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Om! Baby

Yoga for Moms and Babies

By Lyn Mettler

e says. "Helen would give us ideas of positions we could do to relieve [the problems]." Matthew, she says, also quickly took to the class. "We'd get there and he would just instantly relax," says Hull. "Each week he would become more and more familiar."

Parker says this is a typical reaction. While you might expect your baby to be confused at first, she says, they usually get with it fairly quickly and by the second time are anticipating movement. For example, for older babies who may be walking, Garabedian practices a pose called Downward Facing Dog, much like the stretch dogs often do upon waking. Babies become so familiar says Garabedian that, "We say Down Dog and babies move into it." One mother reported that it was the only thing her 1-year-old would do that she asked him to do.

Doing yoga also helps babies with their digestion, stimulates their immune system, teaches them to soothe themselves and improves circulation and sleep, says Parker. "Moms report when they take the baby home, they are more settled and have less colic," she says. Moms can also expect their baby to be asleep by the end or soon after class.

Yoga doesn't just help the baby – besides toning areas affected by pregnancy and childbirth, Baby and Mom yoga offers moms a wide range of benefits. Garabedian says that her classes help moms reduce stress, increase their confidence in parenting, decrease anxiety and promote intuitive parenting. Parker adds other benefits such as improving alignment, increasing mental clarity and creating an overall sense of well-being.

And these benefits are not just for biological moms – instructors say that they have had adoptive moms, dads, grandparents, caregivers and same-sex couples all attend their classes. Doing yoga with the baby can help them develop the bond that the mom already has a head start on, says Staton. Garabedian agrees. "So many moms tell me that they go home and show their husband some moves and techniques and it gives the husband a way to feel connected to the baby," she says.

Whether it just helps you and your baby giggle after a long, hard day or whether it truly creates a special bond between babies and their caregivers, instructors say it's worth trying. According to Yoga Journal

Want to see more?

• Yoga: An Ancient Practice for Pregnancy in the Modern World
• Bonding for Life: Developing That Special Connection With Your Baby
• The Power of Touch: An Important Way to Bond With Your Newborn
• Talk about it!