Are you a new mother looking to reconnect with and energise your body after childbirth? At Niraa Wellness, we’re here to guide you on a journey of physical and mental rejuvenation through yoga. This blog post discusses five essential poses for a calming routine and together let’s explore the incredible benefits of postpartum yoga.
Why Postpartum Yoga?
Yoga is a gentle yet powerful form of exercise that works wonders for both body and mind. It’s perfect for the postpartum period because it’s easy on fragile bodies and supports your core, including your pelvic floor, back, hips, and buttocks. Strengthening your core also helps alleviate lower back pain and boosts your stamina and strength.
Let’s dive into some basic poses and see how you feel.
Getting Started with Postpartum Yoga
The Essentials of Yoga Breathing:
Before starting with the yoga poses, let’s go through the basic principle of yoga – breathing. Each posture is linked to your inhale and exhale:
Inhale: Breathe in through your nose, filling your belly, ribs, and upper chest with air.
Exhale: Breathe out through your nose, tucking in your belly button.
Deep, rhythmic breathing energises your body, reduces stress, and enhances your yoga practice by allowing you to put your body into each posture.
Disclaimer: Always check with your yoga practitioner to ensure it’s safe to resume exercise after childbirth.
Plank Vinyasa
The Plank Vinyasa is a super pose that enhances stamina and strength, especially in the deep abdominal and back muscles. Here is how you can practice it:
Begin on all fours with your wrists under your shoulders. Need extra support? Place a folded blanket under your wrists or lower onto your forearms. Straighten one leg at a time behind you, balancing on the balls of your feet, keeping your head aligned with your spine. Inhale, then exhale, as you draw your right knee towards your chest, engaging your lower belly. Alternate knee tucks for 8 to 20 reps.
Try it out and notice the strength building in your core with each rep.
Locust Pose
If back pain troubles you, the Locust pose can help. Known as Salabhasana, this pose is beneficial for strengthening deep back muscles, relieving upper-body strain and improving posture.
To perform the pose, lie flat on your belly with legs hip-width apart. Rest your head on your hands. Clasp your hands behind your lower back, opening your chest and shoulders. Lift your head, shoulders, and legs off the mat, keeping your neck aligned with your spine. Hold for three to five breaths, then lower and repeat for two to three reps.
Feel the stretch? This pose is great for opening up your chest and shoulders.
Pelvic Tilts
Pelvic tilts are an amazing physical exercise anyone can practice. To do it, lie on your back with your feet hip-width apart and your arms straight at your sides. Curl your tailbone under, feeling your spine settle into the floor. Inhale, then exhale, as you lift your hips, tilting your pelvis and engaging your lower belly. Hold for one to two breaths, then lower. Repeat for five to 10 reps.
Take a moment and feel the connection between your breath and movement. Notice how each tilt strengthens your core.
The benefits of pelvic tilts are that they help strengthen the upper and lower back, hips, and legs and enhance pelvic floor and lower belly awareness and strength.
Legs Wide Pose
To perform the Legs Wide pose, lie on your back, lifting your legs to form a capital “L.” Lace your hands behind your head, exhaling as you lift your shoulders off the floor. Separate your legs a few inches, reaching one arm forward between your legs and contracting your lower belly. Switch sides and repeat for eight to 10 reps.
Engage your core to feel your hamstrings stretch and strengthen your abs simultaneously.
Performing the legs wide pose can help strengthen the deep abdominal muscles and stretch the hamstrings.
Scissors
The Scissors pose is beneficial in strengthening deep abdominal muscles and improving hip and spine flexibility. Here is how you can perform the pose.
Lie on your back with legs and arms straight up, reaching towards the ceiling. Lift your head and shoulders off the floor, with a relaxed neck. Move your right arm and leg down while lifting your left arm and leg, making a scissors motion. Repeat for 16 to 20 reps.
Move with intention. Focus on your breathing as you make the scissor motion. You should be able to feel your core get stronger.
The Benefits of Postpartum Yoga
Went through a vaginal or Cesarean delivery? Here are four key benefits of practising postpartum yoga:
Body Awareness
Yoga helps you become more in touch with your body. The poses and breathing exercises foster a deep connection with your physical and emotional self, enhancing your body awareness and mindfulness. This is particularly beneficial for addressing diastasis recti also known as abdominal separation, where large abdominal muscles separate due to giving birth to a baby with high birth weight or multiple pregnancies.
Mood Enhancement
Yoga’s focus on synchronised breathing and movement promotes deep relaxation and a sense of well-being. It can also help with the symptoms of postpartum anxiety and depression, for better control over your mental health.
Notice how your mood feels after completing these poses.
Improved Posture
Pregnancy and postpartum activities can affect your posture. Yoga strengthens the back and shoulder muscles, improving posture and opening up the chest, which is crucial for new mothers.
Try standing up straight after your yoga session and notice the difference.
If you feel comfortable, share your experience with other new moms. Connecting with a community can make your journey a bit more tolerable.
Conclusion
Embrace the journey of postpartum yoga at Niraa Wellness, where our expert trainers guide you through a transformative experience of reconnecting with your body and mind. Start your postpartum yoga routine today and discover the holistic benefits of this ancient practice. Visit us now and share your experience after completing your first session.
