A serene image of a woman meditating, representing mental peace.

Postpartum Depression

Having a child is one of the most wonderful and life changing experiences one can go through. However, with that, many women experience postpartum depression, which can be hard on our mental health. If we think about this, while pregnant, a woman’s body pumps a significant amount of hormones to help the child grow and develop. During labor, the hormones hit a peak and naturally begin to crash postpartum. This may create major hormonal fluctuations and have an effect on the mood, emotions and even physical body. These bodily changes can make your postpartum journey much more difficult, and ultimately can cause postpartum depression.

Benefits of Yoga for Postpartum

Yoga can be a great practice to include in your postpartum journey and can help manage postpartum depression for several reasons:

  • Stress Reduction
  • Hormonal Balance
  • Physical Well-being
  • Mood Regulation
  • Mindfulness and Self-Awareness

Below are a series of yoga poses that can be incorporated into your daily routine to help with your postpartum yoga journey.

Yoga Poses to Help with Postpartum Depression

1. Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Woman resting in a restorative Child's Pose.

How to Get into this Pose:

  1. Start on all 4’s in a table top position.
  2. Open up your knees mat distance apart, and bring the big toes to touch, heels slightly apart.
  3. Begin to lower your hips down towards the heels.
  4. Extend your arms forward, walking your hands further out towards the top of your mat.
  5. Bring your chest and forehead as close to the ground as possible.
  6. Stay here for 8-10 deep breaths through the nose.

Modifications:

  • Place a rolled up blanket under your ankles for extra support.
  • Rest your hips on top of a bolster or a block.
  • Bring a bolster in front of you, and rest your chest on top.

2. Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana)

Woman in a seated Butterfly Pose, stretching the inner thighs.

How to Get into this Pose:

  1. Start in a comfortable seated position.
  2. Bring the palms of your feet together and interlace your fingers around your feet.
  3. Keep your back straight. On your inhale, lengthen through the back and as you exhale, begin to lower your chest towards the feet.
  4. Stay here for 10 breaths, deeply breathing in and out through the nose.

Modifications:

  • Place a block or pillow on either side of your knees for support.
  • Sit on a block or bolster for extra elevation of the hips.

3. Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)

Woman demonstrating Cat Pose, rounding the spine. Woman demonstrating Cow Pose, arching the back.

How to Get into this pose:

  1. Start in a table top position with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
  2. Take a deep inhale, draw your chin and gaze up, forming an arch with your belly (Cow Pose).
  3. On your exhale, curl your back and spine, draw the belly in and bring your gaze towards the belly (Cat Pose).
  4. Repeat this sequence 8-10 times using your breath.

4. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

Woman in a gentle Cobra Pose.

How to Get into this Pose:

  1. Start in a table top position and lower onto your belly.
  2. Bring your hands close to your ribcage, with your finger tips facing forward.
  3. Take a deep inhale, press into your palms and lift your chest up.
  4. Keep your shoulders relaxing down and away from the ears.
  5. Stay here for 8-10 deep breaths through the nose.

Modifications:

  • Keep your thighs on the ground.
  • Place a blanket under your pelvis for extra support.

5. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)

Woman in a Seated Forward Bend.

How to get into this pose:

  1. Start in a seated position with legs extended.
  2. Take a deep inhale, bring your arms up and as you exhale reach your arms forward.
  3. Try to keep your back straight, shoulder relaxed down, belly in.

Modifications:

  • Bend your knees as much as you need to.
  • Place a strap or rolled up towel on the arches of your feet.
  • Place a block or bolster under your hips for extra support.

6. Wide Legged Seated Forward Fold (Upavistha Konasana)

Woman in a Wide-Legged Seated Forward Fold.

How to get into this pose:

  1. Start in a comfortable seated position. Extend your legs out.
  2. Keep both feet flexed so that the toes are facing up.
  3. Take a deep inhale, lengthen your back, and on your exhale, either stay in an elevated position, or bring yourself onto your forearms.
  4. Stay here for 8-10 deep breaths.

Modifications:

  • Place a block or a pillow under your hips.
  • Extend only one leg out at a time.

7. Happy Baby (Ananda Balasana)

Woman in a relaxing Happy Baby pose.

How to Get into This Pose:

  1. Start by laying on your back, with your knees towards the chest.
  2. Reach for the outside of our feet with your hands.
  3. Open up the knees as wide as you can.
  4. Stay here for 10-15 breaths.

Modifications:

  • Grab one foot at a time for a half-happy baby.
  • Use a strap or towel on the arches of your feet.

8. Supported Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)

Woman in a Supported Bridge Pose with a yoga block.

How to Get into This Pose:

  1. Start on your back, with the soles of your feet on the floor.
  2. Take a deep inhale and while pressing your feet and palms into the mat, lift your hips up.
  3. Gently place a block under your sacrum.
  4. Stay here for 8-10 deep breaths.

Modifications:

  • Place a bolster under your back instead of a block.
  • Place your block horizontally for lower elevation.

9. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

Woman relaxing with legs up the wall.

How to Get into This Pose:

  1. Start with laying on your back.
  2. Lift up one leg at a time, and flex both feet towards the ceiling.
  3. Stay here for 10-15 deep breaths.

Modifications:

  • Place a block under your hips for extra elevation.
  • Place a rolled up towel or blanket under your head.

10. Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Woman resting in Corpse Pose.

How to Get into this Pose:

  1. Extend your legs out, allowing your ankles to rotate outward.
  2. Relax your arms by your side, with the palms facing up.
  3. Stay here for 8-10 deep breaths, focusing on completely relaxing.

Modifications:

  • Place a bolster or rolled up towel under your knees.
  • If you are experiencing back pain, bend your knees and keep the soles of your feet on the floor.

More on Postpartum Yoga

To learn more about postpartum yoga, feel free to check out our postpartum yoga blog. We also have a full Postpartum Yoga playlist on our YouTube channel with a variety of classes that are designed to help you navigate through your postpartum journey in a holistic and peaceful manner. To conclude, although everyone’s postpartum journey may differ, yoga is a great tool to help you navigate though this wonderful and at times, challenging journey.