Babies and Yoga…..                                                  
by Deborah Jordan

Many pregnant women are nurturing themselves and, in turn, the Life they carry inside by attending “Prenatal Yoga” classes. A gentle practice with an emphasis on posture, building upper body strength, opening hips, releasing the lower back, and relaxation is optimal. Some postures are not appropriate for pregnancy so finding a experienced teacher is important. Physiologically, yoga stimulates a healthy circulation of energy through all the systems of the body that positively affect physical health as well as mental and emotional health.

I have watched how pregnant women naturally support and relate to each other often forming friendships that carry them through the child-rearing years. Fathers can share the benefits in “Couples Prenatal” classes that foster intimacy through partner, supported & assisted poses. I also encourage parents to continue their yoga practice after birth with “Baby & Me Yoga”. Babies love playing and bonding with mom or dad while they move and breathe. At this early age, children benefit from the example parents set of taking time for self-care.

Specific yoga postures are helpful in toning and rebuilding the abdominal wall after birth. Upper body and posture often suffer physical stress from carrying, lifting, bending, twisting incorrectly while caring for baby. We nurture and release tension from these areas. We continue to focus on strengthening the core, learning proper ways to twist, bend, sit, stand with good posture, and how to use breath to release and relax the system.

Imagine how learning yoga at an early age could affect a child’s body awareness, coordination,  & ability to focus, concentrate, and relax. Baby’s physical development mirrors many traditional yoga postures and as they become toddlers they love yoga games: movement and sound set to stories of animals and nature. In my “Yoga Play” classes, I encourage parents to provide unstructured time for children to create their own poses. Making it fun, children imitate the active poses with little instruction. Quiet time and deep relaxation teach respect for the body's need for rest. Model compassion, love, and respect for yourself, your body, and others and your children will imitate that as well.