The Baby Pause: ‘Motherhood & Yoga’

My yoga journey (Before children)

I attended my first yoga class in 2011 when I moved to London from Ireland. That first class left me in awe and pushed me in ways I had never before experienced, yet I left feeling curious to explore more.

I had always thought of yoga’s physical practise as something easy, all about stretching and zero to do with strength building or getting the heart racing and frankly, I thought I was tougher than that. I was into high intensity, fast-paced, maxed out kind of activity, which is how I had approached most things in life at that time and ‘yoga was far too easy-going for the likes of me’. How wrong I was.

I discovered the many layers of yoga the deeper I dived into it, and I suppose that’s what keeps me coming back for more. It’s not only a physical practice teaching strength, stamina, flexibility and endurance, which makes you feel great but also brings with it a journey of self-discovery and just some good life practices. No wonder it has stood the test of time.

Going to that first class was the best decision I ever made. I went on to do my teacher training in 2014, and since then, I’ve continued to learn about the multitude of different yoga styles and techniques. Still, more than anything, each time I get on the mat, whether it’s alone for 5 minutes, 50 mins or alongside my toddler, it’s time that I give myself to check-in and explore what I need to keep balanced in that moment. 

Motherhood and yoga – some commonalities 

Even if you’ve never given yoga a second thought or even if you have thought about it and decided it’s not for you, there is no doubt, motherhood in itself is yoga.

It starts with the physical challenge of carrying a baby for nine months. According to new research (Women’s Health UK), women who are expecting live at the edge of human endurance – on a level comparable to someone who’s completed the Tour de France. That’s strength and endurance training to the max. 

Then there’s labour, where intuition and physical sensation begin a complex but beautiful dance together. Senses are totally heightened, and the mind tunes in to what your body and baby need. In a way, that dance continues right through your daily life as a mother. 

Motherhood forces you to slow down, rid the ego as it’s no longer simply you that takes priority. It teaches you to find gratitude in surrendering to the simple things. Whilst it can be hard to let go of the way things used to be, especially now more than ever when we are fed stories, images and adverts of the ‘perfect’ mother on a constant reel, often experiencing things in the moment can help shift our perspective. Too often, we enforce expectations and standards on ourselves in all aspects of life, and motherhood is no different. 

Similarly, with yoga, the moment you release excessive physical effort and resistance to control what your mind thinks it should be doing, and you tune in to what’s happening in the body, the mind and the breath in that moment, you find ease and acceptance. We often get too preoccupied seeking the extraordinary moments then risk missing out on the joy of the more simplistic ones. 

Like yoga, motherhood is a lesson in patience, understanding, selflessness, and endurance (and that’s without lockdown). The practice of yoga, both physical and spiritual, has slowly become an integral part of my life and something I turn to in challenging times because it’s there to offer whatever I need, whenever I need it, for however long I need it for. That’s the beauty of it – the benefits are there for the taking in your own personal way, in your own time once you open your mind to the possibilities. 

So, to all you mama’s or mama’s to be – give yourself a big pat on the back, show yourself some gratitude with whatever self-care tricks you might have in your arsenal and remind yourself that you are more than enough. 

The Golden Thread Breathing Technique

A simple breathing technique to calm the mind in pregnancy, early-stage labour and everyday mothering.

Set-up

– Find a comfortable seat, whether that’s sitting upright in a chair, feet flat on the ground or cross-legged. You could place a cushion or pillow under you to elevate your hips and align them with your knees. If seated in a cross-legged position, you might like to put a blanket, blocks or cushions under your knees so they feel supported. 

– Once comfortable, gently close the eyes, scan the face for any unnecessary tension in the jaws, forehead, space between the eyebrows, release the teeth away from each other and let the tongue rest at the roof of the mouth, on the soft palate.

– Soften the throat and sink the chin in towards the throat slightly to lengthen the back of the neck. 

– Lengthen the spine from the back of the skull.

– Take a deep inhale, lift the shoulders greatly and on the exhale, release them down. Repeat this as many times as you like until you come to a settled position with the shoulders relaxed and hands resting on your lap.

 During

– Start to breathe in through the nose slowly, filling the full sides and back of lungs with the breath (You might like to count to 4/5 in your mind if that helps)

– As you breathe out, make a small, soft opening between the lips and breathe out for a little longer (maybe 6 counts). The out breath is usually naturally longer anyway.

– If it helps, you can visualise a golden thread or a golden stream of light gently flowing out of your mouth and slowly upwards as you exhale. 

– Repeat this pattern in through the nose and out though the mouth for as long as needed, each exhale releasing and letting go of any unwanted tension. 

 To finish

– Simply blink the eyes open slowly, turning your attention to the places you might usually hold tension and notice whether you feel a difference.

You can do this anywhere, anytime, day or night, when you need a moment of calm. By breathing this way, you access the vagus nerve, which turns on the parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for rest, repair and digestion. Hope you enjoy!

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