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| Bananas? Yummy! |
I'm one of those people who has a very difficult time saying no, but sometimes you just have to. I have decided to cancel my Mom and Baby yoga classes for several reasons. First of all, Emma, my baby daughter, is almost 1 yr old and needs a lot more attention than when she was just 3 months. And second of all, the attendance was never higher than four moms.
After trying to get a Mom and Baby yoga class going for almost a year, I have come to the conclusion that Mom and Baby yoga requires certain special conditions for the class to be both fun and safe for moms and their babies.
First of all, the room is very important. An uncluttered, childproof, carpeted room is best.
Second, just like every baby is different, every mom is different. I think Mom and Baby yoga is best practiced during the first 6 - 8 months post-partum. One reason for this is that yoga can definitely aid in the sometimes very slow process of recovery most women go through after birth. Back muscles need strengthening, pelvic muscles need toning, arms need stretching, everything needs realigning and specially the abs, these need special attention since we loose almost all muscle tone in the abdominal area. Nevertheless, the way to regain it is not by jump starting a rigorous exercise routine (at least not for everyone) but by slowly strengthening the abdominal muscles along with all other parts of the body, slowly and gradually.
Another reason why Mom and Baby yoga can be of wonderful assistance soon after birth is that it gives moms something to do with their babies during those first months when bonding is so crucial and vital.
And lastly, it's just much easier for both mom and baby to practice while baby is still fairly stationary. Once those little crawlers start pulling themselves up, grabbing someone else's water bottle, stealing another baby's pacifier, let's admit it moms: our breath speeds up and we start to panic both because we are embarrassed and also because we fear germs.
In any case, I definitely want to offer another Mom and Baby yoga class in the future, but right now my priority is Emma and she needs me the most. Perhaps when she can handle herself a little better and spend a few hours in school, I will be able to dedicate more of my "free" time to help other moms stretch, strengthen and relax through the ancient practice of yoga during that delicate post-partum period of our lives.
If anyone is interested in arranging private classes at home or at the studio, I'd be more than happy to work our a convenient schedule and an exercise sequence specifically designed to meet your needs.
Namaste to all you moms and babies!
