A quick yoga hack for Mums with Toddlers!!!
Once you have kids you learn to except that your home yoga practice is very different to your yoga practice pre kids (in all honestly this took me a while to come to terms with), but my advise is to except the change and embrace it! Finding the time for just a few minutes each day in one of your favourite poses to simply focus on your breath, has so many wonderful benefits to your nervous system and mental health. It is also a great way to introduce your children to yoga, mindfulness and self care! The more often you do yoga at home, to more it becomes the normal for your children to see, and the more they will accept and understand it.
Viparita Karani (pictured in the photos) is an amazing pose if you are feeling fatigued, stressed, anxious or just generally run down. Being an inversion, it is great for calming and balancing our your nervous system. I often find myself in this pose out the front of the toilet , while waiting for my toddler to do her business (if you’re a mum of young kids you will understand this lol).
It is also a fun way for you to carve out some restorative yoga time while your toddler gets busy making a tower of blankets and toys on top of you. Yes there will be a mess to clean up afterwards, but in my opinion it is well worth it. I actually managed to stay in this pose for 15 minutes the other day while Skye had fun pulling the house apart to decorate me.
How to get into the pose
- place a towel, blanket or yoga mat on the floo0r perpendicular to a wall.
- place a yoga block or pillow up against the wall (it can also be done with out any props for a quick entry into the pose)
- sit sideways against the wall, turning your torso to face the wall as you lower your elbows to the ground
- once both elbows are on the ground, walk your feet up the wall whilst lowering your back onto the ground
- rest your back and head on the ground and relax your shoulders and chest.
- stay for as long as you can (5 to 15 minutes is ideal)
Contradictions to the pose
Please avoid this pose or seek modifications if you have any of the following conditions;
- eye issues, such as glaucoma
- heart problems
- risk if miscarriage
- if over 20 weeks pregnant ( see photo below for pregnancy modifications)
- inversions are best to avoid during menstruation
Give it a go, I’d love to hear if your toddlers enjoy this “game” as much as mine.
Kristy xx