Postpartum Yoga

Before you begin your exercise routine, it is important that you
have received medical clearance by your doctor to exercise,
practice patience with yourself and your body, and rest, lots of
rest! I recommend waiting at least 8 weeks before beginning any
strenuous exercises. After your recovery, yoga can be a relaxing
and beneficial way to begin introducing exercise back into your
daily regimen.


Yoga can aid in healing your abdominal muscles, building pelvic
floor and core strength, improve body and organ alignment, and
your mental health. As you begin adding specific yoga poses back
into your daily routine, you may begin experiencing relief
from diastasis recti, pelvic floor issues, tight shoulders,
chest, and hips, and help you feel more energized and relaxed
while caring for your new child.


In this article we hope to address any questions or concerns you
may have regarding postpartum exercise.


How Soon After Giving Birth Can I Do Yoga?


We recommend taking your time to heal and bond with your baby
before you start exercising. So often women struggle with feeling
a need to get back into their normal regimen and daily activities
without allowing proper time for rest and recovery. This can be
especially true of postpartum people who experienced no pregnancy
complications or delivered naturally. As stated above, allowing 8
weeks or so to begin yoga practice is important for your health
and overall well-being.


Postpartum Yoga After Normal Delivery


If you had a normal delivery, you may begin feeling like yourself
much sooner than other women who experienced either a c-section
or complications during their delivery. However, it is still
important to rest and to begin gradually introducing yoga poses
into your daily routine. Make sure that you feel comfortable
during your exercises and if you experience any pain or
discomfort, to wait a few more days to a week before returning to
your yoga practice.


When Can You Do Yoga After C-Section?


If you delivered via c-section, it may take longer for you to
begin feeling yourself again. That’s okay! You experienced a lot
of trauma and pain during your delivery and it is important for
you to rest. We especially recommend a 5-5-5 step program during
the first few weeks of your recovery – 5 days of rest, 5 days
within reach of your bed, and 5 days within a short distance from
your bed. Talk with your doctor before beginning any exercises or
yoga poses that may affect your abdominal muscles and belly.


Can Yoga Help You Lose Weight After Pregnancy?


Although losing weight should never be the top priority in
returning to yoga postpartum, yoga can help you lose some of the
baby weight you’ve gained during your pregnancy. There are many
other benefits to contributing yoga into your postpartum regimen:


Body knowledge: Yoga can help you become familiar with
vital parts of your body as you begin the restoration process.


Body / Posture Alignment: Your body has undergone a
lot of physical stress during your pregnancy and after your
delivery. Many women experience shoulder, neck, bain, back, and
hip pain due to delivering, carrying, and breastfeeding their
child. It is also common for your organs to be displaced during
your delivery. Yoga can help restore your body’s alignment and
help loosen those tight muscles in your shoulders and chest!


Mental Health: Participating in a postpartum yoga
program can help you get to know other people, participate in
relaxing and calming practices, and reduce stress and postpartum
depression.


What is Postnatal Yoga?


Postpartum yoga is a one postpartum practice you can start a few
weeks after your delivery. Not only can yoga help relieve
symptoms of diastasis recti and a weakened pelvic floor, but it
can also be a great way to relax and gradually regain your
strength during your recovery. Below we have compiled a few yoga
poses we believe are beneficial in your early recovery.