10 Postpartum Yoga Poses—and the Benefits of Trying Them
Finding your zen after having a baby isn’t always easy, especially as you adjust to new routines, feeding schedules and a serious lack of sleep. But one way to help feel a little more centered in the chaos of newborn-land is to practice postpartum yoga—a low-impact form of yoga that focuses on supporting moms as they recover from giving birth—both physically and mentally.
“Postpartum yoga is a chance to take advantage of this major life transition and relearn how to connect to your body with love and care,” says Jessica Jennings, ERYT, RPYT, a prenatal and postpartum yoga instructor and the founder of Ma Yoga.
And fear not, you don’t need to be bendy for postnatal yoga—just the act of being on your mat and stretching can feel good. “If I need to hang out in child’s pose for 10 minutes while everyone else is doing sun salutations, I’m still getting a lot out of it,” says Natalie Gontcharova, senior editor at The Bump and mom of one, who regularly practices yoga. “You get stronger and more flexible—and get the mental health benefits—even when you’re taking it super slow.”
Ready to roll out your mat? Learn more about practicing post-pregnancy yoga—including our favorite postpartum yoga poses—ahead. We’ll see you in savasana!
- Postpartum yoga focuses on supporting the physical and emotional wellbeing of new moms.
- The benefits of postpartum yoga include gentle strength building, and reduced anxiety and depression.
- Be sure to consult your healthcare provider, listen to your body and take it slow when starting a postpartum yoga practice.
- There are a variety of postpartum yoga poses targeting different areas of the body.
Postpartum, or postnatal, yoga is a yoga practice designed for those who have just given birth. This modified version of traditional yoga provides a gentle, low-intensity postpartum exercise that aims to support moms physically, mentally and emotionally. “Postpartum yoga is a therapeutic, supportive practice designed to help the body and nervous system recover after birth,” explains Jennings. “It’s a slower, more nurturing practice specifically designed to support healing.”
Postpartum yoga isn’t about “getting your body back” into physical shape, Jennings says. Instead, its primary goal is to help moms on the path to recovery. “Rather than being performance-focused or outcome-oriented, postpartum yoga emphasizes honoring where the body is and what it needs,” she shares. A postpartum yoga class often focuses on breathwork and poses that strengthen the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles, relieve tension in the lower back and shoulders, and help to reset the nervous system.
The first step before beginning any form of exercise postpartum, including yoga, is to check in with your provider. They can offer guidance based on your specific birth experience, healing process and medical history to determine whether it’s safe to start (or restart) your yoga practice. Often, your doctor will clear you for all types of exercise at your six-week postpartum appointment—but this varies.
If and when you do get the go-ahead, Zoe Kiefer, MD, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Tufts Medical Center, recommends avoiding any inversion poses (like headstands) and exercises that involve bearing down for at least the first four to six weeks after birth. Beyond that, it’s very much up to you and your doctor. “While I immediately started doing some safe postures that felt good 48 hours after birth, I didn’t start practicing a series of postures or [take] a class until eight weeks after my first [and] about 10 weeks after my second,” recalls Cariann T., a mom of two who’s been practicing yoga for more than a decade.
Even with an okay from your provider, it’s important to check in with yourself to determine your overall readiness, physically and mentally. “Your birth experience, whether you’re still bleeding, have pain or fatigue, your emotional readiness and your energy level will all factor into the decision,” says Jennings.
Reconnecting with your changing body and having time to quiet your mind when so much is happening in your life can be invaluable.
Practicing postpartum yoga comes with plenty of benefits, from building up strength to a decreased risk of postpartum depression (PPD). Here’s a closer look at all of the positive effects of postnatal yoga:
- Gentle strength building. Practicing post-pregnancy yoga can help you gently and safely build back strength, “especially in the core, pelvic floor and glutes—all parts of the body that have been deeply impacted by pregnancy, labor and delivery,” explains Erin Hanehan, RPYT, RCYT, a postpartum yoga instructor and lead teacher at Whole Mama Yoga in North Carolina.
- Nervous system and mood regulation. The breathwork and meditation in yoga can help to provide stress relief and a sense of ease, as well as calm the nervous system. “When I practice, I feel more grounded, empowered and zoned in. Physically, I feel … less tension,” shares Cariann T.
- Stronger mind-body connection. Postpartum yoga helps moms increase the connection between their mind and their physical body, which “can be especially restorative in those difficult postpartum weeks,” Kiefer points out.
- Improved sleep and feeding. Postnatal yoga can help to relieve body aches, pains and tension—particularly in the back and shoulders, which are often sore as a result of carrying baby. This can help to improve moms’ experiences with both sleep and feeding, says Jennings.
- Community bonding. Participating in a postnatal yoga class can help form a sense of connection and bonding with other moms, which can be vital in those early isolating weeks. “Postpartum yoga differs from a traditional yoga class in that there’s often an intentional attempt to create opportunities for connection,” Hanehan says.
- Decreased risk of anxiety and depression. If you’re experiencing postpartum anxiety or depression, postpartum yoga can help. “Postpartum yoga has been shown to decrease both the risk of postpartum depression, as well as the symptoms,” Jennings says. A 2021 study suggests that practicing yoga and mindfulness could help prevent postpartum depression, while a 2015 study found that women already suffering from postpartum depression who practiced yoga as a complementary therapy experienced a “significantly greater rate of improvement in depression [and] anxiety.”
I found that connection to my [postnatal] yoga community even one hour every few days was a breath of fresh air. -Cariann T. -Mom of two -UGC
While postpartum yoga is a pretty low-impact exercise, it’s still important to listen to your body. “Being able to respond to the needs of your postpartum body is just as important, if not more, as the strength building yoga may offer,” Hanehan says. “If something doesn’t feel good, find a way to modify the pose or simply take a rest.” Ignoring cues from your body and pushing too hard can result in increased bleeding and uterine cramping, Kiefer warns.
It’s also important not to overdo it with stretching. During pregnancy and postpartum, an increase in the hormone relaxin allows your ligaments and tendons to stretch beyond their usual capacity, and “if you push it too far, you could easily injure yourself,” warns Kiefer. “Stay well within the comfortable range of your stretching capacity.”
Jennings advises engaging a muscle before stretching it. “This can prevent overstretching and injury,” she says. “The postpartum body often needs support and integrity after the expansion it’s been through.”
It’s also important to be conscious of any abdominal or perineal stitches you might have. These should be properly healed before practicing postpartum yoga to prevent reopening an incision. “Placing tension on incisions in the abdomen or on the perineum can cause those to break down or heal poorly,” explains Kiefer.
Lastly, be sure to seek out yoga instructors who are trained in postpartum anatomy and recovery. They’ll be able to guide you effectively and safely in your postpartum yoga practice, as well as provide proper adjustments and modifications.
While finding a studio where you can take postpartum yoga classes is a great way to connect with other moms and carve out some much-needed solo time, you can also practice postpartum yoga from virtually anywhere—including the comforts of your own home with baby nearby. “This flexibility can be wonderful” for moms, notes Kiefer.
So if you can’t make it to the yoga studio, here are 10 postpartum yoga poses to help you strengthen, stretch and de-stress on your own.
Supine belly breathing
What it looks like: Lying flat on your back with your hands on your belly
How to do it: Lie flat on your back with your legs extended or bent with your feet flat on the floor. (You can also place a bolster or rolled-up blanket behind your knees.) Bring your hands to your belly and breathe in and out, feeling your belly rise and fall. Start to deepen your breath, filling the belly fully as you breathe in and hugging the belly button in toward the spine as you breathe out.
What it targets: This position targets the core “by gently stretching and strengthening the abdominal muscles,” Hanehan explains.
Heart-opener restorative
What it looks like: Lying flat on your back, with a bolster underneath you, and arms extended in a T shape
How to do it: Lie back and place a rolled-up blanket or bolster underneath your shoulder blades (just above bra strap level). Let the arms fall open wide to the sides in a T-shape and breathe above the roll, allowing the heart center to open and the shoulders to relax back.
What it targets: This pose helps to “relieve shoulder, chest and upper-back tension,” says Jennings.
Extended child’s pose
What it looks like: Kneeling on your shins, with your tailbone toward your heels, your arms extended forward and your forehead touching the floor
How to do it: Start on your hands and knees, with your shoulders stacked over your wrists and your hips in line over your knees. Bring your big toes together and allow the knees to widen. Send your hips back towards your heels and reach your arms long, with your fingers aiming towards the front of your yoga mat. Relax your forehead down toward the floor. If it feels good, gently rock your forehead from side to side, stretching the back of the neck.
What it targets: “This pose lengthens the back body—the neck, shoulders and the mid-to-low back—which can become tight and tense in the postpartum period,” Hanehan says.
Cat-cow
What it looks like: Kneeling on all fours while arching and rounding the spine
How to do it: Start on your hands and knees, aligning your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees. Moving slowly and in coordination with your breath, exhale as you round the spine, gently engaging the lower belly. Then, inhale to lengthen and relax the chest down and forward while keeping a slight lift in the lower belly.
What it targets: This pose helps to align your “breath with the movements of the spine and core,” Jennings explains.
Thread the needle
What it looks like: Child’s pose with one arm extended forward and one arm reaching underneath the opposite armpit
How to do it: Begin in child’s pose. On an inhale, shift your weight forward, coming onto your hands and knees while keeping your toes together and your knees wide. Inhale and reach your right fingers up towards the sky, opening your chest to the right. Then, on an exhale, hug the belly button in toward the spine and twist, bringing your right arm underneath your left arm. Your right temple, ear or cheek may rest on the ground. Open and close like this for three rounds, then settle into this position and breathe, allowing your mid-back to twist and your shoulders to relax. Repeat on the left side.
What it targets: Thread the needle “increases mobility in the upper back while incorporating gentle corework,” says Hanehan.
Bridge pose
What it looks like: Lying on your back, with your hips and chest elevated
How to do it: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hips distance apart. Make sure your heels are directly beneath your knees. Keeping your palms flat against the mat or floor, exhale and press through the shoulders and the arms to lift your chest off the floor. Follow gently with the hips, lengthening through your knees and pressing down through the heels. Keep your knees in line with your hips, and engage the glutes and the hamstrings. Inhale as you lower down slowly.
What it targets: This pose helps to open the chest and shoulders while strengthening the glutes, hamstrings and lower back. It also helps to support posture and “counteracts carrying fatigue,” says Jennings.
Bear pose
What it looks like: Kneeling on all fours, with your toes tucked and your knees hovering slightly off the ground
How to do it: Start on your hands and knees, with your shoulders stacked over the wrists and your hips in line over your knees. Stretch your fingers out wide, soften the shoulders away from the ears and relax your face. Tuck your toes under and breathe in. On your exhale, gently lift your knees to an inch above the ground, engaging your core, and hover. Hold for two to three breaths, then release the knees back down to the floor. Be sure not to hold your breath or tense in the shoulders or face.
What it targets: This pose helps to strengthen the upper back and core, says Hanehan.
Windshield wipers
What it looks like: Lying on your back with your knees bent, falling from side to side
How to do it: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet wide. Let both knees fall to one side. Turn your head in the opposite direction, close your eyes and take at least five breaths in this position. Change sides.
What it targets: This position helps to release the hips and pelvic area, explains Jennings.
Dead bug pose
What it looks like: Lying on your back, with your knees in line over your hips, your feet in line with your knees and your palms on your thighs
How to do it: Lie flat on your back. Hug your knees into your chest, with your shins parallel to the sky. Bring your knees right over your hips. If your lower back begins to arch, pull your knees in a little closer toward your chest. Place your palms on the top of your thighs. Gently push your palms into your thighs, feeling engagement through your core. Then, extend your left leg to straight as you reach your right arm overhead. Inhale and on your exhale, come back to center. Switch sides, extending your right leg and reaching your left arm to straight. Move slowly and steadily, repeating each side for a few rounds and focusing on your breathing.
What it targets: This pose helps to engage the abdominal muscles and lengthen the leg muscles. It also encourages “circulation throughout the lower body,” Hanehan says.
Downward-facing dog
What it looks like: An inverted “V” shape with your hands and feet on the floor
How to do it: Begin on your hands and knees, with your shoulders in line over your wrists and your hips over your knees. Stretch your fingertips wide, tuck your toes under and slowly send your hips up high, creating an inverted “V” shape with your body. Pedal the feet out and keep the knees softly or generously bent, based on your flexibility. Come to stillness, pressing your heels toward the floor, and gently shake the head “yes” and “no.” Release the knees back to the floor.
If this feels like too much of a stretch or you prefer not to be inverted, you can take this pose at the wall, Hanehan suggests. Place your palms on the wall and then walk your feet backwards until you have the mobility to bring your ears in line with your biceps.
What it targets: Downward dog helps to stretch the backs of the legs, elongate the spine and encourage good circulation throughout the body, Hanehan says.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you do hot yoga postpartum?
It’s important to proceed with caution when it comes to practicing hot yoga postpartum. Typically, you’re cleared to exercise at around 6 weeks after baby’s birth. But everyone’s different—make sure your provider takes into consideration any medical issues.
If you’re a seasoned hot yogi and your healthcare provider gives you the green light, you can get your sweat on—but make sure you hydrate well before, during and after the class. “Postpartum bodies are more sensitive to heat, dehydration and fatigue,” Jennings points out. “Sleep deprivation combined with heat can increase stress, which may slow the healing process. If you’re new to hot yoga, postpartum isn’t the best time to start.”
What poses should be avoided postpartum?
Kiefer cautions against remaining in any inverted postures, such as handstand or headstand, for a prolonged period of time. “Your circulatory system may be adjusting in the postpartum period, particularly if you’ve dealt with any large blood loss, anemia or blood pressure disorders of pregnancy,” she says.
It’s also important to give your abdominal muscles time to heal post-pregnancy before starting any intense core work. “During pregnancy, the abdominal wall stretches to make room for baby. After birth, it often takes time for these tissues to regain coordination,” Jennings explains. As a result, it’s best to avoid strong abdominal exercises like crunches, sit-ups and planks (or anything that places a high demand on the core) when you’re in the early weeks of postpartum.
How can yoga breathing help in the postpartum phase?
Yoga breathing—or pranayama—“is the safest and simplest way to begin reconnecting to your core muscles,” Hanehan says. Taking a thoughtful and intentional yoga breath helps to reengage the muscles of the core gently, by stretching those muscles on the inhale and contracting them on the exhale.
Yoga breathing also helps to calm the nervous system, ease tension, deliver oxygen and engage the pelvic floor. “Breath is one of the most accessible tools postpartum,” Jennings says. “Even while giving baby a bath or feeding, just one long exhale … and a deep inhale can remind Mom—and her nervous system—that all is as it should be.”
Will yoga shrink your belly postpartum?
While postpartum yoga is a safe and effective way to gently engage your core muscles after pregnancy, it’s not a postpartum weight loss or belly-shrinking exercise. It’s best to instead focus on supporting your body’s recovery process and maintaining “a supportive relationship with your body,” Hanehan says.
That said, “postpartum yoga gently wakes up and re-educates the abdominal muscles, helping them work together again and regain their natural tone,” Jennings says. “This can encourage tissues and organs to move back toward their natural positions.” Of course, this won’t happen overnight—and it’s important not to push it. “Too much or overly aggressive core work too soon can actually slow healing,” Jennings points out.
When can you start “mommy-and-me” yoga with baby?
Parents can begin a mommy-and-me yoga practice whenever they feel comfortable (depending on the guidelines of your yoga studio). “Baby-and-me yoga can be beneficial for both baby and the birthing person from a very early age,” Hanehan says.
In fact, the younger baby is, the easier it typically is for Mom to engage in the class. “Newborns are often content lying nearby … which can give Mom precious moments to breathe, move and reconnect with her body,” Jennings says. “As babies become mobile, classes can feel more challenging unless they’re designed for crawlers.”
Postpartum yoga is not only a safe, low-impact form of exercise, but it also provides numerous mental health benefits—from mood and stress regulation to easing anxiety and tension. With the guidance of a postpartum yoga instructor, or by practicing at home, you can gently rebuild strength while supporting healing in your post-birth body. As with any form of exercise, be sure to take all of the necessary safety precautions and consult your healthcare provider before embarking on a postpartum yoga practice. Namaste!
Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.
Plus, more from The Bump:
Erin Hanehan, RPYT, RCYT, is a postpartum yoga instructor and the lead teacher and media manager at Whole Mama Yoga in North Carolina.
Jessica Jennings, MS, ERYT, RPYT, is a prenatal and postpartum yoga instructor and the founder of Ma Yoga.
Zoe Kiefer, MD, MPH, is an obstetrician and gynecologist at Tufts Medical Center. She received her medical degree from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Modern Care Journal, Effects of Yoga in Pregnancy on Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review, July 2021
Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, Efficacy of Yoga for Depressed Postpartum Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial, May 2015
Real-parent perspectives:
- Natalie Gontcharova, senior editor at The Bump and mom of one
- Cariann T., mom of two
Learn how we ensure the accuracy of our content through our editorial and medical review process.
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