What are the benefits of practicing postnatal yoga
Let’s be honest: after giving birth, everything changes—your body, your emotions, your routines, your identity. It’s beautiful, yes, but also disorienting. As you cradle your newborn, it’s easy to forget that you were also just born—as a mother. And like your baby, you too need care, space, and time to adjust, heal, and grow.
The early postpartum period is filled with physical recovery, emotional ups and downs, sleep deprivation, and an ever-changing “new normal.”
Many moms feel a strong pull to return to their pre-baby selves—but what if instead, you took this moment to meet your new self with compassion and care?
That’s where postnatal yoga comes in. It’s not about bouncing back. It’s about gently returning to yourself—one breath, one stretch, one mindful moment at a time.
Practicing yoga after birth has many benefits
Why postnatal yoga is different (and better suited to you) than other type of recovery techniques and exercises
Unlike Pilates or general gentle fitness classes, postnatal yoga is created specifically for a postpartum body and mind. It’s not just about movement—it’s about healing, reconnecting, and rebuilding from the inside out.
While Pilates focuses on precision and control, postnatal yoga starts from softness and presence. This type of yoga not only exercises the muscles and joints using the breath as a powerful anchor, but also addresses the mental, emotional and spiritual changes that take place during and after pregnancy. It offers you a place to breathe, feel and be without needing to act or push.
Why practicing postnatal yoga might be the best thing you can do for yourself right now
1. Heals the body gently from within
Instead of jumping into intense workouts, yoga honors your body’s need to close, rest, and heal—especially your pelvic floor and abdominal muscles. It also allows for the internal organs to descend and return to their pre-pregnancy position.
2. Uses the breath to tone and soothe
Deep, mindful breathing isn’t just calming—it also re-engages your core and helps regulate fluctuating emotions.
3. Restores pelvic floor strength and re-establishes its normal function
The pelvic floor is made up of a group of muscles at the base of the core that support the lesser pelvis organs and are also responsible for the regulation of the three orifices in the female body: urethra, vagina and anus. In optimal condition, it should be neither too tight nor weak.
Postnatal yoga helps you reconnect with and strengthen this vital (but often ignored) part of your body, promoting better bladder control, posture, and confidence.
4. Strengthens deep abdominal muscles
After childbirth, weakness of the Transversus abdominis, the deepest abdominal muscle and part of the core, can lead to low back pain due to the overcompensation of the lumbar muscles that attempt to stabilize the pelvis. Gentle yoga poses and breathwork help rebuild your core in a way that supports your spine and prevents low back pain.
5. Improves stability and posture
As your body continues producing relaxin [1] (especially while breastfeeding), yoga helps you stabilize your joints and prevent injury—without strain.
6. Releases neck and shoulder tension
Feeding and holding a baby can lead to serious upper-body tightness. Yoga counteracts this with chest-opening and shoulder-relieving movements.
7. Restores energy
Sleep-deprived? Even just a few minutes in a restorative posture can provide you with some rest and allow you to recover your vitality through deep relaxation.
8. Helps you reconnect with yourself
Yoga is more than movement—it’s a space to meet yourself with kindness, rediscover your strength, and process your emotions.
It can help to cultivate the serenity and inner balance needed to face the challenges that motherhood brings.
9. Creates community
Whether online or in-person, group yoga classes can offer support, understanding, and real connection with other mothers.
5 easy postnatal yoga practices you can start at home
Even if you have zero time or energy, these simple practices can help you feel more grounded, strong, and restored:
- Seated 360 degree breath
Sit comfortably, keeping your spine long. Place your hands on the sides of your rib cage, with your thumbs pointing behind you. Inhale pulling the air into the sides and back muscles as if trying to stretch the bra band in all directions or in a 360-degree pattern. Exhale slowly and allow your rib cage to contract in and down. Repeat for 2-3 minutes. This effectively reactivates your core (especially the lateral and posterior muscles of your trunk) and promotes optimal repositioning of the diaphragms. - Pelvic floor engagement
As you inhale, relax the pelvic floor. As you exhale, gently lift it up and backwards as if pulling a paper tissue out of a box. Do 5–10 slow reps while seated or lying down. - Cat-Cow stretch
On all fours, alternate between arching your back (cow) and rounding it (cat). This mobilizes and relieves tension in the spine and helps reconnect with your breath. - Supported bridge pose
Lie on your back with knees bent, feet hip-width apart. Place a block or pillow under your sacrum (just above your tailbone) and rest. This pose supports pelvic realignment and feels incredibly grounding. - Heart-opening stretch on a bolster
Lie back over a bolster or rolled blanket placed lengthwise under your spine. Let your arms rest open, palms up. This counteracts shoulder rounding and opens your chest beautifully.
Your next step: come back to yourself, one breath at a time
You don’t need to be flexible, fit, or even have 30 minutes of free time to begin. All you need is a few moments, a soft place to land, and a willingness to care for yourself as much as you care for everyone else.
And if you want some work in, click here to download 15 affirmations for the new mama: fifteen positive affirmations to replace negative thoughts and change the way you face the challenges of motherhood.
You were born a mother—but that doesn’t mean you have to lose you in the process.
[1] What Is Causing My Pain? Understand Relaxin Levels During And After Pregnancy <https://lolalykke.com/blogs/mamahood-manuals/what-is-causing-my-pain-understand-relaxin-levels-during-pregnancy>
