25 Sep Postpartum Yoga: Get back in shape after child birth
What is Postpartum?
Postpartum yoga means the period of first four to six weeks post childbirth. During this duration, the mothers experience a lot of changes in her moods – feeling anxious or angry and finding difficult to sleep. This usually lasts up to two to three weeks.
This is a healing and recovering time for the new mothers. While the mother is completely invested in taking care of the newborn, it is equally significant for her to take care of her physical, emotional and mental state.
This time should be utilised by the mother to rebuild their strength through good healthy nutritious food and yoga.
How To Take Care Of Yourself This Time?
Self-care is of utmost importance for the mothers as the body and mind needs time to recuperate from the physical and mental stress. Yoga has the power to heal the body, mind, spirit and soul. Below are Postnatal Yoga asanas:
Sarvangasana
- Lie on the floor, feet together
- While exhaling fold knees and extend legs in the air, support the buttocks with hands
- Stay in this position as long as possible doing diaphragmatic breathing
- Inhaling return to starting position
Trikonasana
- Stand straight, feet together
- Exhaling 3 seconds touch toes. Head and neck up, spine horizontal, eyes fixed on nose
- Maintain pose – 6 seconds, suspend breath
- Inhaling 3 seconds return to starting position
Hastapadasana
- Stand erect, feet together, inhale 3 seconds, raise arms above head, tilt slightly backwards, knees straight
- Exhaling 3 seconds bend forward, hold ankles with hands, head downwards and try to touch with head
- Maintain position and suspend breath for 6 seconds
- Inhaling 3 seconds return to starting position
Yoga Mudra
- Sit in meditative posture
- Hold wrist of right hand with left hand behind the back
- Sit straight, inhale 3 seconds
- While exhaling 3 seconds, bend forehead to touch left knee, suspend breath for 6 seconds
- While inhaling lift head up and pull shoulders back
- Repeat on right side and in the middle also, with same breathing counts
Benefits of exercise after pregnancy
Postpartum Yoga reduces stress, mood swings, and negative emotions and boosts energy while strengthening the physical and mental strength. Postnatal asanasbringsa sense of calmness, relaxes stressed muscles, reduces blood pressure, and boosts energy levels.
Benefits of Postnatal Yoga Asanas:
Sarvangasana
Helps in restoring the position of the uterus and abdominal organs. Relieves varicose veins and flatulence.
Tirkonasana
Corrects faulty posture. Tones abdominal and pelvic walls. Helps normal flexibility of waist besides exercising the hips and stretching the muscles of the legs and arms.
Hastapadasana
Helps abdominal and back muscles. Helps circulation to the face.
Yoga Mudra
Lateral stretching of all the posterior muscles of the spinal column. Reduces abdominal protuberance and reduces fat. Aids in relieving gas and constipation.
There are other Postnatal Yoga asanas like Ashvini Mudra that strengthens the genitourinary and anal muscles. Halasana strengthens supporting muscles and ligaments of uterus and ovaries. Hastapadangustasana III is good for muscles of the thigh and groin.
Exercise after pregnancy prevents from postnatal depression. It also strengthens the muscles, increases stamina, and manages the weight. Practicing yoga and doing exercises helps in relieving pains and aches from the body and additionally, it soothes the tensed muscles.
No Comments