The long nights and exhausting days of the “fourth trimester” (aka the first three months after giving birth) is a lot, and might be a shock to the system. Postpartum yoga is a wonderful way to reconnect with your body and breath in the early months with a new baby. Before jumping back into yoga (or any other form of exercise after giving birth), be sure to first talk to your doctor and remember to take it slow.
To help a little with the discomfort and add some calming moments, here is a short but sweet postnatal sequence:
Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
The mountain pose is a great pose to start off with. With your hands by your side or above your head, this standing pose helps you to take a moment to reunite with yourself and feel more grounded.
Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)
Nadi Shodhana is all about reconnecting to your breath and slowing down. Some benefits include reducing stress levels and invigorating the mind-body connection.
Start by sitting in a comfortable position and alternate breathing out of your left then right nostril. For a more active, awakening version, you can also try Surya Bhedana.
Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
Laying on the ground with your legs up the wall is a rejuvenating restorative pose. It helps reduce the swelling in your feet and ankles. It also helps send blood back to the heart to promote recirculation and balance the nervous system.
Supported Child’s Pose (Salamba Balasana)
This restorative pose helps with blood flow, abdominal discomfort, and lower back pain. The addition of support with rolled blankets or a bolster allows you to more comfortably get deeper into the pose for a longer period of time. If you have had any testing of perineum – check with your doctor before trying this one out, and if anything feels not quite right, stop.
Corpse Pose (Savashana)
Savashana is one of the simplest poses, but also one of the most important to end a yoga sequence. Taking a moment to lay with your hands open gives you an opportunity to absorb all the good energy you’ve created and feel the difference in your body and mind.
All these yoga poses are gentle, but as always, listen to your body, especially as you’re healing from giving birth. For a fuller yoga practice, it is recommended to wait 6 weeks for vaginal deliveries and 8+ weeks for c-section deliveries.
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What poses helped you with the recovery journey of postpartum?
