Yoga for mother and baby

“You may feel many ups and downs during the early weeks after birth. Having a small person depend on you for everything brings both joys and challenges. Many women miss their independence and even feel they have lost their own identity. Although you will cherish your baby, you may find the physical and emotional adjustments of new motherhood draining. Yoga will uplift you, restore you and make you feel more positive about yourself and your role as a mother. It can be a support on days when you are low and on days when you are high - and most days you will feel a mixture of both!
Yoga is ideal for strengthening your pelvic floor in the early weeks after giving birth, using exercises that involve the movement known as ‘Mula Bandha’, the contraction of the pelvic floor. The practice of ‘reverse breathing’ draws your navel towards your spine as you exhale, tightening your abdominal muscles and toning your deep muscles. This is especially valuable if you have had a Caesarian section...
...Before starting any exercise programme, however, please check with your physician.”

Continuing on to describe the various ways in which Yoga can benefit mother and baby, this article outlines several straightforward exercises suitable for new mothers. The article is extracted courtesy of YOGA FOR MOTHER & BABY by Julie Llewellyn-Thomas and published by Mitchell Beazley.

SPECIAL OFFER discount to readers of Yoga & Health magazine. See page 25 of the May 2006 issue.