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Babywearing Fitness: Yin/Yang Post Partum Yoga Sequence

This Yin/Yang babywearing yoga sequence is perfect for a post partum workout or babywearing fitness and it will nourish both the male (yang) and feminine (yin) energies in the body. The Yang portion will help to strengthen, tone and energize the body. The Yin portion will allow you to surrender, let go, pause and nourish the fascia and connective tissue in the body (including joints, ligaments, and bones).

Three core principles to Yin:

• Hold each pose/shape for a longer duration of time. In the practice shared below holds are anywhere from 1-5 minutes. Lovingly listen to your body- each day, each practice is different- hold poses for the duration that feels right to you/baby.
• Get in touch with your “Goldie Locks Spot” or edge. This is where the pose is not too easy, but not too challenging. At your edge you will still experience sensations in the body, but it should not feel painful. Since poses are held for a duration of time- slowly come to your edge in each pose.
• Poses are held in a relaxed and meditative state. Turn your attention inward. Muscles are relaxed, really allowing us to access the deeper sites in the body (connective tissue and fascia). Focus on what you are experiencing in your body- emotionally and physically during each pose/asana. Gently bring yourself back to the present moment/your experience if the mind becomes active (thinking about past or future events, etc.).

Disclaimer: Consult your/a physician before starting any new exercise program, including babywearing fitness. And ALWAYS listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel right, for you or your baby- it isn’t right for you today. <3

Post Partum Yoga Can Be Babywearing Fitness, Here’s How

Yang Poses

Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

Directions: Stand with both feet together, arms at both sides, legs active, spine long and engage your core. Breathe deep. Take 5 deep cleansing breaths here (in and out through the nose).

Benefits:  It energetically helps to ground and become present as you begin your yoga practice. Physically it helps to create space within the body- allowing internal organs to work more efficiently. This can really improve respiration, digestion and circulation.

Mountain Pose

Prayer Squat

Directions:

1. Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose), then step feet wide apart (the wider your feet the gentler the stretch) turn feet slightly outwards. Place hands in prayer at heart center.
2. Bend your knees and begin to squat down. If heels stay on the floor as you squat- awesome! If not, allow heels to lift off the floor as you lower. Keeping your back straight, lower your buttocks as close to the floor as you can. Observe what feels right to you- only lower as far as feels good for you and baby.
3. Pause at bottom of squat, hands remain in prayer at the heart center.
4. Slowly begin to rise back up into a standing position.
5. Repeat the squat an additional 1-10 times (depending on how you feel)

Modifications:  Place a folded blanket under your heels if they do not touch the floor when you squat down.

Benefits:  Opens the hips, improves balance, memory and concentration.

Virabhadrasana B (Warrior Pose B)

Directions:

1. Stand in Mountain Pose. With an exhale step your feet about 3.5-4 feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach them actively out to the sides. Should blades wide and palms are down.
2. Turn your right foot slightly in and your left foot out 90 degrees to the left so the toes are pointing away from the body. Align your left heel with the right.
3. Exhale and bend your left knee over the left ankle, causing the shin to be perpendicular to the floor. Bring your left thigh parallel to the floor, creating a 90 degree angle in your knee. Straighten your right leg and press your right heel out and down to the floor.
4. Stretch your arms out, keeping them parallel to the floor. Turn your head to the left as you look out over the fingers of your left hand. Keep your spine straight.
5. Hold this pose for 5 deep breaths. When you are ready inhale and come out of the pose (back to Mountain Pose). Then repeat with the ride side.

NOTE: In this pose we perform the left side first. Picture below models the right side.

Modifications:

Omit the 90 degree bend in the knee if needed or decrease the bend (as I have demonstrated).

Benefits:  Stretches your hips, groins and shoulders. Opens chest and lungs. Stimulates your abdominal organs, develops balance and stability. Builds stamina and concentration.

Warrior Pose

Vriksasana (Tree Pose)

Directions:

1. Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Really ground and spread left foot and toes (creating strong foundation in left leg/foot).
2. Bend the right knee, bringing the right foot up and place the sole against the inner left thigh (avoid placing foot on the outside of the left knee).
3. Rest your hands on the top rim of your pelvis. Make sure the pelvis in in a neutral position.
4. Lengthen the tailbone towards the floor.
5. Bring hands to together in prayer at center of chest.
6. Take 5 deep cleansing breaths
7. Release the pose and do the other side (following the same steps, just alternate side).

Modifications:  Stand with your back braced against a wall if you feel unsteady in this pose.

Benefits:  Strengthens the thighs, calves, ankles and spine. Stretches the groins and inner thighs. Improves sense of balance, relieves sciatica.

Tree Pose

Yin Poses

Butterfly Pose (with or without forward fold)

Directions:

A. Carefully lower to and sit on the floor, with equal weight in both sitting bones. Spine is upright and legs are extended.

B. Bending your knees bring the soles of the feet together to touch.

C. Move your feet forward away from the body, so as to create a diamond shape with your legs.

D. If you’d like, remain here- upright position OR place hands on baby for extra support and fold forward bringing your head in the direction of the soles of your feet (as shown in photo).

E. Remain in either version of the pose for 1-5 minutes.

Modifications:  If you need additional support place rolled blankets underneath each knee or thigh as needed for additional support.

Benefits:  This is fantastic for babywearing fitness as it is a “power” Yin pose, in the sense that it nourishes all the meridians in our bodies. Meridians are rivers of energy (“qi”) that flow and feed different organs and systems in the body. Kidneys/Urinary Bladder, Liver/Gallbladder, Stomach/Spleen and Heart/Lungs/Intestines. It’s a great pose to open the hips and gently stretch the lower back (lower back is stretched if leaning forward).

Butterfly Pose with optional fold

Shoelace Pose

Directions:

1. Begin by sitting straight with your right leg drawn over your left so that your knees are stacked and your feet are sitting back near your hips with your hands at your sides in Gyan Mudra (tips of thumb and index finger touch, other fingers are straight but relaxed).
2. Lower chin slightly towards chest- closing eyes if you wish.
3. Remain in this posture (with hand mudra) for 1-5 minutes.
4. Release the pose and come into the other side (following the same steps, just opposite side).

Modifcations:  If this external-hip-rotation range of motion is challenging, elevate the sits bones on a cushion or rolled blanket. If there is space between your knees, put a folded blanket there as well to fill the space.

Benefits:  Another great hip opener- wonderful for liver/gallbladder. Poses that nourish the liver/gallbladder meridians help to transform emotions of anger into compassion for ourselves. Gyan Mudra helps to stimulate the root chakra and grounds. This mudra also calms and improves concentration.

Shoelace Pose

Square Pose (with our without forward fold)

Directions:

1. Sit cross-legged and bring your right foot on top of your left knee, your left foot under your right knee, your shins on top of the other. When you look down you should see that you’ve created a triangle shape between your legs.
2. Bring hands together in prayer in front of your chest/baby.
3. Remain here for 1-5 minutes.
4. Release the pose and come into the other side (following the same steps, just opposite side).

Modifications:  If your right knee is not resting on top of your left foot, place a blanket under your right thigh.

Benefits:  Nice preparation for lotus pose, also helps to open up the hips. Is great for the liver/gallbladder and kidney/urinary bladder meridians.

Square Pose

Dragonfly Pose (with our without forward fold)

Directions:

1. Spread your legs as wide apart as they are willing to go
2. Relax feet- no need to flex feet- we want the muscles to be relaxed/at ease.
3. Add a forward fold if desired- using one hand to support baby and another to touch floor (if available)

Modifications:   If you have any low back or hamstring tension, a rolled or folded blanket under each knee will feel really good and take some of the tension out of the pose. Also, sitting on a blanket will help with the forward fold if you choose to do this as part of your babywearing fitness.

Benefits:  Opens the hips, groin and the back of thighs, provides a gentle opening to inner knees. Will help to ground and calm (great for Kidney meridian).

Dragonfly Pose

Dragonfly Pose with optional forward fold

Lotus Pose (Padmasana)

Directions:  This is a more “advanced” yoga pose. Please only perform if have been practicing and are familiar with the pose. Remain here (in either this pose or the modification) for 5 cleansing breaths in and out of the nose.

Modifications:  A beautiful alternate pose is simply criss cross position while bringing hands to the heart.

Lotus Pose and Newborn Feet

Lotus Position

Happy babywearing yoga!

Tags: babywearing fitness