The Yoga rules

Having carried a sizable bump around for a very long, very hotsummer, I really wasn’t in the mood for a work out.

As Gwyneth Paltrow and all of my other coat-hanger thincelebrity peers snaked their way, all skin and bone about thetabloids, I scowled and knew that, even if the mood did evertake me as I sat covered in powered milk, I would just neverhave the time to get back in shape now that I always had my babyin toe. After all, its not as if I could balance Harry on therowing machine as I made for the nearest treadmill – I didn’tthink they’d like that down at the health club.

I did try the gym. Once. Inspired by Gwynnies size eight flatchestedness I did deposit Harry at my mums’, and went for oneswim amongst the well toned – but my self-esteem could just notcut it. Having been a large pregnant woman and having had adifficult birth, my body was not as it should be, and I didn’tstay for long. I’m sure no one cared about my having varicoseveins now, but I did, and I suddenly felt very much like a mum,and nothing else. Loosing faith in the idea that I’d ever have awaist again, I pooled my NCT friends to see if they had any tipson how to regain a good shape, without the embarrassment.

There was no way I was doing yoga. It turned out after speakingto the girls that they already had a fitness plan, and weremeeting to go to some yoga class the following week. I’d onlyever seen yoga on television, and I wouldn’t have evenconsidered trying it pre-Harry – I was never that skinny andstealth. The women all looked like they hadn’t eaten for atleast five years, and there was no way I was ever learning howto be a ‘delicate lotus’ with all of the cellulite I’daccumulated now. I lied and told them I couldn’t get ababysitter…

Turns out you can take your little ones to baby yoga. I wasworried it would be new agey, but our first session soondispelled all the worries I had about that. Friendly and chatty,the class was only for parents, and I met a whole gaggle of newlocal mums. We chatted about our babies, their first rolls,nappies and missing socks, and Harry played merrily with theother tots that were there – something which really made mesmile as he’s an only child and I was worried that when it cameto mixing with other babies he’d wouldn’t cope. Turns out he’s abit of a socialite – that’s my boy!

A qualified baby yoga teacher, our leader, Sue, started us offwith some very simple stretches, which were fine for anyphysical type.

Her training with Birthlight means she knowsexactly what our bodies have been through, and so nothing wastoo much. I was petrified that Harry would cry when it came toincluding him in the work out (the baby isn’t put under anystress either by the way – there’s just lots of great, gentleskin to skin contact and muscle stimulation, no sun salutationsjust yet!) but he just smiled. It must feel good, after all, tohave the shouty tired woman who’s been harassing you for allthis time give you some proper, physical warmth and lavishattention.

The stimulation that babies receive doing yoga releasesendorphins in the brain, and so they clearly glow after asession, just as we do after a turn at the gym. It was great toknow he felt so cared for.

As time went on, our classes did become more adventurous. Thestretches we learned started to actively include our babies(they are fabulous weights!) and we all became far lessinhibited, and felt happy to move onto the more complexmovements.

To calm the babies, Sue introduced music into the classes, whichsoothed them no end – in all the time I’ve been going now, Idon’t think we’ve ever had a baby have to be taken out forcrying. After Harry’s bath, I often do yoga with him at homenow, and the heat of my hands and the slow, rhythmic nature ofthe movements send him to sleep with much greater ease than asimple cuddle and a song tape ever could. He started sleepingthrough the night months before a lot of other babies that weknow, and I’m in no doubt that that has sonething to do with ouryoga.

Being an enthusiast now, I’ve read up on the later benefits ofwhat baby yoga can do and I’m excited. It’s clear from the facthe rolled early that Harry has good spatial awareness, andplenty of confidence in what his body is capable of. When wetook him for his eight-month check my health visitor told me hewill miss out crawling stage – his spine is strong, and havingbeen made aware of the limitations of his body through yoga, hedoesn’t need to go through the exploration that crawling allows.

As well as the very evident physical benefits of baby yoga, it’salso been a lifesaver for me. On maternity leave I was a bit ofa lonely mum, and now I have something of a network. Size tenagain and happy, there is never a morning goes by when Harry andI do not have a play date. It’s turned things around. I thinkill go down the gym tomorrow…

To find details of Baby Yoga activities in your area visitwww.busylittleones.co.uk

About the author:Lucy is an avid sailor and writer and has been involved in childcare for many years.