Introduction of Baby Yoga

Baby yoga, which complements infant massage, offers quality physical stimulation including flowing postures, holding, movement, touch, voice and deep relaxation. It induces a happy, care-free and lively parent-infant interaction which develops as the babies grow.

The experience of movement combined with touch is probably the richest stimulation we can offer babies from birth. In yoga, this stimulation occurs through the mutual involvement of parent and baby, at a pace at which the baby can absorb and integrate it. As yoga postures induce deep relaxation in adults, so in babies they bring a state of deep contentment and promote deep sleep.



In the increasingly fast pace of the modern world, our babies need all the help we can give them in order to create a foundation of well-being that will serve them all of their life. Yoga offers babies a resource that will enable them to deal positively with stress and know how to relax. Our handling of babies is a loving one, in which the conversion of a challenging movement into a safe game, to play and enjoy, is repeated again and again. This playful stimulation through yoga-based exercise is the best possible way of helping babies relish life, with all its demands, as they grow.

The benefits of baby yoga

Physical
~ In one short session, the baby is given as much physical activity as they would receive if they were handled and carried all day.
~ This activity will help the baby sleep more deeply
~ The baby’s behaviour will be more ‘settled’
~ It provides a daily routine of activity through which the parent can engage constructively with their baby from birth

Physiological / developmental
~ all the baby’s bodily systems are stimulated, including the digestive and nervous systems

Psychological
~ baby yoga helps the parent and baby to get to know each other, enhancing communication between them

~ yoga helps to heal any birth trauma; the baby will also be better equipped to deal with shocks

~ the baby’s enjoyment of the positive stress of yoga will increase the babies ability to cope with future challenges

~ through the high quality attention the baby receives from it’s parents , the baby learns to interact with others and play actively

~ the deep relaxation that is part of yoga helps parents cope with the stresses of early parenting

Breathing for Relaxation

How simple breath work can lead you to a deep state of relaxation.

Beginning students often ask for instructions on the "right" way to breathe. Alas, there's no single answer to that question, since the optimal breathing pattern at any given moment depends on the type of practice. Restorative yoga focuses solely on relaxation, though, and emphasizes breathing that creates calm and serene states of being. When you settle into restorative poses, try the following techniques for cultivating breathing patterns that are hallmarks of relaxation and well-being.

MOVE THE BELLY WITH THE BREATH

When we are at ease, the diaphragm is the primary engine of the breath. As we inhale, this domelike muscle descends toward the abdomen, displacing the abdominal muscles and gently swelling the belly. As we exhale, the diaphragm releases back toward the heart, enabling the belly to release toward the spine.

KEEP THE UPPER BODY QUIET

During high-stress times, it's common to heave the upper chest and grip the muscles in the shoulders and throat. When we're at rest, the muscles of the upper chest remain soft and relaxed as we breathe, and the real work occurs in the lower rib cage. To promote this type of breathing pattern, consciously relax the jaw, throat, neck, and shoulders, and envision the breath sweeping into the deepest parts of the lungs as you breathe in and out.

BREATHE EASY
Although some breaths may be deeper or faster than others, when we're relaxed, the alternating rhythm of the inhalations and exhalations feels like a lullaby—smooth, soft, and uninterrupted by jerks and jags. Consciously relaxing into this wavelike, oceanic quality of the breath deepens our sense of peace and ease.

LENGTHEN THE EXHALATIONS
When we feel stressed, our exhalations tend to grow short and choppy. When we're relaxed, though, the exhalations extend so completely that they are often longer than the inhalations. Some teachers even instruct that if we're deeply relaxed, each exhalation will be twice as long as the inhalation. To facilitate this, try gently extending each exhalation by one or two seconds.

PAUSE AFTER EACH EXHALATION
In our most relaxed state, the end of each exhalation is punctuated by a short pause. Lingering in this sweet spot can be deeply satisfying and can evoke feelings of profound quiet and stillness.

LET THE WHOLE BODY BREATHE
When we are at ease, the whole body participates in the breathing process. Imagine a sleeping baby: When he breathes in and out, the belly swells and releases, the hips rock to and fro, the shoulders bob, and the spine gently undulates. This offers a mini-massage for the muscles and organs of the whole body, and turns each breath into a soothing melody that further calms and quiets every cell within.

Baby & Mum Yoga II

Baby & Mum Yoga

~~ Charming little Yue Zhan (6.5 months old) & mummy Rui Qin ~~


Child pose ~ to relax tension at the spine, shoulders, lower back

Wow..mummy in a downward facing dog pose stretching & strengthening and tone up the outer thighs, buttock muscles by lifting her hips up and stepping down her heels. Relax the shoulders blades, lengthen the spine....

Mummy needs more stretches

Arms strength with a kiss...lovely