A Gentle Yoga Practice for New Mothers
When you’re ready to start moving again, here’s how to reconnect with your breath and your body.
Welcome, new mothers! You’ve been inducted into the land of sleepless nights, nonstop laundry, and the most addictive snuggles. In the first few weeks after you’ve given birth, the most important thing you can do is rest as much as possible. When you feel the desire to start moving again, and you have the “all clear” from your doctor or midwife, you can rekindle your connection to your breath and your body with a simple and gentle yoga sequence.
Marjaryasana
Come to your hands and knees. As you inhale, gently arch the spine. As you exhale, gently round the spine. Take a few rounds of this, breathing fully and deeply. Return to neutral.
Now invite a circular motion into the spine as you arch and round. As you inhale, arch the spine and move it to one side. As you exhale, round the spine and move it to the other side, completing a circle. Take a few rounds of this and then switch the direction of your circle. Return to a neutral back.
Balasana (Child’s Pose)
From hands and knees, widen your knees and sit your hips back on your heels. Breathe into the spine and the hips. If it feels good to you, clasp your hands behind your head, keeping your elbows on the ground. This will give your shoulders and upper back a nice sensation of opening, which may feel especially good now that you spend so much of your time holding and feeding your baby.
Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)
If you feel ready, from Child’s Pose, extend your arms forward, lift your knees, and press your hips up and back, coming into a Down Dog position. I still remember how glorious it felt to do my first Down Dog after giving birth to my first child!
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)
From Down Dog, bring your knees down to the mat, cross your legs, and lie down on your back. With your arms by your sides, lift your hips. If it feels good, interlace your fingers behind your back and roll your shoulders underneath you to open your chest. Stay for a few breaths and come down
Slowly find your way to a reclining position and place a rolled up blanket or bolster underneath your upper back, horizontally or vertically. Place the bottoms of your feet on the ground and allow your knees to rest against one another. Remain here for at least a few minutes. Then gently slide the blanket from beneath your back and place it underneath your knees. Allow your body to surrender completely to the ground. Close your eyes and rest for as long as you can until the work of mothering calls for you.