Baby yoga
Why baby yoga?
Perhaps you have introduced your baby to a Baby Massage course or maybe yoga was part of your routine before having your little one?
Embarking on a gentle carer and Baby Yoga course will be such a lovely experience for your both. The style of yoga we base our movements are Hatha Yoga (the union of balance of body and mind). I can promise you a gentle, slow and relaxing class learning some wonderful techniques that you will both enjoy.
I am a qualified Baby Yoga Instructor and hold Public Liability Insurance and have a relevant DBS certificate.
Safety to parent and baby is paramount, and throughout the sessions I will constantly remind you to only use pressure for the movements to suit your babies’ capabilities. Yoga is always a non-competitive activity, some babies (like adults) will be far more flexible with their limbs than others, so we must ensure gentle moves when introducing babies to the wonderful world of yoga.
What is baby yoga?
Baby Yoga is an interactive routine performed with your baby and carer; the class lasts about an hour. The movements will include gentle stretching of limbs (fear not, no crazy positions as our little ones need gentle encouragement and only moving at their capabilities). We may include calm music or fun memorable rhymes during the session to help soothe and engage your baby. Baby Yoga has been proved to be a safe and beneficial class to introduce at this young age, various classes will suit different ages ranges.
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Suitable for 8 weeks old babies (for babies and natural births, Mums who have had a c-section may want to wait longer as some moves involve a little pressure on the abdominal muscles, or have a Drs sign off) to start exercising.
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Suitable for 16 + weeks old babies (showing signs of good head control) up until 12+ months when they become confident walkers and more of a challenge for you to lift them to perform the moves.
Known benefits to introducing yoga at this stage
Without a doubt, like Baby Massage Baby Yoga allows time to bond between parent and baby through physical touch, eye contact and gentle synchronized movements. Baby Yoga is beneficial to the growth and development in babies with the bonus of aiding strength to their muscles. Some studies suggest that activities like massage and gentle movement can stimulate and boost their immune system.
It has a magically way of helping them to control their breathing and be calm, in fact they are just perfect little yogis as they all naturally follow yoga basics like:
Babies prefer to breathe through the nose.
Babies are only concerned about the present moment.
Babies love unconditionally.
Babies practice yoga postures naturally as part of their development - ‘happy baby pose’
Other key benefits to starting baby yoga
When yoga is practiced, it will help release blockages and tension, for example a colicky/windy baby/constipated babies will have tension in their digestive system, these gentle moves will encourage space and release trapped wind making your baby more comfortable and help babies relax and improve their sleep quality.
The guided moves we do together help baby develop their balance, co-ordination and motor skills. Which in turn stimulates the brain.
The ways we perform the moves promotes confidence handling your baby with an element of fun. One of the moves is called ‘drop and roll, daring drop’ this really does activate their reflexes in a playful, safe way.
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The gentle movements and soothing environment of Baby Yoga can help babies learn to regulate their emotions and self-soothe. This can be particularly beneficial for babies who are easily overstimulated or fussy.
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Baby Yoga incorporates calming techniques, such as gentle massage and soothing sounds, which can help. It can also reduce stress levels in both babies and parents.
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Participating in Baby Yoga in small groups, can be a relaxing and an enjoyable activity for parents, offering opportunities for mindfulness and stress relief. It can also provide a supportive community of other parents and caregivers.
Overall, Baby Yoga offers a holistic approach to supporting infants' physical, emotional, and cognitive development while strengthening the bond between parent and child.
So, it really does makes sense to start these sessions at a time when they are most receptive and not too busy running around as a toddler when other classes/activities will suit them more!