Taking care of littles requires more self-care, not less. While stress on our time and energy can keep self-love stuck at the bottom of the never-ending to-do list, it’s intentional mamas like Sophie Jaffe that help us find our way in the everyday details…
In a mother’s perfect world, we would have time at least one to two times a week to make our way to our favorite yoga studio (or at least an empty bedroom with wifi) and check out for just an hour. But in reality, sometimes it’s simply not possible—especially when you have littles running around your home. So what do you do? You make the time! You make it happen in whatever form that looks like even if it’s a quick little flow on your living room floor.
Give yourself what you need! Do what you need to refuel and give you the energy to DO IT ALL. Things can feel overwhelming and unmanageable as a mom, but a few moments of stretching and breathing can help us remember that everything is manageable. Remember: as long as your children are happy and safe, everything else is extra credit!
The 4 Best Yoga Poses For Busy Moms
There are several poses you can do when you’re strapped for time that can relieve any tension or stress and drop you back into your body. Best of all, you can do them from your couch! While your kiddos are at school, on a playdate or during a nap try all or one of these poses to restore your energy. For deeper relaxation, turn off any other distractions, stay in each pose for a little longer and set the energy in your space with music, candles and sage. Here are my favorite poses:
Supported Heart-Opener | This pose will increase flexibility in your spice, open up your heart center and ease digestion. A supported inversion like this is great for relieving headaches and nervous tension, balancing the hormonal system, and lengthens/tractions lower back.
How-to: From a seated position on a low couch or bed, slowly drop over the side until you’re able to support yourself with your arms and top of your head. Keep your legs bent or straighten them to deepen the pose. Hold for 10-15 breaths or however long you’d like—listen to your intuition.
Pigeon Pose | This pose is a beautiful hip-opener as it stretches both the hip rotators and hip flexors. It is also helpful in finding relief from back pain and releases built-up stress, trauma, fear and anxiety.
How-to: From a low lunge with the right leg forward, extend the left leg back with the top of your foot flat, and then bend the right leg, squaring your hips. Lengthen the spine and exhale, folding forward over the front of the leg with your arms, chest and head. Breathe for one minute to three minutes and repeat on the other side.
Butterfly Pose | Any type of forward fold helps to release any built-up tension and stress. Butterfly further opens you up, by stretching your upper inner thighs, where we tend to hold much of our energy.
How-to: From a seated position, bend your knees and place the bottoms of your feet together, so they’re touching. Start to slowly extend your heart towards your toes. Hands can be at prayer or at the sides of your feet. Hold for 10 to 15 breaths to truly reap the rewards of this opening pose.
Restorative Savasana | Enter a deep relaxation with the oh-so-yummy savasana! This pose works wonders for our brains and calms any anxious thoughts, while also giving us space to rest and surrender to the moment. Use pillows or a bolster to support any soreness, pain or tightness.
How-to: To move into this simple, but beautiful pose, lie flat on your back and face up to the sky. Let the arms rest on the earth, allowing the palms to face up or place them on your heart and belly. Inhale to open the heart and expand the chest, then exhale to rest back into the earth. Relax everything from your toes to your fingertips, and allow the tongue to fall away from the roof of the mouth. Take a deep breath in, and on each exhale, completely let go.
