Pregnancy and childbirth inevitably change a woman's body to some extent, but even so, nothing can stop a woman's desire to become a mother. Of course, we can't deny that excessive weight gain after childbirth can be worrying. However, with proper and conscious postpartum care and management, weight gain isn't so simple. Today, let's learn some postpartum yoga together to help new mothers regain their pre-pregnancy figure.
1. Seated Twisting Waist Posture
Instructions: Sit on the floor or a mat with your legs extended forward. Bend your left leg, bringing your left heel close to your hip. Then bend your right leg and place your right foot on your left thigh. If you find this uncomfortable, you can also place your right foot on the ground in front of your left foot.
Place your right hand on the floor at the base of your spine, and your left hand on your right knee. If your right foot is on your left thigh, try placing your right hand behind your back to see if you can grasp your right big toe.
Inhale, lifting your sternum. Exhale, grab your right knee with your left hand and pull it close to your body, twisting your body to the right. If you can grab your right foot, use the pull to drive the twist, moving your right shoulder back and your left shoulder forward as much as possible, looking towards your right shoulder.
Close your eyes, hold the pose, take 8 breaths, release your hands, slowly turn your body forward, relax your legs and shake them. Repeat on the other side, this time bending your right leg and twisting your body to the left.
II. Supine Dog Stretch
Note: Keep your knee and hip muscles engaged to protect your lower back. If you have a lower back condition, you can keep your feet slightly apart.
Instructions: Lie face down with your legs together. Place your hands on either side of your chest, fingers spread, middle fingers parallel, toes on the ground, heels perpendicular to the ground. Engage your glutes and knees throughout the exercise. Inhale, lift your head, then straighten your arms, lifting your upper body off the ground. Support yourself only with your hands and toes, lowering your hips and slightly arching your back. Be careful not to pull your shoulders down to your earlobes.
Hold this position as comfortably as possible, and continue breathing normally. Then exhale and slowly lower your body.
From the supine dog stretch, transition to the prone dog stretch. Exhale, push your body back with your hands, lift your hips, and slowly move into the prone dog stretch. Inhale, lower your hips, and return to the supine dog stretch. Continuously transition from one pose to another, breathing evenly and rhythmically, controlling your breathing, and moving slowly. This pose is also called the "Liver and Spleen Exercise Pose" because these two internal organs are exercised through practice, which is very beneficial to health.
III. Cobra Pose
Benefits: It exercises back muscles, improves spinal flexibility, strengthens abdominal muscles, stimulates the kidneys, and can also exercise the adrenal glands, restoring physical vitality.
Note: Contract your gluteal muscles and pull your knees off the ground. This helps protect your lower back from injury. If you have lower back problems, you can practice the cobra pose, but your feet should be apart, not closed. Opening your legs relieves pressure on your lower back.
Instructions: Lie face down with legs straight, nose touching the ground, hands placed directly under your shoulders, fingers spread, middle fingers parallel. Keep your legs close together (you can separate your legs if you have back problems). Throughout the exercise, tighten your knee and gluteal muscles, breathe in a controlled manner, and hold each breath for a long time. Inhale, slide your nose along the ground, slowly lift your head to look upwards, lift your shoulders up, and lift your chest off the ground. Keep your elbows bent and close to your chest, and relax your shoulders so they don't pull up to your earlobes.
You can inhale and lift your body. Exhale and lower your body. Practice this movement, or you can hold the cobra pose for six breaths, then exhale and lower your body. If practicing while moving, repeat six times.
The above introduces three yoga poses that are simple, convenient, and can be done anywhere, making them ideal for new mothers. We hope that new mothers can regain their figure as soon as possible with the help of yoga.
