Today I left the boy and his papa snuggling in bed while I went to the gym for a Vinyasa Yoga class. It was my first post-partum yoga class, and I looked forward to stretching and relaxing after a perfectly wonderful but tiring week of exercise.
I used to regularly practice Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, a vigorous, regimented form of yoga, so I knew what to expect from the class. However, practicing yoga after having a baby presents two distinct challenges to be aware of:
- Due to the relaxin hormone released during the later stages of pregnancy, many ligaments are hyper-flexible, especially in the hip and pelvis. For this reason, you still want to avoid overly deep stretches and holding them for too long. Like this pose or this one. This is why many physical therapists and physicians will recommend avoiding yoga in favor of Pilates for several months. Yoga, when done with the bandhas engaged, however, can also be effective at building up the inner abdominals and restoring pelvic floor function.
- Most women with children tend to hunch forward, even long after they stop nursing and picking-up children. Our chest muscles (pectorals) become bound-up and our upper back muscles become stretched out and tight but weak. Yoga is great for opening up the chest, but can be challenging and frustrating when we attempt too much, too soon.
I'll be enjoying a fresh seafood cookout tonight and taking it easy tomorrow, maybe helping FitDad get some plants in the ground.
Enjoy your weekend!
