Articles by Lisa

Time Poor Mothers

How yoga can help to keep you physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually balanced

As mothers we are the backbone of our families, pulling everything together and constantly giving out. So why is it that we put ourselves last most of the time?
I love the saying ‘If you have a happy mother you have a happy family’. It’s so true.
But to achieve this it’s vital for mothers to take some time out for themselves, not just on a physical level, but mentally and emotionally too. With yoga it doesn’t have to be more than 15 minutes a day and it’s inexpensive and can be done at home, anytime.

The mind, body, emotional and spiritual connection
We all know how important it is look after ourselves physically, but did you know that the physical aspect of ourselves is also connected to our mental and emotional well being as well? They can not be separated. For example if we are in pain due to a tough & exhaustive birth, not only are we physically dis-abled, but mentally our head space is also taken up with the constant reminder of our pain from our body. This in turn ‘wears us down’ emotionally so that we become frustrated and short tempered. Add this to being a mother, perhaps a new one, and well I think you know what I’m talking about.

How does yoga work with this connect?
When the asanas or postures of Yoga are practised the mind becomes engaged whilst in the asana and by connecting the mind with the body, the breath too becomes deeper and longer, this in turn directly quietens our emotions and we feel a sense of peace inside. No more are we with the business inside our heads. As we quieten down inside, whilst opening our body with the asanas, a wonderful thing begins to happen, we start to gain a different perspective; it’s like taking a mini break from our day to day lives and so gives us different ways to view things, problem solve and most importantly rejuvenate ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Time
How can I fit yoga in?
Yoga provides both the flexibility of fitting in with any routine, because it can be done at home at any time. All you need is a matt and a dose of discipline. So to help get you on your way I have selected 8 poses for you to start with. They will take approx 15 min, by that time you won’t want to get off your matt!
Rest assured that yoga is physically challenging whether you have a stiff body or a flexible one. Remember the key with yoga is to engage the mind whilst in the asana, so if you’re thinking about what to make for dinner or ‘gee I really need to sweep this floor’ then you need to re-focus.

What are the benefits of these asanas?
For new mothers these asanas are vital to help recover from the birth by strengthening the spinal column, pelvic floor and working the bigger muscles to regain tone in the body, including the abdomen. The blood supply is significantly increased throughout the body, in particular the chest, shoulders and neck. It also improves the quality of your breast milk by purifying it and increases the secreting ability of the breasts so that more milk is produced. In addition, with this practise the whole nervous system becomes relaxed.
Doing these asanas regularly will also help to relieve those kinks from sleeping in awkward positions so as not to wake up bub!

For the first month after delivery: practise, Savasana and deep breathing.
I highly recommend the book Yoga a Gem for Women by Geeta S Iyengar for the correct and in depth methods of yogic breathing, Pranayama.

From the second month onwards the following asanas can all be safely practised.
**In the case of a Caesarean continue with Savasana and deep breathing until the wound has healed, approximately 2 months.

By the third month you will have re-gained the original shape and strength of your organs; post natal fatigue should also have vanished. Once normalcy is regained all asanas, except backbends may be practised.

Tadasana
Urdhva Hastasana
Gomukhasana
Vrksasana
Half uttanasana to the wall
Utthita Trikonasana
Utthita Parsvakonasana
Parsvottanasana
Savasana (5 minutes)
Deep breathing (5 minutes)

Note
It is advisable to attend a regular yoga class to be sure you are doing the asanas correctly at home.

Please join our Mumma's Retreat to see all the poses in detail.

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