Wondering how to start moving after childbirth? Yoga is the answer! These postpartum yoga poses are easy & gentle – perfect for new Moms!

So you’ve just had a baby – congratulations! You’re probably going through a whole gamut of emotions right now and feeling like you’ve never felt before. There’s excitement, anxiety, happiness and a whole lot of love!

Unlike what movies will have you believe, the postpartum stage isn’t just covered in the glow of motherhood; there are many physical difficulties involved. Common postpartum challenges include incontinence, engorgement, back pain and what seems like endless fatigue!

This is why we think yoga is the perfect solution to all these problems and more. Here are some reasons you should opt for yoga during your postpartum period.

8 Reasons Yoga is a Great Choice for Postpartum

1. Yoga helps you reconnect with your body after nine months of constant changes. It gives you a newfound respect for your body and increases your confidence.

2. Since you can’t dive into intense workouts right after having a baby, yoga is a gentle way to ease into working out.

3. Yoga can strengthen body parts that were affected during pregnancy and childbirth, like the back, the abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor.

4. Yoga improves stability and balance, which is crucial since you now have to perform daily activities while carrying a baby.

5. Postpartum yoga poses can help heal postpartum issues like diastasis recti or urinary incontinence

6. Regular yoga practice can improve posture, which was probably affected during pregnancy

7. Yoga has been proven to increase energy during the day and improve sleep at night

8. Studies have shown that yoga can relieve stress and can even help with postpartum anxiety and depression

When to Start Postpartum Yoga Poses

The American Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) states that you can start light exercise six weeks after an uncomplicated vaginal delivery. Women who’ve had a C-section or other birth complications may have to wait longer.

In a nutshell, your six-week checkup is a good time to ask your doctor if it’s okay to start. Make sure you begin a postpartum yoga practice or any other exercise plan only after getting your doctor’s green signal. Start with something gentle, like walking at a normal speed and doing light stretches, like yoga.

Here are 6 best postpartum yoga poses for new Moms to ease themselves into an exercise routine after childbirth. These poses target the parts of the body that need some healing and stretching so you get the most out of your practice!

The Best Postpartum Yoga Poses for New Moms

1. Child Pose (Balasana)

Benefits: Child’s pose is a gentle, restorative pose that’s the perfect choice when it comes to postpartum yoga poses. It relieves tension in the hips and back and feels relaxing after lying or sitting for long.

• Kneel down on the mat and sit on your heels, keeping your feet and knees touching
• Inhale, reaching your arms up. Then, exhale and fold forward slowly over your thighs as far as you can go
• If you can without lifting your buttocks, rest your forehead on the floor. If not, rest it on a yoga block
• You should feel a stretch in your back, shoulders and arms. Take a few breaths here.
• When done, walk your hands back as you lift your upper body to the starting position.

2. Cat Cow Pose (Bitilasana Marjaryasana)

Benefits: This is a great pose that’s both relaxing and energizing. It improves movement in the back and chest, while stretching the neck at the same time.

3. Bridge Pose (Setubandha Sarvangasana)

Benefits: The bridge pose is among the classic postpartum yoga poses to strengthen the pelvic floor. It also focuses on the back, hips and legs, releasing any tightness and giving a good stretch.

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart
• Let your arms lie straight by the sides, palms down and let the lower back press into the floor
• Pressing through your feet, inhale and then as you exhale, lift your hips up, tucking the tailbone under
• Maintain a straight line from knees to shoulders – you should feel a squeeze in the buttocks
• Hold for as long as you comfortably can, breathing all the time, then lower the hips back down

4. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

Benefits: Tadasana is a pose that is ideal for recovering your natural posture, especially after carrying around extra weight for nine months. Tadasana seems basic, but it strengthens the legs and the abs and is one of the beginner-friendly postpartum yoga poses.

• Stand straight on your yoga mat with your feet hip-width apart and toes pointing forward
• Keep your arms by your sides and activate your core by drawing your belly in
• Keep your shoulders down as you lift your head, looking straight ahead
• Bring your hands up and fold them in front of your heart, lifting your chest at the same time
• Close your eyes if you like, and feel yourself grounding into the ground through your feet
• Hold the pose for 8-10 breaths, focusing deeply on each breath and not allowing any part of the body to collapse

5. Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana)

Benefits: While deep squats are not among the recommended postpartum yoga poses, the goddess pose or goddess squate is a wide-legged one and can be done safely, improving balance while strengthening the legs.

• Stand on your yoga mat with your feet 3-4 feet apart, toes pointing outward
• Keeping your pelvic floor and core activated, exhale and lift your arms up and let your palms meet
• Keep your shoulders down and chest lifted; keep the abdomen tucked in
• Press the hips forward and bend your knees as far as you can comfortably go
• Hold for as long as you can, then return to the starting position and repeat

Modifications: If your balance isn’t where you want it to be yet, you can do this against a wall for added support.

6. Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Benefits: This is the easiest of all the postpartum yoga poses and is the best one to end your practice for the day. It’s a restorative pose that lowers blood pressure, relieves stress and cools the body.

• Lay down on your back with your legs stretched out and feet slightly opened out in a natural position
• Place your arms by your sides, or place one hand on your chest and one on the belly
• Take a deep breath and close your eyes
• As you continue to breathe, relax every part of your body, from the crown of your head to the tips of the toes
• Observe how you feel supported by the ground and how your breath makes your belly rise and fall

Modifications: If you have pain or tightness in any part of your body, use a pillow or rolled-up towel under the head, neck, or knees. If you get too cold, place a light blanket over your body.

Things to remember for Postpartum Yoga Poses

1. Focus on breathing

Make sure you’re inhaling and exhaling properly. Breath doesn’t just calm your nervous system; it also guides your movement. When inhaling, fill the torso with air and when exhaling, empty everything and tuck in your belly button. Proper breathing also helps you get deeper into these postpartum yoga poses.

2. Avoid pressure on abs

Yes, you want to flatten that tummy, but putting too much pressure on your abdomen or pelvic floor can backfire and make things worse – even causing organ prolapse in severe cases. Avoid crunches, sit-ups, pilates or other intense core workouts in the postpartum stage.

3. Protect your joints

During pregnancy, your hormones relax the joints and ligaments so the body can prepare for childbirth. It takes time for these to go back to their natural state, so be aware of loose and unstable joints when performing any pose. Avoid sudden movements that may cause an injury.

4. Use props

Don’t be afraid to use props when performing these postpartum yoga poses – especially if you’re a beginner to yoga. Yoga blocks and bands can help you achieve a deeper stretch. Remember, the aim is not to get a picture-perfect pose; it is to get the stretch that the pose intends.

It is important to clarify your intentions before you start doing any of these postpartum yoga poses. You may want to lose the baby weight as soon as possible, but it’s important to remember that you don’t have to rush. Society puts unreasonable expectations on new mothers – you don’t have to fall into that trap!

Your focus right now should be on enjoying this journey with your new baby and helping your body heal. With yoga, you can aid the healing process while strengthening your body so that you can enjoy motherhood to the fullest!

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 Prerna is the founder, editor and owner of ‘Maa of All Blogs’, one of India’s Top Parenting Blogs. Besides being a certified Ashtanga Yoga instructor, she is also a fashion designer and economics graduate.

When she’s not busy running her home and business, she ensures she stays active – whether it’s running the half marathon, completing the Oxfam walk or climbing to the Everest base camp. Prerna enjoys wearing all her hats, and she does so in style!

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