After the birth of my first daughter, I felt like a stranger in my body. My pelvic floor seemed to have disappeared. Surely my insides were going to fall right out! Not true, of course, but the connection between mind and body is powerful—especially in new motherhood.
As a new mom, my body and my heart wanted the same thing: support! Postnatal yoga helped with both. My body grew stronger as I practiced yoga in the months following my daughter’s birth. Emotionally, postnatal yoga helped me feel balanced. Mindfully moving my body and breathing deeply put me in a better mood. Yoga helped me, and it can help you too!
Your health-care provider will generally give you the OK to begin practicing yoga about 6 weeks after giving birth vaginally, or 8 weeks if you birthed by Cesarean (C-section). Yoga poses like Bridge, Chair, and Seated Eagle can help support your body and bring more happiness into your day. Give them a try, and remember: you can make your practice feel complete by sitting still for 10 breaths before you begin, and lying down for at least 3 to 5 minutes when you’ve finished.
BRIDGE POSE opens your chest after all that time spent rounding forward to feed and cuddle baby.
HOW TO: On your back, position heels beneath knees and rest your arms by your side. Relax your neck. Inhale into your chest. Exhale and lift thighs and hips toward the ceiling. Point your tailbone toward your knees. Relax your buttocks. Gently lift pelvic floor. For more support, press elbows into the ground and place your hands at your low back. Take 8 breaths. To finish, remove your hands from your low back, slowly rolling down the length of your spine. Breathe as you go.
CHAIR POSE restores your pelvic floor while strengthening your legs.
HOW TO: Stand with your feet hip distance apart, toes forward. Keep knees over heels as you lower your hips. (If your heels rise, place a rolled towel underneath.) Aim your tailbone slightly toward the ground. Gently lift your collarbone. Lift your arms overhead, alongside your ears. Relax your shoulders. Lightly lift low belly and pelvic floor away from thighs. Start with a few breaths, and work up to 10 as you get stronger. To finish, exhale as you straighten your legs and slowly lower your arms.
SEATED EAGLE POSE unwinds your upper back as you round forward to soothe yourself.
HOW TO: Sit tall. Cross right knee deeply over your left. Draw heels toward hips. (For sensitive knees, loosely cross your legs, or open them into a gentle straddle.) Inhale, cross left elbow over right. Bending at the elbows, snuggle the backs of your hands together. Exhale and fold forward. Enjoy 5 slow breaths. To finish, inhale to sit up; exhale to unwind. Repeat on the other side.
Continue to nurse on-demand, about 4-6 times in 24 hours.
Babies may experience a growth spurt around 6 months of age and may feed more often.
Offer breast milk in a cup.
24-32 oz. per day of infant formula.
Offer formula in a cup.
Breast milk is the most important source of nutrition for your baby, even after you start offering solid foods.
Continue to nurse on-demand, 3 or more times per day.
16-24 oz. per day. Offer in a cup.
Feed solids with a spoon. Never put cereal in a bottle.
Continue nursing on-demand, at least 4 times in 24 hours.
If your baby seems less interested in nursing after you introduce solids, try nursing before you offer solids.
Offer breast milk in a cup.
24-32 oz. per day.
Offer formula in a cup.
4-8 Tbsp. per day.
Plain iron-fortified infant cereals.
Plain rice or pasta.
Baby crackers, small pieces of bread, or soft tortillas.
8-12 Tbsp. per day.
Plain cooked vegetables, mashed with a fork.
8-12 Tbsp. per day.
Peeled soft fruit in bite-size pieces.
Unsweetened canned fruit.
4-8 Tbsp. per day.
Finely ground, chopped, or diced meats, poultry, eggs, fish, or cooked mashed beans.
Cottage cheese or mild cheese.
Thinned, smooth peanut or nut butter.
Around 2-3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months of age, babies may experience a growth spurt when they feed more often.
As they grow babies can hold more milk, so feedings may become further apart and take less time.
To prevent choking, always hold your baby when feeding. Never prop up a bottle to feed.
Start offering whole milk when your baby is one year old.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and that breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months and beyond.
Wait to offer solid foods until your baby:
To prevent choking, always hold your baby when feeding. Never prop up a bottle to feed.
Try one new food at a time. Wait 5 days before trying another new food to watch for allergies. Food allergies may include wheezing, rash, or diarrhea.
Introduce peanut butter around 6 months. Spread a small, thin smear of peanut butter or nut butter thinly on a cracker. Watch your baby for any reaction for the next 2 hours.
Babies under one year should NOT have honey due to the risk of botulism. Also, babies should not have foods that can cause choking like nuts or whole grapes.
All babies are different. Talk with WIC or your baby’s healthcare provider about your baby’s needs.
Before teeth come in, wipe gums with a soft, clean wash cloth after each feeding, especially before bed.
Nurse your baby on-demand, at least 7-9 times in 24 hours.
When your baby starts teething, they may want to nurse more often.
25-45 oz in 24 hours.
Your baby needs about 4-6 oz of iron-fortified formula every 3-4 hours.
Your baby may start to feed on a schedule. Instead of focusing on fixed amounts, let your baby tell you when they have had enough.
Newborns have tiny tummies and need to be fed often. In the first few weeks, you may need to wake your baby to feed if they sleep longer than 4 hours.
Many babies are fussy during a growth spurt and will want to nurse longer and more often. This is called cluster feeding. This is your baby’s way of helping you increase your milk supply so that you can keep up with their needs. Remember, the more your baby nurses, the more milk your body makes.
Growth spurts can happen at any time, and every baby is different.
They often happen at these ages:
2 to 3 Weeks
6 Weeks
3 Months
6 Months
Breastfeed 8-12 times in 24 hours to help your newborn stay healthy.
Nurse on-demand and when your newborn shows signs of hunger, such as sucking on hands or smacking lips.
In the first few days, newborns need 2-3 oz. of iron-fortified infant formula every 3-4 hours.
By the end of the first month, your newborn needs about 4 oz. every 4 hours.
Feed on-demand and when your newborn shows signs of hunger.