Your priorities post-pregnancy are completely different from what it was before. But we bet you often catch yourself thinking about when you’ll be back to what you were before you conceived in terms of your weight and feeling as strong and flexible. Especially while balancing your new life that solely focuses on feeding your baby, burping him/her, syncing your sleep cycle with your little one, and everything else that revolves around your little one. You cannot help but embrace all those gigantic love handles that you’ve developed in the last 9 months or so. But in this madness, you also need to think about your well-being, so you’re able to be at your best, both physically and mentally, and give your all to your baby.
So, here are 5 yoga poses that you can do post-childbirth to strengthen your body and mind.
1. Viparita Karani (Legs Up The Wall)
This yoga position works wonders in calming your nervous system and relieving stress, anxiety, and panic attacks, which is commonplace when you’ve just entered this phase of your life. It relaxes you enough to induce deep sleep by improving blood circulation in your entire body.
How To Do It:
- Lie flat on your back with your buttocks as close to the wall as possible. Ensure that you are comfortable.
- Place both your legs up the wall, so that both your feet rests against the wall.
- Hold this position for as long as you can and gradually start pushing your torso closer to the wall.
- Place a small pillow under your lower back to prop up this part of your body a little bit. Stay this way as long as you can or want to.
2. Balasana (Child’s Pose)
This asana for improving blood circulation throughout your body and also your breath. That apart, it can effectively treat migraine, relax your mind, and also relieve anxiety.
How To Do It:
- Stand on your knees and relax.
- Stretch your legs hip-width apart and then gradually move your buttocks downwards, allowing it to rest on your feet.
- Next, bend down in front until your head touches the ground, in front of your knees.
- Stretch your arms backwards toward your feet and hold this position for a few seconds.
- Release and come back to the starting position gradually.
3. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
This yoga poses strengthens and tones the pelvis, abdomen, torso, and back – all of which are essential after childbirth.
How To Do It:
- Keep your knees, thighs, and feet together.
- Point your toes in front.
- Interlock your fingers over your head.
- Inhale and stretch your arms over your head, with palms facing up.
- Lift your heels, so you stand on your toes.
- Breathe normally while holding the posture for about 30 seconds.
4. Hastapadasana (Standing Forward Bend)
The yoga pose tones all the muscles at the back of your body and abdomen, improving your overall posture and making the spine supple. What’s more, it also improves blood supply throughout the body, which in turn, invigorates your nervous system. However, make sure you don’t do this while you’re pregnant or have a migraine.
How To Do It:
- Stand on your mat with feet together or slightly apart.
- Engage your quads and you may microbend your knees.
- Elongate your spine, engage your core and bring your head to your knees.
- Place your fingers / palms in line with your heels.
- Stay in this pose for 30 to 60 seconds and gently release.
5. Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II Pose)
The yoga asana works well in strengthening and toning your leg muscles and knees, and making them less prone to injuries. However, while doing this, take care to ensure that you do not transfer the entire weight of your body onto your knees, but evenly distribute it throughout all the leg muscles.
How To Do It:
- Rotate the right foot at an angle of 90 degrees to your body.
- Lift the right knee above your ankle with your thigh parallel to the mat.
- Engage your hips.
- Extend your arms at shoulder level and parallel to the floor, with the palms facing down and fingers pointing outwards.
- Lift your chest upwards.
- Gaze at your right fingers.
- Engage both your legs and core muscles and hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Repeat on the other side.
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