Why on earth would I like to do this with my kid? Are they not active enough as it is?
We use yoga and movement to work with posture,
suppleness and mobility. These movements are fun and can be seen as a game which is useful as the crawler or toddler may not co-operate by lying still for a massage.
Encourage, do not force anything. Safe and gentle are the key words. It would be advisable to work with a teacher first, to be safe. If possible, massage your baby first to relax him.
So what do I do then?
The following movements work on different parts of the body. Take these movements very slow, let the child get used to them and ensure a feeling of safety all the time.
Support the child completely at all times and
do not jerk.
To open the hips and stretch the inner thighs sit the child in tailor posture (soles of the feet together). Put your arms under his arm, down the side of the waist and hold the feet.
Lift and swing from side to side. This also stretches the lower abdomen and is good for the colon, bladder and reproductive organs.
Back bends can be done by sitting on your haunches with the child on your lap with their back towards your tummy. Lean backwards gently opening the chest at the same time as the back bend.
Stand with the child's legs around your waist, tummies facing. Support the upper back with one hand and the head with the other. Gently lean forwards reducing the support.
And if the kid loves it and wants to get more adventurous? Some of them are real little gymnasts!
A more adventurous movement is to lie down on your back with your knees bent into your chest.
Lie the baby on your calves, tummy down facing you. Place your hands on the baby's back (at the waist) with your arms over the shoulders.
Straighten your legs upwards so the baby somersaults over your head (hold on tight!) and end up standing behind your head.
If they love being upside down and flipping over then try this.
Sit on your haunches with the child lying face up on your lap, her legs around your waist with head and shoulders leaning back over your knees.
Place your hands onto her shoulders, fingers pointing downwards. Kneel up, lifting her legs over her head while you support her by the shoulders.
She goes head-over-heals and ends up standing facing you. Do this slowly, and praise afterwards. This is a good back bend and teaches orientation in space.
I would like my kid to have good posture as I thing this is important for their health
Opening the shoulders is important for breathing and posture.
Try this swing but only a couple of times. Stand with baby standing in front of you. Hold firmly across the hands and wrists.
Lift his feet off the floor and gently swing for a couple of seconds. Don't jerk and don't hold for more than three or four swings. This opens the chest and elongates the spine.
Inverted postures reverse gravity and the blood flow in all organs.
Hold the baby's ankles firmly. Lift up until the baby is inverted with the hands and head on the floor.
If the baby lifts his head, roll it down onto it's tummy. If the baby curls his head under, roll it down onto the back.
All these movements must be done with utmost care while being gentle and taking into account how the baby is feeling.
At no time must there be any fast, jerky movement and the child must never be made to feel anxious. Build the movements into your play and make it fun.