A yoga practice made for motherhood

Do you practice yoga every day?

Do you…

• Move through an energising yoga flow every morning?  
• Meditate in peace and quiet each day before getting your kids ready or before heading to another midwife appointment?  
• Find time for restorative yoga stretches before a hot bubble bath and a good book every night?  

No? Really? Me neither! (But if this is you, please get in touch to share your sought-after secrets!) 

Becoming a mum makes things harder (a lot harder!), but not impossible

Becoming a mum for the first, second, even third time and then existing in the role is not easy. We’re told repeatedly that motherhood is difficult. We know it’s going to be hard, we heard all the stories and wow, do we learn it for real when that baby arrives.  

It’s a huge transformation both physically and emotionally, and completely changes how we live each day.  

My life is certainly very different since having my daughter. Although I wouldn’t change it for anything, there are many times it is exhausting and so frequently overwhelming.There are no days off or sick days for us!   

Between nappy changes, doctor appointments or packing lunchboxes, it doesn’t leave much time for the consistent yoga practice you may have once had, or to fulfill a new interest in yoga. Or any other hobbies you may want to explore for that matter.  

So, if as parents, we are now bound by a lifetime of dedication to our children, what place does yoga have when dedicating an hour to an array of poses and meditation each day is unrealistic for most of us?   

I’d like to share with you ways to weave a little yoga magic into your busy life. These tips will hopefully feel possible and, in doing them, will allow you to feel more grounded and calmer when faced with all that needs to be done. 

Repeat after me: my morning is my own 

The day starts. Your baby needs feeding, you’ve been up in the night with a sick toddler, you’re struggling with morning sickness symptoms or fatigue in pregnancy – or maybe it’s all of the above!  

With these distractions and demands from others, waking up refreshed, changing into active wear, brewing a green tea and lighting a candle all before flowing through several rounds of sun salutations is unlikely. 

There are many reasons a daily morning practice is a luxury for mothers. Making modifications to your expectations can help relieve feelings of frustration when, despite your best intentions, you never make it to the mat for the time and duration you had planned. 

Something that made a real difference for me was letting go of the idea I have to be dressed in certain clothes, practice in a certain place, or move for a certain period of time.  

A mini morning routine for mums 

If I’m really short on time, I will wake up and prioritise doing 2-3 simple movements before anything else. I do this whilst lying in bed!

I start by stretching my arms and legs long, leaning both over to one side and then the other, making a shape like a banana. I follow this with gentle knee-to-chest hugs, exhaling as I draw my knees in. To finish, I sit up, sweep both arms up to the sky taking a deep inhale, and exhale slowly as I lower them down to my duvet. This one can be repeated a few times.  

It’s a very short sequence, takes only a couple of minutes and, yes, this does count as morning yoga. It really can be done every day! 

Note: if you’re pregnant you can do still this but lying on your left side to be safe.  

Keep your mat nearby 

When I sense I might have a little more time, I grab my foldable yoga mat (just £10 from Amazon) that I leave tucked under my bed and do the same sequence on the floor – in my pyjamas with scruffy mum-bun hair! I like to throw in some extra cat/cow flows, calf and shoulder stretches, maybe even lifting to downward dog whilst pedaling my feet, but always ending with my eyes closed breathing steadily in child’s pose.  

These freestyle ‘carpe diem’ yoga sequences are great at easing lower back tension arising from pregnancy or lifting children, and act to wake up your muscles and calm your nervous system before the day begins! 

Yoga is more than your body

You may or may not know, but yoga has existed for a very long time. Our modern approach is heavily focused on the physical practice, which only touches on the surface of what it means to be a yogi. There’s a deep philosophical side to this ancient science, with a purpose far beyond being able to touch your toes. 

When you help a mum friend carry her bags or watch her pram whilst she dashes for a desperate toilet break, or when you lovingly kiss your child goodnight, you could say you are practising ‘ahimsa’. Showing kindness, compassion and non-violence to others. 

When you reflect on your parenting, on how you are taking care of your children and think of ways to be a better parent and a better person for your family, this could be considered ‘svādhyāha’. This is the act of self-study and discovering who you are. 

When you pause for those special moments to marvel at your children and feel grateful for your life, rather than missing the things you don’t have, this relates to ‘santosha’. Finding contentment, finding joy beyond what you own and being free of material desires.  

I hope this helps you see how, with the continued generosity, love and kindness that mothers strive to show their little ones and others, we are all practising the most meaningful aspects of yoga.  

Make modifications and let go when plans don’t go to plan  

It may not be possible to carve out 20-30 minutes for stretching, but could you find five minutes while your baby naps to breath deeply or hang out in tree pose while you wait for a wash load to finish?  

Practising yoga while your children play may not be the most peaceful thing to do, but if your children interrupt you (or sit on you in my experience!), invite them to join in. Make it a wonderful opportunity to role model. Allow them to see you moving your body and mastering your breath. Enjoy the fun it brings and all the happy hormones that come with it. My heart melts seeing my little girl show off her adorable yoga moves! 

Little and often, little and often, little and often 

I hope reading this has allowed you to see all the subtle ways you already have a regular yoga practice, as well as the ways you can add more movement, meditation and mindfulness into your day. 

Yoga is a practice, something to continually work on and it will never be perfect. Just like parenting. So keep practising. Keep trying to find the time, let it go if things don’t work out, but most of all aim for little and often, particularly whilst your children are little and need you often. 

Have a wonderful Christmas and enjoy sneaking in as many moments of calm as you can!