|
|
Postnatal Yoga (Birth to six weeks)
 Giving
birth can be a very demanding physical
event. It can also give rise to strong
emotional and spiritual experiences. The
well-being of this helpless child
depends upon your ability to nurture him
or her, to satisfy his or her needs.
Yoga can give you much-needed support at
this time of changing responsibilities.
Yoga is an ancient system of self-help
that helps bring health and a feeling of
"lightness" into every level of your
being physical, emotional, mental and
spiritual. Regular yoga practice will
quickly increase your overall feelings
of health and fitness. You will grow
stronger, more confident, calmer, and
better able to nurture your baby, as
well as the other members of your
family. You will experience and be able
to spread real happiness as you nurture
yourself and those close to you.
Reverse breathing
-
 Sit or lie comfortably, with
your spine supported. Place your
hands on your lower abdomen, to
become aware of what is happening.
Breathe is deeply, imagining the
energy of the breath being drawn up
through the base of your body into
the abdomen.
-
 As you breath out, pull in your
waist, drawing your navel up and
closer to your spine at the back.
Feel this out-breath continue to
flow up into your chest, toning you
powerfully from inside. Release at
the end of your exhalation. The
out-breath is longer than the
in-breath, but this should never be
forced. You can either take a
"resting breath" in and out before
inhaling and drawing up again, or
repeat the Reverse Breathing without
a pause.
 Alternate nostril breathing
-
Sit comfortably and erect. Bring
your right hand in front of your
face, with the three middle fingers
tucked in towards your palm and the
thumb and little finger extended.
Place your thumb on your right
nostril to close it, and breath in
through your left nostril.
-
 Close the left nostril with your
little finger and breath out through
the right nostril. Holding the hand
position, breath in through the
right nostril, then close it with
your thumb, open the left nostril by
lifting your little finger and
breath out through it.
Reverse breathing: for the pelvic
floor
Practice the
first step of reverse
breathing for a while, until you feel
absolutely comfortable with it, Then add
the following: as you breath in, tighten
and pull up the perineal muscles at the
base of your body, drawing them up into
the abdomen. Tighten the muscles at the
center of your "seat" (the vaginal
muscles), drawing also on the back (anal
muscles) and the front area (the muscles
that hold your bladder in). The
exercise, when practised regularly, can
save year of discomfort and
problems-including stress incontinence
and prolapse-caused by perineal muscles
that have been overstretched during
childbirth.
Continue to tighten these muscles even
more as you breathe, releasing them at
the end of your out-breath. Practise
using these sets of muscles in a smooth,
wavelike flow of the breath. This
exercise can be done almost anywhere and
at any time. Rest for a few seconds
between breaths, or between sets of six
breaths. To alleviate any problems due
to the weakness of your perineal
muscles, do two sets of six breaths
three times a day for two or three
weeks.
Getting down to the floor and up off
the floor
-
 Once on the floor, position
yourself on your hands and knees in
a firm, symmetrical and well
balanced position "on all fours".
-
 To get up off the floor, lean
forward first so that you can easily
turn your toes under. Then, in one
flowing movement, walk your hands on
the floor towards you while rolling
your back to find yourself sitting
on your heels. Remember to keep your
neck relaxed.
-
 By stretching your legs and
pushing on your hands you find
yourself getting up off the floor in
one easy movement. With your legs
bent at first, then extended, you
can now stretch your spine to a full
upright posture. Your lower back has
been protected at all times during
this sequence.
-
 Practice going down to the floor
again on all fours by bending your
knees and extending your arms
towards the floor, palms stretched
out. Your heels will probably lift
from the floor as your knees reach
down. Stretch on all fours and get
up off the floor again, making this
a rolling motion up and down.
Legs up the wall
-
 Sit sideways against the wall.
The aim is to place your legs
parallel against the wall.
-
 Bend the knee nearest to the
wall, leaning back on your hands.
-
 Swivel round on your bottom,
leaning back now on your forearms.
Straighten your legs and move your
upper body round.
-
 You should be lying in a
straight line with your legs
together, hands on your abdomen.
Flex your toes., lifting your heels,
to strengthen your legs.
-
 You can strengthen your
abdominal muscles by bending one
knee and placing the sole of your
foot on the wall, then repeating
with the other leg. Remember that,
after giving birth, you are working
to close your body, so keep your
legs together to tone your inner
thigh muscles more effectively.
-
 Once settled in this position,
you can include your baby. He or she
will enjoy closeness with you, lying
peacefully against your heart.
Without even moving, you are using
the calm power of your deep
breathing to tone the lower back and
abdominal muscles.
Knees to chest
-
 Lie on your back with your knees
bent and your feet on the floor.
Stay comfortable and relaxed.
Breathe freely in your abdomen.
-
 Clasp your hands below your
knees and using
Reverse
Breathing(1), breathe in, drawing
your pelvic floor muscles up, then
further up as you exhale. Release.
-
 Inhale again and pull your
thighs closer towards the chest as
you breathe out, bringing your waist
down towards the floor and widening
your upper back. Repeat a few times.
Leg over
 Straighten one leg along the floor
and place your other foot outside it,
bending your knee place both hands on
your abdomen. Breathe deeply, drawing
your abdominal muscles in towards your
spine as you exhale, and pressing your
feet on the floor.
Hug yourself
 Fold your arms across your chest,
with fingertips on opposite shoulders.
Hug yourself and breathe deeply. Feeling
the expansion in the back. As you
exhale, press the base of your spine on
the floor and let your whole back spread
out.
Side stretch
-
 Straighten one leg along the
floor. Bring the arm on the same
side over your head and stretch it
along the floor behind you. The
whole of this side of your body
should feel stretched and open. As
you breathe in, flex your foot and
stretch your arm, extending from
heel to fingertips. Stretch more as
you breathe out. Release and relax.
-
Repeat several times, then
change sides and repeat with the
other leg and arm. You can also
stretch diagonally, extending the
opposite arm and leg first one way
and then the other, and breathing in
the same way.
Namaste
 Lying down with your knees bent,
join your palms together in front of
your heart, in the prayer position.
Inhale and press on your palms as you
breathe out slowly. Feel the upper back
and shoulder muscles
strengthening and the front of the
chest lifting. At the end of the
practice, relax and greet the moment as
it is.
Related Links
|
|
|
|
|
