Have you considered how many new moms that are looking for postnatal yoga classes? No teacher wants to waste time on yoga certifications that have no practical use. Yet, prenatal and postnatal yoga instructor training is useful knowledge for running classes that are in demand.
Yoga studios have begun offering classes geared toward babies. At first glance, this is an odd activity for moms to be signing up for, especially given how most infants have no motor skills or ability to hold up their own heads. But doctors say that yoga for babies can stimulate motor development as well as increase an infant’s physical awareness. Of course, parents also cite as a positive the bonding benefits derived from close proximity and skin to skin contact that takes place as parents work with babies to move limbs and position tiny bodies into adapted yoga poses.
Benefits of Yoga for Baby
A number of yoga instructors believe that yoga for babies aids in muscle development and fine motor skills. As parents stretch and move little arms and legs, babies become stronger. Special tummy time from a yoga session will strengthen neck, arms, shoulders and backs while the varied motion of limbs improves circulation and stimulates further development. Many parents also swear by the practice as a way to relieve gas problems and stomach aches in infants with under-developed digestive systems.
The yoga sessions for baby are also a great way to get moms interacting with their infants in ways that differ from the day to day routine, which will foster mental development in young brains. Any new situation, as long as it is not over-stimulating, carries with it the benefits of being absorbed into the baby’s knowledge base. Many instructors use music or ask parents to sing to their infants to engage and soothe the child’s attention during poses. Parents who do yoga with their babies say they are more in tune with their infants than before and also point to an improvement in their child’s demeanor. Yoga makes babies and parents happier.
Four Tips For Keeping Babies Safe
1. Most babies are unable to hold their heads up until five months, so parents must be sure to provide support to heads and necks. Some yoga props like bolsters or blankets are a great way to do this.
2. Parents and instructors should never leave a baby unsupervised on a mat or with a yoga prop like a blanket as these things may present suffocation hazards to an infant.
3. Some babies have extremely loose joints, so overstretching could injure small arms and legs. As a result, parents should be careful not to tug or pull on their babies’ bodies.
4. Movements should be measured and careful, especially as parents position their children into the poses. The younger an infant is, the slower and smaller the movement should be.
© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division
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