In the first 2 parts of this 3 part series I discussed the benefits of yoga to new moms and the extra precautions to consider before returning to the mat. In this final piece I will share a few of my favourite yoga poses for new moms. As always, please make sure that you are feeling well and have spoken with your Doctor or Midwife about returning to exercise.

1. The Post Baby Feeding Chest Opener:

- sit in a comfortable seated position/or stand tall - gently engage your core by pulling your lower belly toward your spine, and imagine your spine growing taller - bring your hands to your head, elbow pointing forward - inhale and open your elbows, squeezing between the shoulder blades. exhale bringing the elbow back to center - repeat for 5-10 breaths

2. The Mountain Momma Posture Fix: - stand with your feet hip width apart - activate your feet by lifting then spreading your toes and grounding into the floor - engage your thigh muscles by pulling your knee cap up - align your hips over your feet - engage the core by pulling your lower belly toward your spine, and softly letting the tailbone reach toward the floor - roll the shoulders up to the ears, back and then let them slide down your back - let the palms open and face forward and “Tada”, you have mountain pose or “Tadasana” - Hold for 5 breaths

3. The Core Warrior: - step into a lunge with the feet about hip width apart - turn the front toes forward and stack your knee over your ankle - turn the back toes slightly forward keeping the back knee straight - keep the pelvis neutral by pulling your lower belly toward your spine, and performing a subtle pelvic tilt this takes the stress out of your low back - strengthen your legs by rooting your feet into the ground and imagine your feet are spreading the mat apart - Hold for 5 breaths and repeat on the other side

Remember every body’s needs are different and the above suggestions may not be appropriate for everyone. It’s always smart to check with your Doctor or Allied Health Professional (Physiotherapist, Chiropractor, Osteopath) before starting a new exercise program to make sure it’s right for you.

Hope to see you on the Mat!

-Sarah

Sarah Symmes is a registered Physiotherapist and Certified Yoga Instructor at PhysioPlus Health Group. Sarah’s unique approach focuses on breaking down poses into their components to ensure safety, body awareness and accessibility to individuals of all abilities and needs. Sarah co-instructs a Mom and Baby yoga class at PhysioPlus Monday mornings at 10 am & has a NEW Prenatal Yoga class on Thursday evenings starting April 24th 6:30pm. See our Yoga Page for full details.