Postnatal Private Yoga Class
Postnatal yoga provides a safe and effective way to ease the transition into motherhood, or back to your new active life and to adapt to your postpartum body. Whether you are a first-time mom or you already have many children, spending time for yourself and nourishing your own body is always the first priority. The sequence is specially designed for new moms to gradually regain and restore core strength, hip stability and pelvic floor muscle strength.
5 Most Common Postpartum Problems
Weak Core or Numbness in the Lower Abdomen
Postnatal yoga is a safe transition for building up core strength for women postpartum. Core weakness is caused by the 40 weeks of carrying baby's weight coupled with the effect of relaxin hormone. This creates a special condition called Diastasis Recti (DR). It is a separation of the ligament in between both sides of the "six packs", making a hole along the mid-line above, below or around the belly button. In class, our registered postnatal yoga teacher will first check the level of DR separation and will tailor make a sequence of practice to gradually heal your core and gradually rebuild strength naturally.
Weak Pelvic Floor
Many mothers experience incontinence (failure to hold their wee) after giving birth. This is because of the weakened pelvic floor muscles after being pressed on for 40 weeks coupled with the effect of relaxin hormone that stretches the piece of muscles even further. It can advance to prolapse (abdominal organs coming out from the pelvic floor muscles) or more serious incontinence or leakage (at menopausal age). We highly recommend women to practice pelvic floor exercises right after giving birth. Postnatal yoga will help you do it the right way together with your breathing.
Unstable Hips and Pelvis
Misalignment of joints happen as the relaxin hormone gradually leaves our body and joints start to fuse back together. Postnatal yoga helps women to create balance and stability during this crucial period of time. Imbalance of postures from carrying baby or lying down with baby while breastfeeding can be relieved by lots of side stretches and mild core exercises.
Sore Neck and Shoulders from Breastfeeding
If you are not breastfeeding directly, you might notice pumping can cause shoulder pain and collapsed chest too. Imagine you have to breastfeed / pump 8-12 times per day (this is the normal frequency that a newborn has to be fed), there can be enormous amount of tension build up from your neck and shoulders to your arms and even fingers (this is the reason why new mothers often have carpel tunnel syndrome). Postnatal yoga will help relieve the soreness and release your tension and anxiety concerning your new responsibility in beginning of your motherhood journey.
When Shall I Start After Giving Birth?
If you have a natural birth, you can start doing postnatal yoga 4 weeks after giving birth.
If you have a C-section, we recommend you to start at week 6.
In both cases, please obtain a letter from your OB&G before applying for class.