Practicing yoga as a newbie mama

My experience – how fitting in yoga while being a mama is turning out for me…

Almon Yoga

My little boy Rio will be two years old in August.  Two years ago I couldn’t have imagined how I’d ever fit in a regular yoga practice while caring for my new little baba, but slowly I made it work for me.  I learned a few tricks along the way which I’d like to share.

Here are my five tips about how to practice yoga while being a newbie mama…

  1. Restorative – initially finding time and energy for a full on yoga practice was impossible. Plus my body wasn’t ready yet. So I started off with Restorative yoga, squeezing in 10 minutes here and there while Rio napped.  The idea behind Restorative yoga is to hold simple poses for five to twenty minutes allowing your body to go into deep relaxation without actually sleeping – perfect for me who found it hard to nap while Rio slept (cat napped) as he’d soon be awake again!  If you’re interested in practicing Restorative yoga take a look at a few poses by my yoga teacher Petra Mitidieri.
  2. Once Rio was a few weeks old I was able to start classes once again. We went to a mixture of baby massage, baby yoga and mama yoga, where Rio and the other babas were entertained by Petra as she provided instructions to the class.  It was nice to get my body moving again, while meeting and sharing experiences with other mamas provided a great support network.  Rio wasn’t too sure to start with but after a few classes he became used to the gentle movement and enjoyed the playful games and songs.
  3. West end break – I was, and still am, very luck to have a wonderful mother-in-law that helps me out once a week. Rio loves his Tata (grandma in Romansh, an ancient Swiss language) and I love the chance to escape from my well trodden square mile. I head to the West End for a full on Ashtanga yoga session at Yotopia and then have time for a tasty lunch, and maybe even a quick look around the shops!
  4. Nap time session – now that Rio takes a regular (well most of the time) lunchtime nap I’m able to squeeze in a session at home. I clear away the toys, lay out my mat and log into Yogaglo, an app full of yoga sessions tailored to all experiences and needs. I particularly like teacher Jo Tastula, a newbie mama herself who presents pre and post natal classes as well as Vinyasa Flow sessions.
  5. Make time – I always have a to do list running through my head… do the washing up, cook dinner, renew the car tax… I’ve come to realise though that it’s really important to make time for myself. Yoga is the only thing in my 24-hour daily existence that’s really just for me. Yoga is an investment, an anchor amongst all the turbulence and change of being a mother and human in a fast paced world.  It’s my bit of escapism!

I’d love to hear from you mamas about how you’ve adjusted to your new life and I’m sure other mamas would too. Share your experiences by adding a comment on my Facebook page www.facebook.com/almonyoga