Matrescence is the process of becoming a mother. It’s a time of transformation, evolution, metamorphosis. As you enter this new season of life, postpartum yoga is a powerful tool for reconnecting with your mind, body, and spirit. 

The benefits of postpartum yoga

• Restoring strength and stability: Childbirth weakens the core muscles, pelvic floor, and lower back. Postpartum yoga helps strengthen these areas safely and gradually, aiding in recovery from pregnancy and labor.
• Relieving tension and pain: Caring for a newborn often involves repetitive movements like feeding, carrying, and rocking, which can lead to tension in the shoulders, neck, and back. Yoga poses designed for postpartum recovery target these areas, offering relief and relaxation.
• Improving mental health: The postpartum period is an emotional time for many mothers. Yoga’s focus on mindful breathing and movement can help reduce stress, anxiety, and symptoms of postpartum depression, providing a safe space for emotional release.
• Promoting better sleep: Sleep can be elusive during the early months of motherhood, but regular yoga practice has been shown to improve sleep quality by promoting relaxation and reducing stress.
• Encouraging self-care: Taking time to focus on your own well-being, even for just a few minutes each day, can be empowering during the postpartum period. Yoga offers new mothers a chance to prioritize self-care, which is essential for both physical and mental recovery.

The impact of yoga on postpartum recovery

Research supports the numerous benefits of yoga for postpartum women. A study published in 2024 found that postpartum yoga significantly reduced symptoms of postpartum depression in new mothers, with improvements seen after just eight weeks of practice. The study also noted improvements in maternal self-efficacy, suggesting that yoga can help mothers feel more confident in their parenting abilities.

Another study highlighted that yoga’s focus on breathwork, mindfulness, and gentle movement is particularly effective in reducing physical discomfort, such as lower back pain and pelvic instability, which are common postpartum complaints.

Simple postpartum yoga poses 

1. Easy Pose (Sukhasana)

Sukhasana, or Easy Pose, is a simple seated posture that encourages mindfulness and relaxation. It’s an excellent pose for grounding yourself, focusing on your breath, and easing back into movement during the postpartum period.

How to perform Sukhasana:

• Sit cross-legged on the floor or cushion to elevate your hips, making sitting more comfortable.
• Keep your spine straight, shoulders relaxed, and hands resting on your knees.
• Close your eyes and take deep, mindful breaths, focusing on inhaling calm and exhaling stress.
• Hold the pose for several minutes, using it as a time to center yourself and reconnect with your breath.

Postpartum Tip: If your hips or lower back feel tight, sit on a bolster or blanket to lift your hips and ease discomfort.

2. Hovering Table (Bharmanasana)

This gentle core-strengthening pose helps rebuild abdominal strength while mindful of diastasis recti, a common separation of the abdominal muscles during pregnancy.

How to perform Hovering Table:

• Start on your hands and knees, with wrists directly under shoulders and knees under hips.
• Engage your core and lift your knees an inch or two off the floor, keeping your spine neutral.
• Hold for a few breaths, then gently lower your knees back down.

Postpartum Tip: Focus on slow, controlled movements. If you feel any strain in your lower back or abdominals, lower your knees and take a rest.

3. Thread the Needle (Urdhva Mukha Pasasana)

Thread the Needle is a great pose for releasing tension in the shoulders and upper back, which can become tight from feeding and holding a baby.

How to perform Thread the Needle:

• Begin in a tabletop position on your hands and knees.
• Inhale and lift your right arm toward the ceiling, then exhale and thread it under your left arm, bringing your right shoulder and temple down to the mat.
• Hold for several breaths, allowing the stretch to release tension in your upper back.
• Repeat on the other side.

Postpartum Tip: Move slowly and mindfully, allowing your breath to guide your movement. Use a blanket under your shoulder for extra comfort if needed.

4. Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Child’s Pose is a restorative posture that gently stretches the lower back and hips while promoting relaxation. It’s a great way to take a break during your practice and focus on deep breathing.

How to Perform Child’s Pose:

• From a tabletop position, bring your knees wide apart and your big toes together.
• Sit back on your heels and extend your arms forward, resting your forehead on the mat.
• Breathe deeply and relax into the pose for several breaths.

Postpartum Tip: If you feel any discomfort in your knees or hips, place a blanket or bolster under your chest or between your knees for extra support.

5. Bridge Pose (Setubandha Sarvangasana)

Bridge Pose helps strengthen the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back, all of which are important for supporting your core and pelvic floor postpartum. It also gently stretches the chest and shoulders.

How to Perform Bridge Pose:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart.
• Press your feet into the mat and lift your hips toward the ceiling, engaging your glutes and core.
• Hold the pose for a few breaths, then gently lower your hips back to the mat.

Postpartum Tip: If your lower back feels tight, place a block under your sacrum for a supported version of Bridge Pose.

Conclusion

The postpartum period is a time of healing, adjustment, and new beginnings. Incorporating postpartum yoga into your daily routine can help you reconnect with your body, rebuild strength, and find moments of peace amidst the challenges of early motherhood.

Open’s “Dear Mama” program is a 7-class mindfulness collection of movement, breathwork, and meditation techniques designed to help you regulate your nervous system and recalibrate your inner compass as you navigate every stage of motherhood. Try for free.