Mia enjoying a great yoga session with her son, Dieter
Becoming a full time Mum does not mean giving up looking good and feeling great. Before during and after the birth of your baby, it is important to try and keep a regular exercise program, this not only enables you to withstand the physical and emotional rollercoaster of giving birth but also helps in a faster recovery and later on, the energy to keep up with your energetic infant/toddler!
Yoga is a wonderful practise which you can do throughout all stages of Motherhood. Pre-natal Yoga helps maintain fitness throughout your pregnancy while also encouraging breathing techniques helpful in labour. You can start Pre-natal Yoga at any level of fitness and as gentle or as vigorous as your body (and doctor) will permit. The meditation following the exercise also allows some quiet time for both you and your unborn baby to bond.
After the birth, you can resume your Yoga practise 6-8 weeks after delivery with the go ahead from your Doctor. Not only does it help you get back into shape but it also helps balance hormones, reduce stress levels and give you that much needed time out that you deserve. If getting back to a regular class sounds daunting, try Mummy and baby Yoga. It's a great way to gently introduce both you and baby into a Yoga practise while also meeting other Mummy and babies. You will find that there are some weeks where even doing a simple task seems impossible let alone going to a Yoga class. Don't let this deter you. Roll out your Yoga mat in the living room or hallway and start a home practise. Even a few minutes a day will bring some balance to your mind, body and spirit.
Before you know, your little bundle of joy will not be quite so little anymore and will be rolling, crawling or walking. Let your infant become part of your home practise. Become a tunnel in Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) and let them crawl under you. Really feel the challenge of Tree pose (Vrkasana) when your toddler tries to push you over. Before you know it, your toddler will mimic the poses and will want to learn more. Not only will you benefit from a home practise but your child will also start to learn about the importance of exercise at an early age.
While it is important to have a home practise, try to go to a class as regularly as possible for that 60 to 90 minutes of time to dedicate to yourself. If possible, two classes per week is recommended for maximum benefit. There is such a variety of different styles of Yoga, if you don't like one, try another. Styles vary from the classic Hatha to powerful Ashtanga to the precise Iyengar or jump into the hot room with Bikram Yoga. If you love the class and the instructor, you will be sure to return to the next class.
If practised regularly, Yoga will not only increase strength, flexibility and balance to the body it will reduce stress, balance hormones, increase energy levels, concentration and focus.
The above article was written by our guest writer Mia Bartholomaeus - a superfit Mother of two beautiful children aged 4 and 2. She has been practising Yoga since 1999 under some wonderful instructors in Ireland, Australia and Hong Kong. After practising various styles such as Ashtanga and Iyengar as well as Pre-Natal Yoga, it led her to complete a Yoga Teacher Training Certificate in Hatha Yoga in 2008. She teaches private Hatha Yoga classes with a focus on the individual needs of the student (both physical and emotional) as well as group classes for the Pilates / Yoga studio, "Embody" in Discovery Bay. She is also a guest instructor for Lululemon's Causeway Bay workshop.
Contact Mia Batholomaeus at 9388 7824 or email: miavisser@hotmail.com
就算要作為一個全職媽咪, 也不代表要放棄自己的外表和感覺, 在生產寶寶前或之後, 都要定時進行一些有益身心的運動, 這除了可令生產後加快生理及心理迅速復完之外, 還可讓你更有能量地應付總是活力充沛及無時停的小寶寶呢
瑜珈對每一個階段的媽媽來說都是一項不錯的運動, 產前瑜珈對懷孕期間的媽媽, 可令她們保持體態結實及可以學習一些呼吸技巧, 對生產十分有用, 無論妳已懷孕多久都可以參與這產前運動, 而且, 還可以藉以跟小寶寶在寧靜舒適的環境下放鬆一下心情, 但大前提當然要注意自己身體狀況或可先向醫生查詢自己是否適合吧
在生產6-8星期後, 如得到醫生允許, 都可以再次進行瑜珈運動, 除了可幫助修身外, 還可幫助大家平衡荷爾蒙, 減去壓力等, 自己一個人進行, 似乎孤獨點, 而這次, 可以加入和妳的小寶寶一起, 嘗試一些專為媽媽及寶寶一起而設的瑜珈課程, 同時, 還可跟其他媽媽們交換心得呢! 可能有些媽媽會覺得要照顧寶寶何來再抽時間往瑜珈中心呢? 千萬不要為了這原因而阻礙妳, 盡量利用家中的客廳或迴廊進行吧, 即使是每日短短的數分鐘也可平衡得到妳的身體, 精神以及元氣
有很多時候, 小寶寶都不會有耐性靜靜地看着媽咪做瑜珈運動, 他們可能會在妳身前走動, 務求引妳注意, 何不讓小寶寶加入成為妳進行瑜珈姿勢的一部份? 例如當做"下狗式"時, 彎起的身體就似隧道一樣可讓小寶寶穿過, 通過其他的姿勢, 亦可引起小寶寶的興趣跟妳一起做呢, 這樣除可讓妳保持身心平衡外, 還可從小培養小寶寶對做運動的興趣和習慣是非常重要的
如可以的話, 盡量抽時間定期往瑜珈中心進行60-90分鐘的練習, 提議一星期2次, 定期的練習除了可讓妳增加柔軟度, 體能及平衡身心外, 還可減壓, 平衡荷爾蒙, 加強專注力和集中力呢!
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