When Monique, pregnant up to her eyes just a few weeks ago, proudly told us that she was practicing yoga with her tiny newborn, we immediately wanted to reply: "Oh yeah, and why not try Thai boxing while we're at it!? Apparently they sleep through the night afterwards..." But after realizing that she was serious, and that it was a revelation for her and her child, we wanted to know more.
Baby yoga, what... Seriously?
Baby yoga is a little-known, fun, and sensory-enhancing activity that both mother and child can share. This can be done from the moment the mother has recovered from childbirth until the baby begins to move quickly by crawling. At that point, they can begin practicing yoga for children.
"Baby Yoga" is a series of easy and gentle poses that are extremely beneficial for both participants. Don't worry, it's a far cry from the Vasypostatêtela Emétépyésurtaglote pose, which, according to legend, Shiva himself struggled with...
Yoga for babies, but why?
For the mother, it's already a great way to get back in shape after giving birth and to regain balance and harmony when her hormones are in full swing. This activity also allows for bonding between the baby and mother and to have shared time dedicated to their well-being.
For babies, yoga movements strengthen their spine, improve joint flexibility, and tone their body. This will also help them improve their focus and develop new motor skills while calming their restlessness. Because yoga is both a physical and mental exercise, becoming aware of their little body will help your baby grow in confidence and learn to recognize their own limits.
OK, and concretely, how do we practice “baby yoga”?
To practice yoga with your baby, you don't need to go to India and spend three months in an ashram. Just put on comfortable clothes and settle down on a play mat (not on the changing table, where your baby could fall!), and choose a time when your little one is calm and rested, for example after a nap.
Yoga is innate in babies, and we're not talking about the famous dirty diaper position, no, you'll just have to help them a little to adopt the right postures. Stay close to them, lay the creature on their back facing you, and breathe slowly. Your baby will match their breathing to yours.
Ready to get started? Here's a sample position:
Position No. 1:
Hold your baby's wrist and opposite ankle so that the palm of their hand and sole of their foot are touching. Then gently repeat with the other arm and leg.
For other mini-yogi “poses,” visit:https://www.parents.fr/bebe/sante/medecines-douces-pour-bebe/le-yoga-pour-les-bebes-79161
And after the effort, comes comfort. And for that, you can count on Good Goût. For bottle-feeding babies, we have our delicious Infant Milk. And for a super fruity snack, recharge your baby's batteries with our mango pouch.
There you have it! We wish you a good journey as a couple towards fulfillment and Nirvana... But if you still have questions and if you want to participate in group or individual classes, contact a professional, like Julia, the famous mom-yogi-blogger from the site www.mamanzen.com .
Hey! By the way! Dads are welcome too!
