Yoga plays a major and important role before and after pregnancy. After the baby is delivered, nursing your child is one of the happiest feelings for a mother. For this, yoga helps a lot.
Well, in this article, we will have a fair share of information and knowledge about the various yoga poses to increase breast milk. So scroll down the article and find out the yoga asanas for moms.
How Does Yoga Increase Breast Milk?
There are numerous benefits of yoga to increase breast milk. Some of them are as follows-
1. Posture Challenges:
This is one of the primary and major changes that can be done through yoga. As the mom spends continuous hours breastfeeding the child, the same can result in backache. It really affects the spine and back.
So, as per the expert, it helps in relieving the back pain and the misalignment caused by the breastfeeding.
2. Relief from Body Aches
As we know that while breastfeeding, the upper body muscles of nursing moms become stiff and sore because of the continuous hours of feeding the baby.
To avoid this, Yoga helps to stretch the body completely and release tension in the shoulders and neck muscles. This provides respite from pain for the mothers.
3. Physical Health:
Yoga has a direct relation to the improvement and management of the physical health of a mother. It leads to the right breathing and promotes overall physical wealth and well-being of the mother.
Yoga also leads to intensifying joint stability and in shaping the body of nursing moms back into balance. This maintains the right balance between pregnancy and breastfeeding.
4. Mental Health
Yoga also takes care of the mental health of a breastfeeding mom. The mental aspects of the mother such as sleep deprivation, stress, etc. are maintained in a right and balanced way. It calms the mind and provides relaxation.
5. Cultivate Patience
Another important aspect is that nursing for a baby requires a tremendous amount of energy and patience from the breastfeeding moms.
So, in order to work on it, yoga helps a lot with its poses and by improving concentration. Each pose helps in developing patience in nursing moms and help them to connect to their baby.
You Can Also Read: Importance of Breastfeeding
Yoga Poses For Breastfeeding Moms:
Here are some of the yoga poses that help a lot for the breastfeeding mothers-
1. Child Pose:
This is a simple and easy step that gives a gently stretching the hips, pelvis, thighs, and spine area of the mother.
It is a warm up as well as a recovery pose. This gives a much good stretching at the hips area and that is the major part what you need if you are breastfeeding.
How To Do:
- First, try to sit on all fours with the help of a mat and touch the toe together and sit on the heel.
- After that, keep your knees directly under your hips with toes touching behind you and make it as wider as your hip.
- After that, start inhaling and feel your spine grow longer and lay your torso down between your thighs.
- Once you exhale, make sure you move your butt back into your pelvis and narrow down your hip point towards your navel. Do tuck your chin to your chest and rest your forehead to the floor.
- You have to lay hands on the floor and release the front of the shoulder towards the floor. The palm should be up.
- After that, rest over there for a while by keeping your forehead on the ground. Do keep your arms outstretched in front of you or put them down by your sides, palms up, hands resting near your feet.
- Hold this for 5 deep breaths and hold on for 1 to 3 mins.
- Then with an inhalation lift the tailbone downwards into the pelvis.
2. Rabbit Pose:
This is one of the poses that lengthen the spine as well as increases the mobility and elasticity of the neck, back and arm muscles of the breastfeeding mom. It focuses on the part of the body which is affected by breastfeeding. This form of yoga also feeds fresh blood, and therefore oxygen, to the nervous and endocrine system.
How To Do:
- Right as the same as I mentioned in the above child’s Pose, you have to start pressing the torso up and sit on your heels.
- Start this pose by keeping the feet flat and grab your heels. You have to hold the heels with the hand and pull the forehead towards the knee. You can use your thumbs on top and your fingers pointing inside, toward each other. Hold tightly onto the heels.
- Once it is done, inhale deeply and then exhale out.
- Lift your hips towards the ceiling but do make sure you exhale while doing so. Make sure you drop your chin toward your chest, and move round down, placing the crown of your head on the ground near your knees. Press your forehead close towards the knee as close as you can.
- Make sure the forehead is touching your knees.
- You have to be careful and not overstretch it. You have to breathe normally and raise your hips with respect to keep moving the things in a vertical position.
- Stay in this pose for 5-10 normal breaths and stay for a breath or two until you become comfortable in the pose.
- When you come back to the normal position, make sure you to release the grip on your heels, and rise on an inhalation. Do also slide your forehead back to the floor back into the child pose.
3. Padmasana (Lotus Position)
This is the most relaxing and easiest yoga asanas for breastfeeding moms. This relaxes your mind and reduces the stress hormones which are very important for pregnant women. The regular practice helps to feel relax and energetic.
How To Do:
- First, start with sitting in Ardha Padmasana with your right foot over your left thigh.
- Then lift your left foot and place it on your right thigh which should face up
- After that pull your feet closer towards your hips and drops the knees to the floor.
- Now you can place your palms on your knees, face up and hold for a while at least for 5-10 mins
- Repeat the same with the other leg.
4. Pashimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)
This is a simple form of exercise that you can do at any time of the day. This yoga pose impacts the mind and body positively. The regular practice leaves one feeling energetic, healthy and calm throughout the day.
How To Do:
- Start to begin with Dandasana
- After that, ensure that your knees are slightly bent while your legs are stretched out in the forward direction.
- Then try to extend your arms upward and keep your spine in an erect position.
- After that, make sure you exhale and empty the stomach air.
- Exhale and try to bend forward at the hip and place your upper body on your lower body
- Hold your big toes with your fingers
- Try to touch your forehead to your knees
- Hold the asana for 10 seconds.
5. Cobra Pose:
Cobra pose is another form of yoga poses to increase breast milk. This helps a lot to strengthen your lower back and spine, firms your glutes in case of the breastfeeding mother. It also soothes sciatica and helps in relieving stress and fatigue that normally you use to get during the trimester of pregnancy. This is regarded as the best yoga for postpartum mothers.
How To Do:
- You can start this pose by sitting on your heels and try to simply walk on your hands. This will first make you relax and warm up for the yoga pose.
- Then lengthen the body by keeping your face down on the floor. Maintain the pose by resting your face on to the side and on one cheek.
- Press your hands fully into the floor beneath towards your shoulders, or lower towards your ribs, and hug your elbows in it.
- Try to keep them close to the sides of your body and press the tops of your thighs, feet, and pelvis firmly into the floor direction.
- It will help to straighten the arm once you inhale. This you can do by pressing your hands into the floor. Press the pelvis and legs into the floor and try to move or go far as you can. Do the extent till you are comfortable.
- After that keep your shoulder blades downwards. Count till 5 and hold the pose.
- Make sure while doing this, you bring your head and neck without jutting your chin out. In this form of the pose, the spine should be in a continuous curve through your cervical spine.
- You have to release the belly, ribs, and head back to the ground after that. While doing so make sure you don’t raise your face and hold that pose.
- Take a few deep breaths before you repeat the pose for another set.
6. Brahmari Pranayama (Bee Breath)
Here is another relaxing yoga pose for breastfeeding moms. This is a meditation technique that helps to calm your nerves, raise mindfulness and deflect any negative experiences. It stabilizes the mind. It can prove to be an effective pose for breastfeeding mothers.
How To Do:
- Start with any pose like Sukhasan, Ardhapadmasan or Padmasana whichever you are comfortable.
- Once after that, make sure you straighten your back and close your eyes.
- Now place your palms on your knees while facing up.
- Then after you can place your thumbs on the ‘Tragus’, the external flap on your ear. This will make you more relaxed.
- After that, place your index finger on your forehead and your middle finger on the medial canthus and ring finger on the corner of your nostril
- Once it is done you can inhale and fill your lungs with air. That gives you relaxation.
- As you exhale, slowly make a buzzing sound like “mmmmmmm….”
- Keep your mouth closed the entire time and feel the vibration of the sound disseminate throughout your body.
- This gives the inner relaxation in mind and body.
7. Down ward-Facing Dog Pose:
This yoga pose strengthens the lower back, arms, and legs, increases spine mobility, and energizes the body. It also can help relieve stress and mild depression that normally does come in case of pregnant women. This is a yoga pose that you can do at any time and you feel good.
How To Do:
- First, start with coming closer and making the hands and knees with the wrists underneath the shoulders and the knees underneath the hips.
- Then try to curl your toes under and push back through your hands to lift your hips and straighten your legs.
- Spread your fingers and ground down from the forearms into the fingertips.
- Then try to outwardly rotate your upper arms to broaden the collarbones.
- Once it is done make sure you let your head hang and move towards shoulder blades which must be away from your ears towards your hips.
- Engage your quadriceps strongly to take the burden of your body’s weight off your arms. This form of pose goes a long way toward making this a resting pose.
- Once you are in that pose make sure you rotate your thighs inward, and keep your tail high, and sink heels towards the floor.
- Make sure that the distance between your hands and feet is correct by coming forward to a plank position. The distance between both the angles of hands and feet should be the same direction towards these two poses.
- Exhale and bend your knees to release and come back to your hands and knees.
8. Standing Forward Bend:
This has an ample number of benefits for a breastfeeding mom. It takes care of blood circulation, decrease mood swings, helps to sleep better, eases stress, etc. This is a pose you can do anywhere.
How To Do:
- This yoga pose you can do from the downward-Facing Dog pose.
- Then after, bend your knees, and step your feet forward to your hands while inhaling deeply.
- After that, raise the torso from the hip joints. Don’t forget to inhale while putting your hip up. This form of yoga pose also helps in lifting the arms out to the side in a reverse swan dive.
- After your hands meet above your head as you stand up straight, exhale and bring your hands down to your sides.
- As I said above that the swan drive helps to bend your hip joints then after you can lift your arms up and out again, above your head.
- After that exhale and release the arms out to your side in a regular manner.
- Make sure you keep the front of your torso lengthening as you fold forward as you don’t want to put your chest out, but you don’t want to round forward that you used to do on rabbit pose.
- Do also bring your fingertips to the floor near your feet or even bring your palms to the backs of your calves to make you feel more comfortable.
- Once you start inhaling that will straighten and lengthen the spine of the body.
- Do this for 3 to 5 breaths for 10-15 sets.
- Then you can step back to step back into Downward-Facing Dog again by putting the hand on the ground.
9. Legs Up The Wall:
This is relaxation yoga for breastfeeding moms as it stretches out the whole muscles and cramps if you have. It helps to build strength and keeps you energized throughout the day. It also improves balance and gives your heart a break.
How To Do:
- First, start by sitting in an area with open wall space and it must be parallel to the wall.
- Once you sit parallel to the wall, lie down back with your feet on the ground and keep the knees in a bent position.
- Now try to swing the torso with the help of lower back or upper tailbone which act as a fulcrum point as support also.
- You will be perpendicular to the wall by extending to the wall by keeping your legs up. If you need any support, you can place a cushion under your lower back as that will make you comfortable and reduce pain.
- Then after, rest your arms next to you and make sure you arise your palms up.
10. Plank Pose:
Plank pose is best for abs. This is a yoga pose that gives direct pressure on the belly. This works great for the strengthening abdominals, back muscles, and arms. This pose also burns calories that you gain up during pregnancy. This yoga pose can be done anywhere, at any time.
How To Do:
- For this, you have to start with the same position- downward facing dog pose.
- After that, exhale and shift forward your body weight a bit more into your arms as that will make you comfortable and easy for the relaxation.
- Then, bring your hips down and keep your body in a straight pose. Do also make sure that not to drop your hips down while counting. It can be a bit dangerous as it can hold the air back.
- Press all fingers into the ground and slowly start to inhale and exhale by staying in that pose.
- After that hold this for 25-30 seconds and then press back into Downward-Facing Dog pose to rest and relax.
- Hold for another 30 seconds but make sure you don’t stress yourself much. This all depends upon your strength of power to hold
11. Warrior II:
This is regarded as a power pose as it helps a lot in changing the hormones of the body. This also resulted in a higher level of confidence and do play a great role in recovering after giving birth. The women feel good also after doing this pose.
How To Do:
- First, start the yoga pose in the form of Downward-Facing Dog position.
- Then you have to inhale and lift your right leg towards the air. Then bend the right knee toward your chest. Place your right foot between your hands.
- If you need support, then you can grab your foot forward a bit more with the help of your right hand.
- Make your foundation strong with your left foot before you are able to stand. This will make you strong and prevent you from falling down. You do have to take care by putting the left foot to the parallel to the back edge and your right foot should be perpendicular to the front edge.
- You should cartwheel your arms around as you stand and do the move while you inhale.
- The position of your arms should be in a “T shape. The shoulders and hips will be facing the side of your mat, whereas the back leg must be straight, and the right knee should be at a 90-degree angle.
- You have to turn the head while you are inhaling so that it will gaze out over the right hand.
- Be in the pose for at least 5 breaths. Once you are relaxed, come back and step your foot back to Downward-Facing Dog pose.
- Repeat on the other side of the leg.
12. Cat Cow Pose:
Cat cow pose has numerous benefits for a breastfeeding mother. It involves moving the spine from a rounded position to an arched one. As many of the research as pointed out from its studies, this is a simple and easy exercise.
How To Do:
- Place your body in a way that your hands and knees with your fingertips pointing to your mat are top and knees hip-width apart.
- Begin with the Cow Pose inhaling and letting your stomach drop towards the floor. Lift your chest and chin upwards with your gaze directed towards the ceiling.
- Make sure your shoulders are drawing away from the ears. It should be boarder enough.
- Moving next to the Cat Pose, exhale and pull your stomach towards your spine at the same time rounding your back and dropping your head towards the floor.
- Inhale returning into the Cow Pose and exhale while coming back to the Cat Pose.
Giving birth is a life-changing and profound experience for each and every single mother. It’s also a body changing experience as they go through a lot of ups and downs. So, it’s important to be gentle and patient with yourself as you build up stamina and strength. Try out the yoga poses as mentioned in the above article as it will help to increase the breast milk.
