Benefits and Functions of Parent-Child Yoga
Promote the Development of the Baby
The baby is in the mother’s womb, and through parent-child yoga, it can promote the development of the baby’s brain, bones, and muscles. Although the baby is very small, parent-child yoga can also enhance the baby’s intelligence and lay a good foundation for the future.
Improve the Function of Various Organs in the Whole Body
After “exercise,” the baby can improve sleep quality, increase appetite, and enhance immunity. Although parent-child yoga doesn’t involve intense exercise for infants and young children, it is better than them lying down all day.
Help Establish a Good Mother-Child Relationship
Parent-child yoga is an excellent way of communication. By facing the baby during the practice, the parent engages in communication while talking. When the baby completes an action, the parent praises, encourages, or shows a happy expression, fostering good parent-child emotional communication. This is conducive to the formation of a child’s good character and the establishment of interpersonal relationships.
Exercise Children’s Flexibility
Practicing parent-child yoga can improve children’s flexibility, stretch muscles and muscles of the whole body, and correct walking, sleeping, and sitting postures. It may also help improve conditions like deformed legs or scoliosis through yoga practice.
Parent-Child Yoga Precautions
Safety Issues During Exercise:
When practicing parent-child yoga, remove the soft carpet on the floor and use a yoga mat. The mother’s movements should be kept gentle to ensure the safety of the baby.
Babies Who Are Sick Should Not Participate:
Babies with underdeveloped necks should not participate in the exercise.
Dietary Requirements:
Yoga is practiced on an empty stomach. Mothers should eat 3-4 hours before practice. If hungry, they can drink some liquid or eat some fruit 2 hours before practice. After practice, wait for 40 minutes before eating again.
Each Action is Generally Done 2-3 Times:
Mothers can choose actions based on the baby’s cooperation without being too forceful.
Don’t Insist on Perfect Baby Movements:
Allow the baby to imitate yoga poses naturally. Don’t teach the baby “yogic breathing”; let them breathe normally and freely. The baby’s happiness and safety are paramount.
Choose Music and Practice Space Carefully:
Select music that the baby likes and is familiar with, and choose a peaceful place for parent-child yoga to enhance the experience.
Parent-Child Yoga Movements
Parent-Child Glossy Pose
Practice: Stand back to back with the baby, about 10 cm apart. Inhale, bend forward together, passing hands through the middle of the legs, holding each other’s hands. Stay for 10-20 seconds, then slowly restore and adjust breathing.
Efficacy: Slenders the lines of the legs, promotes blood circulation, strengthens metabolism, and beautifies the face. It helps the baby develop a good memory.
Piggyback
Practice: Mother kneels, and the baby stands behind mother back to back. Inhale, lie down, put the baby on the back, exhale, stabilize, straighten hands forward, and stay for 10-20 seconds. Slowly restore and adjust breathing.
Efficacy: Massages the mother’s back and abdomen, relieves back pain, abdominal distension, constipation, and promotes the parent-child relationship, making the baby cheerful and happy.
Straddle Position
Practice: Mother lies on the ground, and the baby stands. Mother bends knees, supports the baby with both hands, exhales, and lets the baby sit on the mother’s abdomen. Stay for 10-20 seconds, then slowly restore and adjust breathing.
Efficacy: Massages the abdomen, promotes gastrointestinal motility, helps digestion, and prevents constipation and abdominal distension. It enhances the sense of security in babies.
Parent-Child Race Walking Style
Practice: Baby falls to the ground, inhale, baby props up with hands, exhale, mother lifts baby’s legs. Stay for 5-10 seconds. Restore and adjust breathing.
Efficacy: Improves baby’s hands and feet flexibility, increases physical strength, and promotes parent-child bonding.
Lift Type
Practice: Mother lies on the ground, holding the baby with both hands. Exhale, lower legs, inhale, and raise calves as high as possible. Back and forth several times until legs feel sore and tired. Slowly restore and adjust breathing.
Efficacy: Strengthens mother’s knee joint, leg strength, and physical strength. Enhances parent-child relationship and feelings.
Parent-Child Dog Style
Practice: Mother lies flat on the ground, legs open shoulder-width. Baby sits on mother’s hips, breathing evenly. Inhale, mother props up upper body, baby holds mother’s shoulders, exhale, lean back, looking up. Stay for 5-10 seconds. Slowly restore and adjust breathing.
Efficacy: Massages mother’s buttocks and abdomen, promotes digestive ability, relieves abdominal bloating and constipation. Enhances parent-child relationship.
Parent-Child Splitting Style
Practice: Mother and baby sit face to face, legs open left and right. Baby puts foot on inner thigh of mother. Breathe evenly, inhale, hold hands together, tilt head back, and hold for 5-10 seconds. Slowly restore and adjust breathing.
Efficacy: Stretches mother’s inner thigh muscles, prevents fat accumulation, and beautifies leg curve. Enhances sense of trust in parent-child relationship.
Horseback Riding
Practice: Mother on knees, hands on the floor, breathing evenly. Baby sits on mother’s waist. Inhale, mother pushes up waist, exhale, waist concave. Back and forth several times, then restore.
Efficacy: Massages mother’s waist, prevents back pain. Trains baby’s sense of balance, increases self-confidence.
Golden Steel Sitting Position
Practice: Mother adopts diamond sitting position, holding baby with both hands. Inhale, baby steps on mother’s lap, exhale, lean back together. Stay for 5-10 seconds, then slowly restore and adjust breathing.
Efficacy: Uses baby’s physical strength to massage mother’s thighs and calves. Promotes blood circulation, strengthens trachea, prevents colds.
Tiger Pose
Practice: Kneel on both knees, thighs perpendicular to the ground, hands on the ground. Inhale, stretch right leg back, lift leg up as far as possible. Exhale, bow head, chest, and back, bend right knee. Baby sits across from mother, and both do head-to-head movements. Hold for 3-8 breaths. Repeat 6 times per leg.
Benefits: Stretches the spine, strengthens spinal and sciatic nerves, reduces fat in hip, buttocks, and thigh areas.
Twisting the Spine
Practice: Take a sitting position, stretch legs forward. Bend right leg, support with right hand. Let baby sit opposite, turn upper body to the right. Hold for 3-8 breaths. Restore, switch to left side, do 3 times on each side.
Efficacy: Stimulates spinal nerves, relaxes spine, massages internal organs, tightens waist and abdomen lines, reduces back fat.
Leg-Up Pose
Practice: Lie on back, breathe in, stretch arms over head. Place baby on back. Exhale, baby sits on mother’s belly. Mother raises legs to different angles. Hold each position for about 20 seconds. Slowly restore and repeat three times.
Efficacy: Tightens abdomen, reduces waist and thigh fat.
Mountain Pose
Practice: Sit cross-legged, raise arms as far as possible, hands interlocked with palms up. Exhale, inhale, and relax naturally. Slowly exhale and inhale. Repeat breaths until completely relaxed. Hold for 4 to 11 breaths.
Efficacy: Inspires meditation and improves spirits.
Happy Baby Pose
Practice: Mother lies on back, legs bent. Baby stands between mother’s knees. Hold baby’s hand, lift baby upwards. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths.
Efficacy: Fun exercise for mother’s waist, arms, and legs.
Warrior Pose
Practice: Mother spreads legs, exhales, bends right leg. Baby sits on thigh, hold with hands or straighten left arm. Hold for 4 to 11 breaths. Switch legs.
Efficacy: Lets the baby feel the glory and pride of a victorious warrior.