the practice that new moms may not know they need. 

Postpartum Yoga is yoga for post birth people. After pregnancy and birth, the body needs time to heal and restore. Postpartum yoga supports this through a gentle approach to movement and exercise while offering a welcome environment for new moms to be in community along with their baby.

_{Quick note that you will often see me use the terms “post birth people, birthing people, mom, or mother interchangeable. I recognize that people who give birth identify in their way. I use terms which are gender fluid as well as terms which I personally identify with.}

Often called “Postpartum”, “Postnatal”, “Baby & Me” or “Mom & Baby” yoga, these classes recognize that new moms need classes that address their physical body, their emotional body, and support their needs to mother their child. I have not only attended these types of classes with a variety of teachers as well as taught such classes for six years. In my classes, moms are able to tend to baby throughout class without worry of disrupting others. This includes feeding baby, changing baby, cuddling/ consoling baby, having a snack themselves, using the restroom, or even stepping outside of class if they or baby need a quiet space. The content of my classes focus mostly on the postpartum person. We stretch, meditate, breathe, strengthen, and practice exercsies for the entire body to help support restoration and recovery. The most important thing we do is hold space for learning to be a parent, remembering to breathe, and how to find calm.

As a prenatal and postpartum specialist, I provide a class which offers all the things new moms know they need, but also teaches them what they might not realize they need.
What moms frequently know they need is to relieve tension in their upper body and hips. They may know they need to strengthen their core and ease their low back, but they will likely not know how to go about this as traditonal exercises don’t work for them. Many may not realize the many benefits of being in a group class.

Community is proven to be of great importance for new mothers. Numerous studies show that social support helps us manage stress (see the many resources listed below). When we have friends and family we are able to see situations more positively, it increases our self-esteem, increases confidence as a parent, and gives us resources to help us manage the many challenges of caring for an infant and young children.

Additionally, what many women find surprising is that their old routines and ways to exercise simply don’t work for them anymore. This is due to their “normal” being set back by the anatomical and physiological changes from pregnancy and birth. What they may not realize is that while they might be able to do an old exercise, it could be doing them more harm than good.

I often have students tell me they discovered their pelvic floor was not what it used to be when they attempted a run, tried a workout, or even a regular yoga class. They experience heaviness or even a “falling out” sensation, urinary and/ or fecal incontinence, and sometimes pain. They may also find that their hips feel different, they may have pain in new or suprising places, and often they feel like their abdominal core is not firing up the way it once did. These experiences are all red flags that the activity is too much for their body. It may mean that it is simply too soon after birth, they need to opt for a postpartum specific activity, and/ or they need to seek a physical therapist (pelvic floor and/ or orthopedic). When a postpartum person attends a class with a qualified teacher, they will be guided to identify through this.

Q: When can I begin yoga after birth?
A: It depends on what you mean by “yoga”. If you consider meditation and pranayam (breathing practices) yoga, then nearly right away. If you mean yoga poses (asana) and even things like Sun Salutations, you will want to wait a while. The more physically demanding the yoga, the more time you will need before it is appropriate.

Right after birth you should let your focus be on nourishing yourself with food and drink, resting, bonding with baby, and learning to feed them. Doing so IS yoga, based upon the Sister Science of Yoga called Ayurveda. In Ayurveda, we have a philosophy called “Forty Days for Forty Years” which means that what you do in the first forty days after birth will reflect how you will experience the next forty years. Simply put, if you let yourself rest in that time it will let your body heal well thus setting yourself up for a heathly next four decades. Note, that Ayurveda has been around for thousands of years (the exact age is debated). Therefore life expectancy was shorter, so we can consider what they meant that forty years was the rest of your life.

In the first fifteen of the forty days is yet another, more modern philosophy: Five Days in the Bed, Five Days on the Bed, and Five Days near the Bed. This means that in the first five days one should stay in bed resting, resting, resting. The next five days one should stay on bed resting, but beginning to move around a bit more. The remaining five days spent near bed means that one should begin to move around more, even including short walks, but still close enough to the bed that one can return within a few minutes.

So…. when can you return to yoga poses? As you begin to move around more in the second and third set of five days you can begin to practice yoga in the form of breathing exercises as well as restorative poses. Breathing might involve belly breathing into the abdomen, 3 part breath, breath awareness into to the pelvic floor, or even a gentle Nadi Shodana (alternate nostril breath). Restorative poses may include reclined poses which support the legs and childs pose. As you regain your strength and energy, you can begin to practice simple seated poses which target the hips, legs, and arms.

Q: When can I go back to a yoga class?
A: Depends on the class (see below).

Q: How old should my baby be to attend a Baby & Me class?
A: It depends, but usually between 6 weeks to 1 year. If it is a class like mine which is focused on mom, when to attend is up to her. I recommend getting the clearance for exercise from their care provider. This is usually given at their postpartum visit which occurs around 6 – 8 weeks. However, some opt to attend soonerHow long she can attend is also up to her discretion. While we do include some baby oriented activities which I call Baby Asana, it is not a baby focused class. During class baby hangs out doing what babies do. They are simply happy to be around their mom. When baby becomes mobile is when their mom may decide it is time to graduate and perhaps pursue a baby entertainment focused class like gymnastics, art, dance, and/or music. (I have some great local recommendations!). I’ve had babies in class who can crawl, roll, and even stand. It is when they make their mom chase them around the room repeatedly that she usually decides it’s time. When that happens moms may opt for one-on-one sessions with me to continue working on their goals.

Q: Can I attend my regular yoga class/ work out that I did before and/ or during pregnancy?
A: It depends, but probably not a great idea (at first). For a regular yoga class, you should absolutely get clearance from your care provider before attending. Regular yoga classes are not designed for postpartum bodies. This is the same way they are not designed for pregnant bodies. That doesn’t mean a pregnant or postpartum person cannot participate in the class. It does mean they will need to modify for their needs, BUT they need to know what and how to modify. A teacher may tell you they can help you modify, but they need to have the right training. Furthermore, any good teacher will be able to tell you if the class is simply not suitable for you yet. It may be too vigorous, and may contain too much that you shouldn’t do. Postpartum is just as much about what you should be doing, as it is about what you should not be doing. For example,  most common abdominal/ core exercises and poses you will be taught in a regular yoga class are not going to help DRA or the pelvic floor, in fact they will likely make it worse. When you take the time to heal, recover, and restore properly to build a firm foundation, then you will be able to take any class you like. 

Q: How do I choose a class? 
A: You should always choose a class based upon the teacher’s education and experience as well as what the class offers. The teacher should know not only how to avoid contraindicated poses and movements, but be well versed in exercises and poses which are beneficial. They should be able to recognize when a student needs special considerations or displays red flags which indicate they need to see a care provider. A really great postpartum teacher will teach to reverse the physiological and anatomical changes which occurred, and offer core training which includes the pelvic floor and abdominals.  Ask the teacher what their qualifications*** are if it’s not already available on their website. Read the class description: is it appropriate for your level of “new normal”?

_{***While not all teachers are registered with Yoga Alliance, those who are are bound to their code of ethics. This requires teachers to refrain from advising or teaching in areas where they do not have appropriate credentials and competence. This is to aid students in finding competent teachers who have their best interests and safety at the forefront of their work.}

Q: What if I have Diastasis Recti?
A: A good postpartum teacher will incorporate appropriate poses and exercise for diastasis recti. Diastasis Recti (DRA) is the separation of the rectus (6 pack) muscles in the abdomen plus the thinning of the connective tissue between those muscles called the linea alba.. It is very common. Studies show very similar results with a prevalence of 33% at 21 weeks pregnant, 60% at 6 weeks postpartum, 45% at 6 months postpartum, and 33% at 12 months postpartum. Therefore, anyone teaching postpartum should assume their students will have some degree of DRA. Furthermore, as I teach my students, whether they have DRA or not, their muscles have still been stretched to the extreme and will need to heal. The cause of DRA is multifaceted, but has much to do with how a person moves, their mobility, and the function of their abdominal pressure system. While DRA is also shown to NOT affect lumbopelvic (that’s low back and pelvis) pain, it is a symptom of dysfunction which should be addressed as it can indicate that the person will have pelvic floor dysfunction which gets worse as they age, especially when they reach menopause.

Addressing Diastasis Recti is as much about what exercises a person should be doing, as it is about what exercises, movements, and activities they should be avoiding. This is known as a specific type of core and functional movement training. Part of the training process is the slow reintegration of those avoided movements and exercises to help return the person back to whatever activities they choose. 

Q: Are recorded classes as good as attending a class live? 
A: It depends, but generally not. I get it. New borns are a lot of work. It can be very challenging to leave the house, let alone get to any place at a specific time. However, the benefits far outway that hurdle. And any good Baby & Me class is going to be very welcoming to anyone running late. Sometimes literally everyone is running late. There is just something in the stars those days, or perhaps we can blame the weather.

Formost, new moms benefit GREATLY from social support. In fact, it’s imperitive for their health and wellness. In person classes offer more than a workout, more than stretching, more than yoga, they provide a much needed community. I still connect regularly with many of the moms I met when I got myself out of the house to attend Baby & Me classes. Postpartum is a time when bonds are formed not only with your baby, but also the peers you meet also going through it. Recorded classes, no matter how convenient simply can’t help new moms meet other new moms. Don’t just take my word for it, check out all of these studies and articles: New Moms Need Social Support, Moms Need Social Support, And Not Just In The Baby Years, Parental Perceived Control and Social Support: Linkages to Change in Parenting Behaviors During Early Adolescence, Social support during the postpartum period: Mothers’ views on needs, expectations, and mobilization of support, and First-time mothers’ perceptions of social support: Recommendations for best practice.

In addition to the social aspect of in-person classes, they are also going to offer a more personalized approach to postpartum healing and restoration. Recorded classes offer a general practice which may or may not be good for your body. I have seen a variety of recorded classes labeled as “postpartum” or “baby & me” which in my professional opinion and experience include many things which are not suitable for a postpartum person. This is usually due to the intent of the person teaching, their personal experience in postpartum, and their level of training. Everybody is unique, so it is not really possible to offer a one size fits all postpartum class. There are also video resources which offer progressions or work as a program, but it is up to the postpartum person to decipher how they progress thorugh the exercises. Many people are anxious to get back to exercise after birth, but without proper guidance they will progress too quickly resulting in them not achieving the results they are looking for or will give up entirely. Postpartum is a time when exercise is completely unique compared to other times in life, even compared to during pregnancy. For example, I’ve had many students tell me they felt nauseous or experienced pee leaks when attempting such recorded classes. Both of which indicate the class was too hard for them. Teachers are more than a person who teaches exercises/ poses, they are also coaches who will help you with the right movements for you and keep you safe, exercising appropriately for your personal needs, and motivated along the journey. 

Want to learn more? Practice with me? Or Schedule a One-on-One session?
Send me a message or check out my class offerings.

References:

Gorbea Chávez V, Velázquez Sánchez Mdel P, Kunhardt Rasch JR. Efecto de los ejercicios del piso pélvico durante el embarazo y el puerperio en la prevención de la incontinencia urinaria de esfuerzo [Effect of pelvic floor exercise during pregnancy and puerperium on prevention of urinary stress incontinence]. Ginecol Obstet Mex. 2004;72:628-636.

Huber M, Malers E, Tunón K. Pelvic floor dysfunction one year after first childbirth in relation to perineal tear severity. Sci Rep. 2021;11(1):12560. Published 2021 Jun 15. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-91799-8

Guzman M., Narvaez D., New Moms Need Social Support. Psychology Today. 2013 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/moral-landscapes/201301/new-moms-need-social-support

Soma-Pillay P, Nelson-Piercy C, Tolppanen H, Mebazaa A. Physiological changes in pregnancy. Cardiovasc J Afr. 2016;27(2):89-94. doi:10.5830/CVJA-2016-021

Romano M, Cacciatore A, Giordano R, La Rosa B. Postpartum period: three distinct but continuous phases. J Prenat Med. 2010;4(2):22-25.

Cavalli M, Aiolfi A, Bruni PG, et al. Prevalence and risk factors for diastasis recti abdominis: a review and proposal of a new anatomical variation. Hernia. 2021;25(4):883-890. doi:10.1007/s10029-021-02468-8