasana is very powerful for the entire system.
If you are not able to do meditation before performing yoga. Do not worry, Shavasana provides the much needed relief to the mind. It removes depressive thoughts and reduces anxiousness. It also helps you to sleep better. This pose also gives your back the much needed relief.
Hence, these Yoga Poses are easy ones for Mom or even others who have just started out with Yoga. Connect with yourself and remove the unhappiness when doing yoga. Feel your inner positive energy.
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I am not a yoga instructor or an expert in yoga. It is just that I have been practicing yoga for around ten years now after attending a yoga class. Friends, before performing yoga please take medical advice. Again, I would like to remind you all that I am neither a medical nor a healthcare professional. My advice on yoga cannot take the place of a medical practitioner. So please consult your doctor if you have any medical problems.
Love you All,
Namitha
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