Child Birth
Best Yoga Asanas for New Moms: Post-Natal Recovery Poses
Discover the best post-natal yoga asanas for new moms. From Balasana to Viparita Karani, learn poses that restore strength and reduce fatigue after delivery.
Congratulations on your delivery! Gone are the aching back, morning sickness, and baby bump. But new symptoms like fatigue, aching joints, lack of endurance, and sleep deprivation arise. Luckily, post-natal yoga can make the transition from expecting mom to new mom much smoother, helping you keep up with your little bundle of joy.
Benefits of Post-Natal Yoga:
- Restores the core strength of your body
- Tones muscles back into being taut
- Promotes hormonal balance
- Helps reduce anxiety and depressive feelings
- Nurtures, relaxes, and renews your body
- Aids in detoxification and movement of fluids
- Creates confidence in handling your baby
Please consult your doctor before practising any of these poses, and always ease slowly into each asana.
Balasana (Child's Pose)
- Kneel on the floor, sit on your heels while touching your big toes together and widen your knees as far as comfortable.
- Lay your torso between your thighs, push your belly close to the ground, and place your forehead on the floor.
- Lengthen your tailbone and stretch so the base of your skull is away from your neck.
- Maintain this pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute with deep breathing throughout.
Kegel's Exercises While in Child's Pose
Due to the strain of delivery, the pelvic floor can get loosened and weak. Many women experience urine leak or lessened sexual sensation after delivery. Kegel's exercises help strengthen and repair the pelvic floor.
- Locate your pelvic floor muscles (the ones used to stop urination midstream).
- Tighten them for about 5 seconds, then release.
- Practice daily at least 3-5 times to notice a difference.
Bhujangasan (Cobra Pose)
This asana strengthens back muscles and spinal cord, relieving back pain associated with delivery. It also tones the abdomen and butt muscles.
- Lay flat on your stomach on a mat and relax your body.
- Place palms beneath shoulders, deeply inhale and lift upper body, keeping hips and pelvis on the ground.
- Keep shoulders far from neck, face forwards and gently look up.
- Keep feet together, tighten buttocks, and form an arc with your back. Stop stretching at any point of pain.
- Maintain for 10 seconds and return to lying position. Repeat 2-3 times.
Knees-Bent Navasana (Boat Pose)
Many women experience abdominal separation during pregnancy and after childbirth. This pose helps repair and tighten abdominal muscles. Consult your doctor before practising.
- Sit upright with knees bent close to your buttocks.
- Slowly lift feet off the ground while leaning back to a 45-degree angle, keeping back straight.
- Find a comfortable balance point - always be able to breathe deeply first.
- Use hands to hold knees while maintaining the pose for about 30 seconds with deep breathing.
Uttana Shishosana (Extended Puppy Pose)
This asana provides a thorough stretch in the vertebrae, helping realign the spine. It also targets thighs, hips, and arms.
- Start with hands and knees on the floor (wrists under shoulders, knees under hips), raise hips upwards and exhale.
- Keep legs straight, extend arms fully with palms facing down, and keep forehead on floor. Inhale.
- Keep feet fixed. Maintain for 10 seconds and come down slowly with deep breathing. Repeat 3-5 times.
Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall Pose)
This asana helps unwind the body and release tension. It is excellent for fighting fatigue after delivery.
- Place a support (thick blankets) 5-6 inches from a wall. Sit sideways with your right side against the wall.
- Bring legs up the wall and lie down with buttocks against the wall, support under your torso and pelvis - do this slowly.
- Let your torso gently arch with the support, release the base of your skull from your neck, and place hands to each side with palms facing up.
- Maintain for about 5 minutes with deep breathing. Close your eyes for a therapeutic body scan.
| Asana | Primary Benefit | Duration | Repetitions |
| Balasana (Child's Pose) | Relaxation and core restoration | 30 sec - 1 min | As needed |
| Bhujangasan (Cobra Pose) | Back strength, abdomen toning | 10 seconds | 2-3 times |
| Navasana (Boat Pose) | Abdominal muscle repair | 30 seconds | As comfortable |
| Uttana Shishosana (Puppy Pose) | Spine realignment, muscle toning | 10 seconds | 3-5 times |
| Viparita Karani (Legs Up Wall) | Fatigue relief, relaxation | 5 minutes | Once |
Kimberly-Clark India makes no warranties or representations regarding the completeness or accuracy of the information. This information should be used only as a guide and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional medical or other health professional advice.
FAQs on 5 asanas for new mom
The best post-natal yoga poses include Balasana (child's pose), Bhujangasan (cobra pose), Knees-bent Navasana (boat pose), Uttana Shishosana (extended puppy pose), and Viparita Karani (legs up the wall pose). Always consult your doctor before practising and ease slowly into each asana.
Post-natal yoga restores core body strength, tones muscles, promotes hormonal balance, reduces anxiety and depressive feelings, nurtures and renews the body, aids detoxification and fluid movement, and helps create confidence in handling your baby. It smooths the transition from expecting to new motherhood.
Kegel exercises strengthen and repair the pelvic floor which can become loosened and weak after delivery. Many women experience urine leaks or lessened sexual sensation after childbirth. Locate your pelvic floor muscles, tighten for 5 seconds, release, and practice daily 3-5 times.
Bhujangasan strengthens back muscles and spinal cord, relieving back pain associated with delivery. It also tones the abdomen and buttock muscles. Lay flat on your stomach, lift your upper body while keeping hips on the ground, and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.
Viparita Karani (legs up the wall pose) is excellent for fighting fatigue after delivery. It helps unwind the body and release tension. Place a support 5-6 inches from a wall, bring legs up, and maintain the pose for about 5 minutes with deep breathing and closed eyes.
Yes, Knees-bent Navasana (boat pose) helps repair abdominal muscles and tighten them after pregnancy-related abdominal separation. Sit upright, lift feet off ground while leaning back to 45 degrees, and hold for 30 seconds. Always consult your doctor before practising this pose.
Hold times vary by pose: Balasana for 30 seconds to 1 minute, Bhujangasan and Uttana Shishosana for 10 seconds each, Navasana for 30 seconds, and Viparita Karani for about 5 minutes. Always ease slowly into poses and stop if you experience pain or discomfort.
