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Postpartum Yoga goes beyond fitness. It restores strength, brings mental balance, and can equip new mothers to meet the challenges of motherhood with poise
Yoga can guide how parents respond to crying, feeding, and family dynamics by encouraging detachment, avoiding ego clashes, and using humour.
The birth of a baby is a beautiful but life-changing experience. Everyone’s focus is on the newborn, but to the new mother, the postpartum period can feel overwhelming.
Her body has undergone significant changes and needs care. Yet, she must tackle sleepless nights, disrupted routines, and the responsibility of a helpless little being.
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Often, along with the newborn, the household needs looking after. Many things are taken care of in the joint-family system but differences of opinion may arise. Combined with hormonal changes, these can leave the mother frustrated.
What if there were a proven system to manage it all? Yoga, in the holistic sense, can be that solution. The only thing it demands is a bit of slowing down—a challenge in our hyperconnected world, but one that’s worth it. Instead of being tossed around by the wave of changes, and feeling snowed under by the baby’s constant demands, she can remain calm, collected, and confident.
Ideally, Yoga should begin even before pregnancy, so it can support the mother all through those months and prepare her for the journey of parenthood.
In their book Pregnancy, Parenthood and Yoga*, authors Dr Hansaji Yogendra and Armaiti Desai explain how Yoga has potential to help mothers cope with the challenges that arise after delivery. This includes exercise, diet and hygiene principles, and Yogic wisdom.
YOGA FOR EMOTIONAL WELLBEING
Emotional upheavals are not just about hormonal and bodily changes, the authors say. Much of the suffering arises on account of the ‘kleshas’ or afflictions that Patanjali describes in his book Yoga Sutra. These include attachment, greed, likes and dislikes, and fear of change. They can be proactively managed through Kriya Yoga, which is a combination of Tapa (fortitude), Svadhyaya (self-study), and Ishvarapranidhana (God’s will be done).
This way, Yoga can guide how parents respond to crying, feeding, and family dynamics by encouraging detachment, avoiding ego clashes, and using humour.
Parenthood calls for patience, selflessness, and a spirit of service, and these are qualities that Yoga naturally helps cultivate.
Adequate rest, a joyful outlook, and simple Pranayama can help counter mood swings. Even a few minutes of deep breathing can restore calm and energy if there isn’t time for a full pranayama routine.
If mood swings persist, professional support should be sought alongside Yoga.
There are several other attitudinal guidelines offered by Yoga, which can act as tools to help both parents adjust, thus reducing stress in the household.
DIET AND HYGIENE
In the Yogic diet for lactating mothers, fatty foods or crash diets are discouraged. Instead, the focus is on fresh, unrefined, easily digestible, foods. Heavy foods may cause indigestion that can affect the baby through breastfeeding. Hence, light, nourishing meals are best. Food must be taken at regular intervals.
All traditions have their own strengthening foods for this period, to restore energy and for lactation. An Indian example is the nutritious sweet ‘gond laddoo’.
Yoga also believes that supplying the body with the five natural elements gives health and strength. Sunlight provides a certain energy, for instance. Kati Snan (hip bath) with neem leaves tones genitourinary muscles and regulates the menstrual cycle.
YOGA ASANAS THAT CAN BE USED FOR POSTNATAL RECOVERY
Yoga poses can help prevent fat accumulation, help digestion, and improve circulation, while gradually strengthening abdominal and pelvic muscles. Coordinate each pose with breathing for real benefits.
You can introduce Asanas gradually from day five, according to Dr Hansaji, except in case of C-section births, where they should be delayed until medical clearance is given.
A few examples of such Asanas are:
(Disclaimer: Do check with your doctor before undertaking Yoga practices. Always practice under guidance of an experienced Yoga teacher.)
Yogendra Yogamudra (Symbol of Yoga, a seated forward bend)
Stretches all posterior muscles of the spinal column laterally. Reduces abdominal protuberance and fat and helps relieve gas and constipation.
Yogendra Halasana (Plough pose)
An excellent pose, it helps the nervous and digestive systems and genital organs. Strengthens supporting muscles and ligaments of uterus and ovaries. Relieves constipation, obesity and spinal rigidity.
Yogendra Konasana III (Angle pose)
The lateral stretch exercises muscles of the trunk, arms and neck. Helps prevent excess fat around the waist.
Yogendra Makarasana (Crocodile Pose)
Provides deep relaxation.
With Yoga as their companion, new mothers can move through the postpartum period with both inner and outer strength.
*Pregnancy, Parenthood & Yoga, Hansa Jayadeva Yogendra and Armaiti N. Desai, The Yoga Institute, Santacruz; 2018
The author is a journalist, cancer survivor and certified yoga teacher. She can be reached at swatikamal@gmail.com.
October 04, 2025, 10:02 IST
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