Yoga and The Postnatal Body

In the days after childbirth, I felt like I had survived my own little war…a little war with the sweetest reward of course, but there was no denying that my body was traumatized.  It wasn’t just my body that needed to adjust and recover, my mind had to accept and embrace the overwhelming arrival into motherhood.   After about two weeks, my pain subsided, and I got back on my yoga mat. The body and mind are inextricably connected, and while healing my body with the poses, my worries and fears about being a mom seemed to dissipate.  For mental and physical well-being, I cannot recommend postnatal yoga enough to all you mamas out there.  

When practicing, be mindful; your body has been through a lot.  Skip the super stretchy hip opening poses and focus instead on building back your strength and reconnecting with your abdominals…they’re under there somewhere.  In those early post-partum weeks, practice navasana, warriors I and II, inversions, balancing poses, and backbends!  And don’t forget to take savasana or do a seated meditation when you’re done.  Trust me, it will help you have patience with when your baby is fussy.