Some easy partner yoga for you and baby!
My little magic bean is almost one and as I was looking back at her new born photos, I stumbled across these and remembered how much fun I had making them.
Yoga has played an important part in my life, from pregnancy, during labour and helping me step into the light of motherhood.
I’m hoping they will still come in handy for someone in need of some yoga practice with babe on your side.
1. Earth and Sky Sequence
Rest bub on a blanket on the floor in front of you. Come down into Child’s Pose (Balasana) bending from your hips. Exhale and relax!
Engage and hold your Pelvic Floor Muscles (also known as your Root Locks or Moola Bandha).
Make eye contact with your little bean, maybe even sing and smile.
Squeeze your chest onto your lap and stretch out those arms in front of you. Rest your head on the floor now and breath naturally.
As you inhale, come up onto your knees and stretch your arms out to the sky.
Look up into the clouds and feel the sun’s energy warm your face.
Keep your Moola Bandhas activated and breathe in the air.
Flow with your breath and repeat this little sequence as many times as you need until you feel awake, rejuvenated and refreshed.
This Asana strengthens and stretches the back muscles. It will help relieve any back ache from pregnancy, birth or carrying baby around for long periods.
It helps tone the pelvic muscles and sciatic nerves.
2.Warrior II Pose (Virabhadrasana II)
Standing tall in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) and step or jump your feet apart.
Turn your left foot on a 90 degree angle and the right foot angled in slightly. Your hips should also be turned towards the same direction as your left foot. Firm your thighs and bend your front knee over your right foot, keeping your knee and foot vertically aligned.
Inhale and stretch out your arms parallel to your body. Then exhale and bend down further into position.
Hold your little yogi on your bent knee. (They love yoga with thier mummas!) Hold this pose for between 30 seconds to one minute.
This pose will stretch and strengthen your legs, ankles, groin, chest, lungs and shoulders. Stimulate your abdominal organs whilst increasing stamina.
Warrior pose will relieve any back ache especially in your second trimester of pregnancy and ease sciatica, for those who are still carrying thier little yogis!
3.Shoulder pose (Kandharasana)
This pose is a gentle version of its original. It is sometimes good to ease your body into yoga after having a baby with some modifications to your usual asana practice.
Lay flat on your back, bend the knees with your heels touching your bottom.
Sit your little wild flower gently on your stomach and hold her hands.
Inhale deeply, (bubbas find yogic breath calming) raise your navel and arch your back upwards towards the sky.
Remember to engage your Moola Bandhas and squeeze your sit muscles!
Keep your feet flat on the floor.
Hold the pose for as long as it feels comfortable, then lower your spine and body on an exhalation.
Try this pose for five rounds.
PLEASE NOTE: This pose is not recommended for pregnant women but is helpful after birth for realignment of the spine and relieving back aches. It is useful for massaging and stretching the abdominal organs and toning the female reproductive organs.
4. Boat Pose Variation. (Ardha Navasana)
Sitting on your sit bones, with knees bent.
As you inhale, squeeze your abdominals, engage your root lock and lift your feet and shins vertically into the air.
You might like to rest bubba on your shins, laying on her stomach whilst holding her hands. She may feel as if she is flying!
As you hold this pose, breath naturally and smile at your baby.
Boat pose is a very strong asana that helps develop those abdominals, so be aware of your body and be gentle. You will also be giving those back muscles some strengthening so it is always important to be mindful of your bodies capability, especially after pregnancy and birth.
Using a full yogic breath may help in this pose and babes love hearing the sound. It calms them like the sound of the waves of the ocean.
5. Reclining Spinal Twist
Its nice to lay down, recline and enjoy an easy spinal twist at the end of your yoga practice to wind down and to become centered again.
Time to ease into the earth.
Find a comfortable spot to lay flat on your back, knees bent and feet on the floor. Cross your right leg over your left knee, stretch your arms out to the sides of your body. Breathe in here.
On a long exhale, drop your knees slowly to the left and rest on the ground, keeping your torso flat on the floor.
Turn your head to the right shoulder to look over at you baby.
Feel your spine’s gentle twist.
Smile and breathe with your beautiful bub.
Inhale an repeat on the other side of your body. You may like to rest bub on your shoulder to help keep your torso flat on the ground and benefit from an even deeper pose.
This is one of my favourite stretches. You might like to try it with an outstretched leg also.
Now lay down in shavasana, relaxation. Hold your bubba and breathe.
I know for us mummas, it can be hard to find a few quiet moments in the day for some yoga time. I hope this helps you all to reconnect with your yoga mat whilst bonding and nurturing your little bean.
A yoga practise in which you can both benefit!
Love Rainbow Pammy.
