Playtime Yoga or Baby and Me/Postnatal Yoga, Which is Right for You?

While yoga has benefits at all stages of our lives, it is sometimes difficult to maintain a yoga practice when we become parents. At the very least, there are more challenges to getting to our mats than there were before. In order to attend a class without your baby or toddler, you’ll need to find and maybe pay for childcare. If you want to practice at home in peace, you may need to find a time when your child is sleeping. More often than not, when we need yoga most urgently, that is precisely the time when our children need us the most.

How can we give these little ones all they need from us, but continue to nurture ourselves? NiMaSte has two options for you: Playtime Yoga Flow and Baby and Me/Postnatal Yoga.

First, what is the difference?

Playtime Yoga Flow is yoga for you. You can come for a mixed level vinyasa flow yoga class and bring the kids along. No need to find childcare in order to nurture yourself. This is an adult class for parents and caregivers, but children (baby-preschooler) are welcome to play, read, sleep, or maybe even join in the yoga!​

Baby and Me/Postnatal yoga is yoga for women in all stages of postpartum and babies (pre-crawling). Vinyasa yoga will help you reconnect with your body. We’ll combine baby yoga and massage with yoga for you! The community of caregivers in class will nurture you emotionally as you care for infant. This is a great opportunity to meet other parents, strengthen your core muscles and play with your baby at the same time. Classes are flexible - it is always fine to feed your baby or change your baby’s diaper during class. If you have spit up on your shirt, you’re probably not the only one!

Second, what’s so great about yoga postpartum and/or with your child?

Yoga benefits mothers by

• reconnecting them with their bodies after birth by strengthening specific areas of the body affected by pregnancy, labor and delivery;
• helping them to practice patience with themselves and their child(ren) by finding an oasis of calm during meditation, and
• creating a haven during which to bond and spend dedicated time with baby after returning to work.

Baby and me yoga class benefits babies, because it helps form a bond between parent and baby, which is critical to the mental and physical health of the baby. 

​So which is for you? If you’ve already been through this stage in your life, what suited you better? We’d love to hear from you!