After the Baby Comes – Postpartum Yoga
By Colette Crawford

Many eastern cultures believe how you restore your energy during the early postpartum time can affect your physical and emotional wellbeing in later years. The first month after birth, create a sacred space for you, your partner and newborn. Do less work and socializing. Do more sleeping and snuggling with your baby. You, your baby, and other family members will feel much better and you will be less likely to crash from exhaustion.

Yoga is always available to you if you bring awareness to your breath. You can practice breath awareness any time - while feeding your baby, doing dishes, or taking a bath. Later when you have more time and energy you can do a short practice. Here are a few poses that you can practice with or without your baby by your side.

Breath Awareness
Sit in a comfortable position with the spine erect. Inhale and exhale naturally through your nose. Let your eyes soften, gazing downward toward your heart. With each breath out, allow your facial muscles and jaw to release. After your next exhalation, inhale naturally, exhale naturally, pause, while counting, one-one thousand, two-one thousand, then inhale. Let your breathing be natural. Note with each cycle of breathing how your mind is quieting and tension releases.

Ujjayi Breathing
Ujjayi or Victory Breathing restores energy and helps the mind to become focused and calm.

Sit cross-legged on a blanket (or lie down on the floor if sitting hurts your back or you feel exhausted). If sitting, root your tailbone and sit bones down as you extend your spine up towards the ceiling. Your hands can rest on your knees. Inhale, lift your breastbone and bring your chin down towards your chest.

Slightly contract your throat passage as you inhale deeply and exhale smoothly through your nostrils. As you inhale imagine saying "sa" and as you exhale imagine saying "ha." Your breath will have an aspirate sound. Repeat several times. Breathe normally if you feel breathless. Never strain.

Chest Opener with Bolster
Lie on the floor with your knees bent. Place a bolster or several firm blankets folded under your mid-back. If this is too high you can use a rolled yoga mat or a thick bath towel. Have enough support for your neck and head so your neck does not hyperextend. Put a roll under your knees. Rest your arms at shoulder level with your elbows slightly bent. When your back begins to release, extend your legs and place a roll under your knees. Rest here for five minutes. If your back hurts bend your knees and have your feet hip width apart. Practice the breath awareness or ujjayi. Bend your knees and roll to the side to come out.

This pose gently opens your chest and stretches your abdomen. This is an opening pose which helps to counter the turning in of the shoulders and collapsed chest you may be experiencing from the endless hours of feeding your baby. As the chest is opened, breathing is easier. When we have more oxygen in our bodies we ffeel energized. This may help prevent mild postpartum depression.

Cat / Cow
Begin on your hands and knees with hands shoulder width apart, palms on fl oor, inner elbows facing each other, knees below hips, hip width apart. Your neck and head are in line with your spine.

Inhale, release mid-back (area between shoulder blades) down as you look up to the ceiling, lifting tailbone and breast bone, keeping neck relaxed and open. Do not allow your back to over arch. Exhale, round mid back up as you look down to the floor, dropping tailbone and head. Continue in a gentle rocking movement.

Observe the flow of your breath while bringing your awareness into your abdomen, lumbar, and pelvis. Note the inter-connection between these muscles. To improve abdominal tone after you exhale rounding the midback, lift your lower abdomen up towards the back spine. Continue with the cycle, inhaling.

Child's Pose - knees wide
Bring your big toes together with your heels apart and under each buttock. Move your knees slightly wider than your hips. Stretch your arms out in front of you, placing your open palms on the floor as you sit down on your heels. Rest with your forehead on the floor. Inhale, extend through your arms as you weight your buttocks down onto your heels. With each exhalation allow your spine to lengthen. Breathe softness into your belly. Place a bolster under your chest and belly to provide more support if needed. Use your arms to help you come up.

Downward Facing Dog
This pose increases energy, exercises the entire spine, opens shoulders, strengthens the abdomen and legs, improves circulation, aids digestion, and brings a calm peaceful feeling.

Kneel down on the floor, place hands under shoulders - shoulder width apart, knees below hips - hip width apart. Curl toes under. Exhale, lift your hips up toward the ceiling and let your head hang down toward the floor.. Press the knuckles of fingers and palms into the fl oor and lift your sit bones up. With each exhalation strongly extend your legs back rooting through your heels.

Chair "Yoga" Sit-Ups
Lie down with your calves resting on a chair. Place a support under your head and neck if needed. Clasp your hands behind your neck and press your low back into the floor. Exhale raising your head and shoulders about 6-8 inches off the floor. Inhale and release back to the floor. Continue for 5-10 cycles.

Exhale pressing your low back into the fl oor and raise your head and shoulders to the right thigh, inhale back down, then exhale up to the left thigh. Do this for 5-10 cycles. Increase the cycles according to the strength you build.

When you have completed your abdominal practice, rest fully. Let your legs become heavier, allowing the chair to hold them. release your abdomen and low back. You can place a weight like a ten pound sand bag on your abdomen to help you soften and release into the floor. Practice your breath awareness.

Back Release
Lie on your back, bend knees, cross right ankle on top of left thigh. Reach right arm through legs and clasp hands around the shin or behind back thigh. Flex both feet as you press tailbone down towards fl oor while moving right knee away from head. Hold for several breaths then change sides. This stretches hip rotator muscles and reduces low back pain.

Shoulder Releaser
Sit comfortably, spine erect. Cross elbows in front of your chest and press the palms together. If you cannot join the palms, use a belt. Inhale and lift the elbows to shoulder level; keep forearms perpendicular to the floor and bring your elbows forward; exhale and release your shoulders down away from your ears. Change sides.

Legs Up Wall
Lie on the floor, legs up the wall, with buttocks as close to the wall as possible. Place a blanket under your head if needed for neck support. Do this if you are still having lochia (bleeding).

Once your lochia subsides you can use a rectangular bolster or 2-3 folded blankets against the wall. Sit on the end of the bolster with your side to the wall. Bring buttocks to the wall as you place your shoulder and head on the fl oor. Gently swing legs up the wall as you roll onto your back and center yourself on the bolster, bringing your buttocks as close to the wall as possible. Practice breath awareness. Stay in the pose up to 15 minutes. 

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09/03