International Breastfeeding Week!

Need to Feed Your Little One During Your Yoga Class?

Don’t worry if you have to feed your little one during a yoga class! It’s completely normal and doesn’t mean you have to stop your practice either!

Here are a few feeding-friendly yoga postures to do in the middle of your class!

Meditate -

Close your eyes, bring your focus inward, and focus on your breath.

Neck Stretches -

Lengthen your spine and relax your shoulders down your back. Bring your arm to your opposite ear, and gently pull down. (Use the opposite arm to the breast your using to feed.) Switch baby to the other breast and switch sides.

Twist -

Place the same arm that you’re using to feed baby behind you, allowing for a gentle twist. Switch baby to the opposite breast and switch sides to twist.

Pelvic Floor Work -

Focus on your deep core and pelvic floor while you’re in a comfortable seated position. Begin with a long spine and relax your shoulders down your back. As you inhale - relax your pelvic floor down to the mat and allow your belly to expand. As you exhale - pull your belly button in toward your spine and lift your pelvic floor up off of the mat.

Side Tree Variation -

Lay on your side, with baby beside you, using your bicep as a pillow. Bend your top leg and place the sole of your foot either onto your calf or thigh. Gently press the knee open as you stretch through the groin, hip, and hamstring.

Side Stretch -

Lay on your side, with baby beside you, using your bicep as a pillow. Bring your arms above you and reach your feet downward. Fill your lungs as you reach in opposition and exhale as you melt into the mat.

Relax -

Breastfeeding is hard work! Relax on your back as you place a block, bolster, or blanket beneath you. Bring your legs to a comfortable position (the soles of my feet are together with my knees out wide). Breath deeply and allow yourself to melt into your mat.

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Diastasis Recti Safe Exercises

My favorite Diastasis Recti exercises can help strengthen and rebuild your deep core muscles and pelvic floor after pregnancy. These exercises focus on the integrity of your core while helping to maintain good posture, increase core stability and strength, relieve back pain, and prepare you for more advanced core exercises. It’s so important to have a strong foundation before we can continue to build on it!

Alternating Heel Drops -

Lie on your back with your knees bent. Lift your head and shoulders off the ground and bring your legs up so your calves are parallel to the floor

Slowly lower one heel down to the floor while holding your core in tight. As you bring the heel back up to the starting position, lower the opposite heel to the ground.

Dead Bugs -

Lie on your back with your knees bent. Bring your feet up so your calves are parallel to the ground. Straighten your arms up to the ceiling and push your belly button to your spine.

Extend one leg straight out and the opposite arm straight overhead. Return to the starting position and switch sides.

Table Top Ball Squeeze -

Begin in a tabletop position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists and hips above your knees. Place a ball, towel, pillow, or block in between your knees. Press your belly button into your spine and keep a flat spine.

Gently lift your knees up off of the mat as you squeeze the ball in between your knees, and your belly button up and in. Hold for 5 seconds and release your knees back down onto the mat. Then repeat.

Bridge With Ball -

Begin laying on your back with the soles of your feet onto the mat. Place a ball, towel, pillow, or block in between your knees. Reach your fingertips to your feet. Exhale out all of your air and squeeze your glutes.

Inhale as you lift your hips up off of the mat, squeezing the ball (or pillow, towel, etc) between your knees. Squeeze your glutes and press through the soles of your feet. Exhale as your return your hips back to your mat.

Leg Extensions -

Begin laying on your back with the soles of your feet into the mat. Exhale out all of your air and press your belly button towards your spine.

Inhale as you bring your right knee up towards your chest and then out in front of you - dragging your right heel along the mat. Press your heel outward as your squeeze your lower core inward. Exhale to release your right foot back to the mat and switch sides.

Do you have Diastasis Recti?

Diastasis Recti - Or the partial or complete separation of the rectus abdominis - is a super common condition for new mamas yet it’s rarely ever talked about - unless you just had a baby! I have no idea why that is but I’m here to tell you that this condition effects nearly two-thirds of new mamas and there are ways to recover from this WITHOUT surgery!

Essentially, our incredible bodies are making room for baby so our abdominal muscles have to stretch and move outwards! After labor, a drop in hormones allow for our muscles to return back to “normal” although some still experience slight separation. (Note that these muscles are not intended to touch or be “together”. They are connected with connective tissue.) Luckily with the correct exercises you can bring these muscles back to center. Without bringing them back together you can separate these muscles further, causing additional weakness in the deep core muscles and the pelvic floor, as well as back pain, glute pain, pelvic prolapse, and much more!

So do you have Diastasis Recti?. See below photos to check!

Next up on the Baby Bee Blog - my favorite Diastasis Recti safe exercises!

Lie on your back with your feet on the mat, and hands behind your head. Gently lift your head and neck off the mat.

Place one hand just above your belly button, at the center of your core.

Begin to slowly move down to your belly button, feeling any gap between the abdominal wall.

Move all the way down to just above your pubic bone, to feel for any gap.

**Diastasis Recti occurs if there is a two-finger gap between the two abdominal walls. Always consult your physician for any conditions or concerns regarding your diastasis recti condition. I also HIGHLY recommend seeking a Pelvic Floor Specialist!