Having a baby is an intense physical event that changes your body in numerous ways. Healing from it deserves the same gentle touch as recovering from surgery, including mild exercise like yoga.
Unfortunately, postpartum care can be hard to come by, meaning you must take a DIY approach. Here’s how to reclaim your strength with these five postpartum yoga poses.
Why Postpartum Yoga?
Everything from your breasts to your belly to your hair changes during the postpartum period. While you may be relieved from the challenges of pregnancy, other shifts require you to reacquaint yourself with your body, and gentle, mindful movement like yoga is perfect.
Exercise can help with new mom symptoms by promoting better sleep and boosting energy. Furthermore, yoga also works on mental and emotional shifts, not just physical ones. It can help you manage anxiety about motherhood, for example, something many women experience but few discuss.
Quick Tips for Practicing Postpartum Yoga
Practicing postpartum yoga requires mindfulness. Your body has changed, muscles and connective tissues in your hips have shifted, and your center of gravity may be wobbly. Go slow, even if you are experienced — you don’t need another injury while your body is already recovering.
You can inspire your practice with a little gift to yourself. For example, an extra-supportive sports bra and pads are musts for nursing moms, preventing leaks. Throw in some cute matching leggings just because you deserve it, mama!
5 Poses to Try to Reclaim Your Postpartum Strength
Here are the best poses to help you reclaim your postpartum strength. Work on them a little each day as you recuperate.
1. Chair Pose
Chair pose provides a gentle backbend while strengthening your legs and helping you realign your pelvic girdle. From standing, simply sit back as if you were going to sit in a chair behind you as you open your heart to the sky and extend your arms upward.
2. Warrior 2
Warrior has several variations, strengthening your legs while helping you find your center. Enter the pose by stepping forward three to four feet and bending your front knee as if doing a lunge. Pivot your back foot 45 degrees and extend your arms.
3. Bridge Pose
Some women get strange vertical lines down their belly during pregnancy. Others develop diastasis recti, a split in the abdominal wall that can make your lower belly pooch.
Correct it by lying on your back with your knees bent to 45 degrees. Squeeze your glutes and tighten your core as you lift your hips off the floor, creating a diagonal line between your knees and shoulders. Hold isometrically or perform slow, rhythmic contractions.
4. Chaturanga
This yoga pose helps you reclaim your upper body strength after pregnancy. Begin in plank position with your arms extended. Keeping your elbows close, slowly lower toward the ground before pushing back up.
5. Supine Twists
Finish your practice with supine twists — lie on your back and twist one or both knees to one side. It feels glorious for the lower back.
Postpartum Yoga Poses for Strength
Having a baby is as tough on the body, but women must often recover alone. These postpartum yoga poses can help you recover your strength and better manage the mental and emotional reality of new motherhood.
