Postpartum Yoga and 9 Poses to Do

The postpartum period refers to the six to eight weeks after childbirth. During this time, the new mother’s body starts to return to its normal state before the pregnancy occurred. Yet, as almost anyone who’s given birth will tell you, postpartum recovery is a process. What can help? According to research, postpartum yoga—also known as postnatal yoga—may assist.

Research-Supported Postpartum Yoga Benefits

Several studies have linked postpartum yoga with various health benefits. Here are a few to consider.

Greater Muscle Tone and Strength

Doing yoga after giving birth is one way to help the body get back to the shape it was in before the pregnancy. It’s a low-impact form of exercise that’s easy on the joints. It also provides a good workout for the entire body. It helps build muscle strength while providing a gentle stretch to areas that might be tight or tense.

Postpartum yoga also helps build strength in the uterine muscles, which are part of the pelvic floor muscles. Some women experience pelvic floor dysfunction after giving birth. This can result in urinary incontinence. Research on 38 postpartum women found that postpartum yoga helped ease this effect. (1)

Reduced Feelings of Depression

Another benefit of postnatal yoga is its impact on mental health or, more specifically, on depression after pregnancy. Postpartum depression is a common concern after giving birth. Cleveland Clinic reports that this form of depression affects as many as 15% of postpartum women. Because it can have negative consequences for both the mother and baby, getting treatment is critical, and studies suggest that postpartum yoga may be beneficial for this purpose. (2)

One study involved 47 postpartum women who scored higher on a depression rating scale. Half attended a yoga class 16 times over eight weeks. The other half served as a control. At the end of the study, the yoga group had greater improvement in their depression scores. They had greater improvement in their anxiety as well. (3)

Improved Social Support

Other studies have connected postpartum yoga with being a great source of support for women after childbirth. In one study, researchers interviewed 15 women in-depth. During these interview sessions, several themes emerged. (4)

For example, the women revealed that the yoga class was a place where they could share their birth story. It also provided them with a place where they could support each other. This fostered greater emotional and social well-being. It also gave them access to information and resources that they found helpful after childbirth.

Best Yoga Styles for a New Mother

There are many different yoga styles. Some are a more intense form of exercise. Others are more gentle. After giving birth, gentle movement is best. This helps ease the body back into exercise. 

Gentle yoga styles include:

• Restorative yoga

• Iyengar yoga

• Hatha yoga

If you are a yoga teacher, developing a postpartum class around one of these styles is a good place to start.

9 Poses to Include in a Postpartum Yoga Practice

Once the style of yoga is decided, the next step is to decide which poses to include. Here are several that are good for postpartum yoga:

1. Bridge pose. One reason this pose is good for postpartum women is that it helps relieve a tight back. It also gives a good stretch to the chest and spine while building strength in the back, glutes, and legs.

2. Camel pose. This pose opens the chest. It also provides a gentle stretch to the front of the body. For students looking to increase the strength in their arms and legs, Camel pose does this too.

3. Child’s pose. Child’s pose helps open the hips and relieves tension in the pelvis. Students with tight back muscles can feel them begin to relax with this pose. Because it lightly compresses the stomach, it may aid in digestion as well.

4. Cat Cow pose. This yoga pose is good for boosting flexibility in the neck and spine. The up-and-down movement also helps relax the back and chest.

5. Goddess pose. One of the top benefits of this pose is improved balance. That said, students with poor balance may have trouble keeping good form. The wall or back of a chair can be used to provide support. Other benefits of Goddess pose for a postpartum woman include a stronger pelvic floor, increased relaxation, and better focus.

6. Garland pose. This pose is good for stretching the pelvic muscles. It also stretches the abdominals, spine, and legs. Because it is a deep squat-like position, it should be avoided by people with chronic pain in the knee or lower back.

7. Locust pose. Adding Locust pose to a postpartum yoga sequence helps improve spinal mobility. It is also a chest opener, which may feel good if the practitioner spends a lot of time leaning forward, such as when working at a computer or even changing dirty baby diapers.

8. Mountain pose. Doing this pose helps promote a healthy posture. It also builds strength in the abdominals and legs and supports a well-functioning digestive tract. Mountain pose is a good pose for beginners who may struggle with some of the more complex yoga asanas.

9. Plank pose. This pose helps improve core strength. This can be beneficial for new mothers who have lower back pain. Holding good form is also good for building shoulder strength. 

How Soon After Childbirth Can You Take a Postpartum Yoga Class?

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists states that women can usually return to exercise within a few days after giving birth, or when they feel ready. (5) That is, as long as their pregnancy was healthy and they had a normal vaginal delivery. For women who had a cesarean birth or who experienced complications, their healthcare provider can help determine when exercise is safe to begin. 

One potential pregnancy-related complication is abdominal separation. This is known as diastasis recti. Any exercise that places pressure on the abdominal muscles should be avoided if this occurs. Again, a healthcare provider can help decide when the core muscles are safe to use and/or target during exercise.

Tips for Leading Successful Postnatal Yoga Classes

A yoga class is like any other exercise class. It should begin with a warm-up and end with a cool down. This helps the body better prepare for and recover from the yoga session.

While it’s important to know which poses are best for the postpartum body, a postnatal yoga class is so much more. It’s a place where new mothers can go to focus on their own body awareness and health. It’s also a place where they can connect with other postpartum mothers.

To help foster this connection, leave time for students to mingle after each class. Encourage them to share stories and offer support. Let them know that you are available for them as well. Post-childbirth is a major time of change, and a little kindness and encouragement can go a long way.

To learn more tips for teaching yoga successfully, ISSA Yoga & Wellness Academy offers a Yoga 200 course. This yoga teacher training course teaches you how to lead Hatha and Vinyasa-style classes. It provides the techniques and skills needed to guide students of all types through an effective yoga practice. 

References

1. Anggraeni, N. P., Herawati, L., & Widyawati, M. N. (2019). The the effectiveness of postpartum yoga on uterine involution among postpartum women in Indonesia. International Journal of Nursing and Health Services (IJNHS), 2(3), 124–134. https://doi.org/10.35654/ijnhs.v2i3.164 

2. Postpartum depression: Causes, symptoms & treatment. Cleveland Clinic. (2022, April 13). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9312-postpartum-depression 

3. Buttner, M. M., Brock, R. L., O’Hara, M. W., & Stuart, S. (2015). Efficacy of yoga for depressed postpartum women: A randomized controlled trial. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 21(2), 94–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2015.03.003 

4. Doran, F., & Hornibrook, J. (2013). Women’s experiences of participation in a pregnancy and postnatal group incorporating yoga and facilitated group discussion: A qualitative evaluation. Women and Birth, 26(1), 82–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2012.06.001 

5. Exercise After Pregnancy. ACOG. (2022, March). https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/exercise-after-pregnancy