5 tips for mamas
Yoga is one of the few things that I have done consistently since I was a teenager. Yoga, not eating meat, and listening to the Grateful Dead may actually be the only things! As a mom of 3 age-6 and under, yoga has become my quiet time, my exercise, my self-care, my meditation, and when I ground myself. Pre-kids I would practice at a studio most days of the week, but, since my first pregnancy 7 1/2 years ago, my practice is now almost exclusively at home. Other than being a time and money saver and allowing for a great deal of flexibility, I find that my home practice lets me meet myself where I am and allows me to get as creative, crazy, or quiet as I need. It’s really not as scary as it seems. Other than to start small, here are five tips for establishing a yoga practice as a busy mom:
1. Make it non-negotiable, but let go of rigidity.
The only way that I have been able to maintain a regular home practice has been to make it a priority while letting go of expectations around how it should look. Today I practiced in the garage while my toddler napped in the car parked in the driveway. My family knows that I need a 30 minute practice 5 days a week. Sure I’d love to dig into a 90 minute practice most days, but that is no longer realistic for me. I find that if I intend to practice every day, I feel better on the days when I can’t fit it in.
Finding out what times of day work for me has been the key to consistency for me but as my kids have hit different milestones those times have shifted significantly. My favorite time to practice has always been very early morning, but I’ve also always been a morning person. These days, I have a toddler who will only stay asleep in the early morning if I’m right next to him, so I rarely get the chance anymore and no longer set my alarm for fear of waking him too. Some times that have worked for me: as soon as a baby is down for a nap (but do not do anything else first! No dishes, phone calls, emails, or anything else until you hit the mat.); right after bedtime and before the first possible kid wake-up; as soon as my husband finishes work on days that he works from home; and weekend mornings. Sometimes I set the kids up with lunch and a show, roll my mat out in the living room so I can see the table, and go for it.
I am not a mom who likes to incorporate my kids into my yoga practice (and if you are, amazing), but I have often rolled out another mat for a kid to sit on next to me and given them crayons, books, or even an iPad. My kids also love to do Cosmic Kids Yoga, which is a fantastic, free resource.
2. Find your space(s).
Habits are created by repetition and by environmental clues. I find that having a few set spaces in my house where I practice is key for me. Unlike when I was single and had a clear space with an altar and candles, my spaces look like this now: next to my side of the bed with a space heater (there is just room enough to move as much as I need, convenient wall space, and I can close the door); the hardwood floor of my living room (if I’m practicing while my #2 eats lunch as my #3 naps); and the playroom (if I get my rare and coveted early morning practice).
I often like to practice with props and I keep a basket with blocks, blankets, and a strap in the corner of my bedroom near my yoga mats and a backless chair. The prop that I use the most is the wall. The truth is, you don’t need any of these and a clear spot on the floor (and maybe a wall) works just as well.
3. Check in with yourself before each practice.
We have so little alone time as mothers. My yoga practice is often the only time that I am both alone and not cleaning/cooking/changing a diaper/nursing/helping with homework. If my practice is not working for me, then I’m wasting some very precious time. I take time before every practice to feel what direction I need to go. Some days I just need to move, some days, I need to stretch my hips, and some days I really need to spend a long time breathing in only 5 poses.
4. Make a plan, but always listen to your body.
Honestly, I now use online resources for most of my yoga practices (for more on that, see number 5). When I first started practicing at home I would write out a basic sequence and add in poses as they came to me. For a beginner, there is nothing wrong with writing out (or finding) a very simple sequence to practice every day for a while. As I mentioned, repetition is one of the things that helps to create a habit.
This sun salutation PDF is wonderful and a good way to get moving.
Esther Ekhart has a great, free 20-minute beginners flow here.
If you’re interested in creating your own sequence, I find that following a template is the easiest way to start. Instead of worrying about peak poses or creative sequencing at first, try fitting some of the poses that you are most comfortable into a logical sequence: warm up, sun salutations, standing poses (maybe throw in a balancing pose as well), seated poses, a backbend, and possibly an inversion.
Also, I want to touch a little on injury and pushing myself. There is a big difference between working a muscle and something that is pinchy or painful. If it hurts, back off. I try to hold poses for one (or 5) breaths more than I think I can, but I never continue if there is actual pain. I also incorporate a little bit of core work several times a week, which helps to avoid injury.
Finally, savasana. I barely squeeze my practice in, and as important as savasana is, sometimes it doesn’t feel like a priority. But if I don’t do it, my practice does not feel complete. If I really can’t fit a true savasana in, I sit for five breaths.
5. Tap into online resources.
Unlike when I started my home practice there are now hundreds of online yoga resources. Beyond many, many blogs, there are both free YouTube channels and yoga subscription services. I tend to use one subscription service at a time, and I have tried many. I spend an average of $18 a month for unlimited use. Many of the sites also offer guided meditation, partner and family classes, yoga philosophy content, articles, and other forms of movement. My favorite subscription sites are YogaGlo and Ekhart Yoga. A few YouTube recommendations are Yoga with Adriene and Brett Larkin Yoga.
If you need help establishing your home practice