Being a mom is indeed the greatest feeling in the world. However, it does bring along the new stresses of motherhood as you deal with the changes in your body and daily routine. Most of your time is spent taking care of and spending time with your baby. This can however, lead to your physical health being compromised. Practising some easy yoga poses with your baby can work wonders for relieving stress and strengthening your body.
Benefits of Doing Yoga With Your Baby
- It helps to strengthen your core, back and pelvic floor and to tone your muscles.
- Mother and child yoga aids in establishing long-term exercise habits for the baby. Besides, babies seem to enjoy rocking and moving with their moms.
- It reduces anxiety and ensures the physical and emotional well-being and in return, sharing the peaceful energy with the baby.
- It also helps to develop the baby’s motor skills and improves digestion.
- Helps you and your baby get better sleep.
Easy Yoga Asanas for Mom and Baby
Note: A little bit of music and rhymes is one of the important ingredients of a perfect mother baby yoga routine recipe.
1. Easy Pose – Sukhasana
Sit cross-legged on the mat with your baby on your lap as you start getting him/her used to yoga with mommy. This is a simple and easy pose to start with, as you warm up. You can also have your baby lie down and massage & exercise their limbs before you start. Focus on your posture here, with your back straight and relaxed shoulders. Inhale deeply and exhale while you concentrate and feel the air filling your lungs and leaving your body. This should basically aim at getting you and the baby calm and peaceful at the beginning of your exercise.
2. Cat And Cow – Marjaryasana + Bitilasana
Get on all fours with your shoulders over your wrists and the hips over your knees. Have your baby underneath you on his back so that you’re face-to-face, or you can also have him in front of you if yours is a toddler. As you inhale, curl your spine in a back-bend by tilting your tailbone up and lifting your chest up and forward in a cow pose. As you exhale, arch your back, tucking your chin as you look down at your baby in the cat pose. Remember, unlike regular yoga, this time it helps smiling and talking with your baby!
3. Downward-Facing Dog – Adho Mukha Svanasana
The next natural transition from the cat-cow pose would be the downward-facing dog. Get your knees off the floor and push your heels down as far as you can. With your baby lying on its back beneath you, maintaining eye contact and giving your baby sweet little kisses can be fun for the both of you! If your baby can crawl, let him/her crawl beneath you from one side to another and hear them giggle as they cross from under the mommy-bridge. This pose stretches your shoulders, hamstrings and calves, and also strengthens your arms and legs.
4. Cobra – Bhujangasana
Start by lying on your stomach, face down. Placing your hands under your shoulders, palms flat on the floor, gently lift your upper body upwards until your arms are straight. Your lower body from your hips to the legs and feet should stay on the floor. This invigorating backbend posture is beneficial for the kidneys. It can also be significantly useful at relieving discomfort in the muscles of the back, neck and abdomen. It strengthens your entire back and shoulders. Place your baby on his stomach in front of you and watch him excited at the sight of mommy in a snake-like posture. Don’t worry if he might try to imitate you.
5. Boat – Naukasana
After giving birth to a baby, you might want to desperately work those abs and get rid of belly fat. This pose helps strengthen the abdomen core as well as the back muscles. With regular repetition, you’ll be able to reap the results. Be seated on the floor with your legs bent in front of you. Place your baby on your lap facing you. Lean back and lie on your back on the floor, start inhaling, and as you exhale, lift your chest and feet off the ground, so that your legs are parallel to the floor. You can bend your knees if needed, and if your baby lets you, you can try stretch your arms in front of you to align them with your eyes and toes.
6. Bridge – Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
This rejuvenating pose opens up your chest and keeps your spine flexible. For this, lie down on your back with bent knees and hold your baby against your hips and thighs to face you. If the baby is of an age to balance himself, you can let go off your hands and rest them on the floor. With your feet placed hip distance apart, lift your hips off the floor as you exhale. Your thighs should be parallel to each other. Hold the pose for 30 seconds. Or, you can be dynamic in the pose, inhaling to rise and exhaling to lower, while your baby enjoys moving up and down to the music playing in the room!
7. Leg Lifts – Uttanapadasana With Bent Knees
This is supposed to be one of the baby-favourites! The leg lifts have to come with lots of kisses from mama. Sit on the floor, with your knees bent. Lift your feet up to position your legs parallel to the floor. Cradle your baby on his stomach against your shins. Hold onto your baby and rest your back on the floor to bring your legs closer to your chest so that your baby is face-to-face with you. You can be a little playful in this pose with your baby, with a joyful tune playing in the background!
8. Legs Up The Wall – Viparita Karani
Another really easy and relaxing poses, this one needs you to find a nice wall and get cosy with it. Lie down, and lift your legs up to rest them parallel on the surface of the wall. With your hips close to the wall, have your baby sit on your chest or against your hips and stay in the pose for about 5 minutes to relieve a backache and tired feet. If your baby’s old enough, have him/her do it alongside you.
9. Tree Pose – Vrikshasana
One of the best standing poses to improve your balance and mental stability is the tree pose. This requires you standing with your feet together, holding your baby upright in your arms in front of you. Slowly bend the knee and place the bottom of the foot against the inner thigh of the standing leg. Or you can rest it against the calf, just avoid the knee joint. Repeat the same with the other leg. You can do this pose taking the support of a wall by leaning against it to ensure safety if you’re not confident about your balance yet.
10. Goddess Squats – Utkatakonasana
We know squats are a universal magic exercise for toned hips and legs. Stand up in a stance with your feet pointed out and gently squat down while focusing on keeping your back straight. You can wear your baby in a wrap or hold him upright in your arms. Try to keep your thighs parallel with the floor as you progress.
11. Warrior II – Virabhadrasana II
The Warrior II is an effective pose to do with your child. Standing up, bring one foot forward and bend your front knee with your back leg straight and the back foot pointing outwards in front of you. Seat the baby on your hip to either of your sides. Stretch your arm in front of you when you hold the baby on the hip to the side of your back leg. This lunging exercise is will be a great workout for you and fun time for your baby.
12. Corpse Pose – Shavasana
The most voted-up pose of the parent child yoga, is the Shavasana. Lay on your back and relax at the end of your workout. Let your baby lie on top of you with his/her head near your heart. Some moms and babies even fall asleep in this relaxing and comforting final resting pose. Let your mind calm down and let your breath even, and cherish a moment of peace with your adorable little one.
Mother-baby yoga can also serve as an opportunity for you to meet other moms if you go out and take a regular fun break with your baby at common yoga classes and share your parenting experiences.
