Mom and Baby Yoga!
I have followed Lauren on Instagram for about a year and have been obsessed since the first #cleankitchenatnight post :) I was so excited to have Lauren as a guest at one of my first Mom and Baby yoga classes and now to be able to share what I love with all of you through her blog.
My background is in dance and fitness which has played a central role in everything I’ve done in my life. Throughout my pregnancy and following the birth of my daughter, I kept with my consistent workouts. I believe that we all need that “me” time in one way or another. But when I became a mom 3 years ago, I also wanted to find a movement-based class that would involve my child in a positive, fun atmosphere. I found an amazing Mom and Baby Yoga class in San Francisco, It’s Yoga, Kids. This unique class applies the principles of yoga to the newborn baby and teaches positions and movements that are natural developmental milestones. Even more than that it gave me the ability to connect with my baby in a really amazing way. I loved it so much that last year I trained to become an instructor and now my sister-in- law and I are so excited to be able to share the love of the practice and bring this curriculum to Marin County where we live with It’s Yoga, Kids Marin!
So why do yoga with your newborn/toddler/child? These are a few of the reasons we practice:
Yoga is good for your body!
Babies naturally use yoga throughout the developmental stages. In the baby class we guide them through movements to connect the brain and body. In the toddler class, yoga poses are playful, fun, and challenging. As a growing child and adult, yoga brings you balance creating strength, flexibility, and body awareness.
Yoga provides a non-competitive environment
Competitive sports, dance, and gymnastics are introduced at a very young age- most of us probably grew up doing some type of organized activity. Yoga is unique in that you use your body in a space where you are not being compared to anyone and there is no end goal. The only thing to do is to be present. What a great lesson for our kids to learn at an early age.
Yoga encourages a healthy lifestyle
One of the only rules we have in our class is to listen and be safe with your body. This translates to taking care of your body and mind in everything you do from playing to eating and even in how you communicate and connect with others.
Yoga builds confidence
Anyone who has learned a skill knows that repetition brings growth. Just by practicing yoga consistently, you gain confidence in your strengths, and learn how to be patient when you stumble or fall.
Yoga = Breath and mindfulness
We live in a very fast-paced world. Kids are exposed to a lot of screen time and distractions. We spend a lot of time on the go. It is hard to be still and mindful! Think of how many times you have been stressed, frustrated, or anxious, and have not had the tools to deal with these emotions. In yoga we learn how to calm our body, how to breathe deeply, and how to listen to what we are feeling.
Yoga is fun!
Get down on the floor and play like an animal, sing silly songs, use your imagination. Be still and present and really watch your baby’s body language. Yoga is a great way to connect with your child and learn together. It is a way to model (and practice) many lessons that you are trying to teach your kids outside of the studio.
I am grateful each day that I have found the gift of practicing yoga with my whole family. Whether you do this at home or in a class, I believe that everyone can benefit from yoga and sharing the love of the practice. If you live in Marin please connect with us, we would love to see you in class!
Maggie Calegari
