Parent and Baby Yoga Classes

Parent & baby yoga classes are great way to adjust to the major changes that come with a new addition to the family, and to strengthen the bond between parent and child.

A good parent & baby yoga class teaches simple massage techniques and exercises that are specially designed to maximize the wellbeing of both parents and baby. The body-mind health benefits are many (see below), and the following Do’s and Don’ts will help you choose the best class for you and your baby.

Benefits of Parent & Baby Yoga

A good parent/baby yoga practice offers many benefits, including:

• Supporting a baby’s physical development.
• Helping a mother lose excess weight gained during pregnancy.
• Calming a colicky baby and improving the baby’s sleep.
• Helping parents bond with their babies, and deal with stress of parenthood.
• Providing an opportunity for parents and babies to interact in a supportive group environment.

Parent & Baby Yoga Do’s

The following tips with help you get the most out of your parent/baby yoga practice:

• Try to follow a fixed, regular routine—babies like predictability.
• While exercising, try talking or singing to your baby. This helps lower stress and increase cooperation.
• Practice somewhere that’s clean, warm and free of bright lights.
• Make sure exercises are age-appropriate.
• When performing warm-up or cool-down massages on your baby, use hypoallergenic oil. (It’s a good idea to do a patch test first.)

Parent & Baby Yoga Don'ts

Ensure that your practice is healthy and hazard-free by following these guidelines:

• Don’t start a parent/baby yoga class until your baby has had a six-week postnatal checkup and gotten your doctor’s OK.
• Don’t practice if you or your baby is if stressed-out or cranky. Wait for the mood to pass.
• Don’t rush—make sure you have plenty of time for your yoga session.
• Don’t force yoga exercises—flexibility comes with practice.
• Don’t use massage oil on your baby before brisk yoga exercises—a slippery baby’s hard to hang onto.
• Wait a couple of days after your baby has been immunized to practice yoga or massage.
• Never do yoga when your baby is sick. And get your doctor’s OK before restarting yoga after your baby recovers.

Keep these things in mind when choosing a yoga class for you and your baby. This will ensure that both of you have a happy, healthy yoga experience.

One Step Further

Once you’ve enjoyed the benefits of parent-baby yoga (and once your child gets a little older) you may want to explore other kid-friendly wellness practices, like meditation and breathing exercises. For more information, see Related Tips & How-Tos.