I just read according to Alice Christensen----founder of the American Yoga Association, that you shouldn't practice yoga asans while breast feeding your child. "Nursing Mothers: WE suggest that nursing mothers refrain from Yoga asans until their babies have been completely weaned. We believe that the hormonal changes brought about by Yoga asans are evident i the chemical composition of the mother's milk and are not suitable for the well-being of the child. Meditation and breath exercises are encouraged and may be practiced any time. "
From The American Yoga Association's Beginner's manual, page 23.
Could someone please advise me if this is correct or not. My daughter who practices Yoga faithfully as it's been a life saver---throughout the pregnancy will I'm sure, continue to practice while nursing the baby. NOW I'm reading she shouldn't. I realize there are all sorts of opinions out there, so could you all please give me yours, as I will be passing this on to her. Also according to this same author children under 16 shouldn't practice Yoga either. She's had her son doing some asans to combat ADD, he's 7......so what say you concerning this also. I'd really appreciate your opinions. thank you. *S*
From The American Yoga Association's Beginner's manual, page 23.
Could someone please advise me if this is correct or not. My daughter who practices Yoga faithfully as it's been a life saver---throughout the pregnancy will I'm sure, continue to practice while nursing the baby. NOW I'm reading she shouldn't. I realize there are all sorts of opinions out there, so could you all please give me yours, as I will be passing this on to her. Also according to this same author children under 16 shouldn't practice Yoga either. She's had her son doing some asans to combat ADD, he's 7......so what say you concerning this also. I'd really appreciate your opinions. thank you. *S*
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Re: Yoga While Breast Feeding
Sat, July 5, 2008 - 9:46 AMWell, I don't know how she'll breast feed while in head stand?
;)
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Re: Yoga While Breast Feeding
Sat, July 5, 2008 - 1:42 PMAlice Christensen sounds like another dumbshit american yoga teacher that doesn't know what she's talking about and is one multitudes of half wit minions promoting a sensibility that encourages people to build or reinforce a little spacebubble world filled with ignorance...but special feelings.
Only listen to yoga teachers with funny accents wandering around in a sheet because they of course are the master teachers who communicate directly with the gods by sticking their heads in the sand at the bottom of a cave in India, because that's where the gods are of course
~V~
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Re: Yoga While Breast Feeding
Sat, July 5, 2008 - 1:39 PMI say bs--women's hormones fluctuate throughout the month. Should they not do yoga? What about while pregnant? Hormones certainly fluctuate then.
And what evidence, specifically, what scientific studies, do they have to show that yoga has a huge impact on hormone levels? I do not know of any and would like to see them.
Do you know how many odd position, twisting, turning, bending, maneuvering, a mom does with an infant? How is doing cat/cow really any different than being on all fours playing with your child while on the floor?
There are plenty of men in the yoga community who think women shouldn't do yoga period. This suggestion sounds like it's coming from one of them. -
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Re: Yoga While Breast Feeding
Wed, July 16, 2008 - 8:34 AMYoga continues to be a personal practice. I'll agree with instructors who encourage individuals to work up to their own personal parameters. As Americans, we bristle under self-styled authorities who'd enforce their generalized rules on the rest of us... we are ALL, without exception, exceptional... and thus each of us has his own space within which to decide to do or not.
The impulse or urge to do yoga can come to a woman having her period, or carrying a child, or even nursing her child... this message from one's own inner Satt Guru should not be ignored. .... and yoga, I'll remind you, is not limited to the swift dynamic vinyasa of power asanas... yoga also has its subtle gentle side as well. -
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Re: Yoga While Breast Feeding
Wed, July 16, 2008 - 10:06 AMYoga was such an emotional benefit to my daughter before the pregnancy and during-----I think it would continue to be a positive experience after as well, which in turn would benefit the child. AND I agree totally, it can be extremely beneficial to seek advice from those who possess more knowledge than you do concerning Yoga or most anything, however, the initial decision must come from within as we are uniquely made. And even though we might take missteps that too is part of the experience....... -
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Re: Yoga While Breast Feeding
Wed, July 16, 2008 - 2:32 PMYeah...
and any John or Jane Q Public with a credit card and some spare time can get certified to be a yoga instructor.
I'm not sure that implies or reflects a history of knowledge, much less wisdom.
But we find our lessons and our teachers where we do.
~V~ -
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Re: Yoga While Breast Feeding
Wed, July 16, 2008 - 4:27 PMI agree, what you read is total misinformation!
She, the baby and her family will be washed with the sweet benefits of yoga.
Listen to the body and inner guidance for the truth.
Be well.
E
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Re: Yoga While Breast Feeding
Sat, July 19, 2008 - 11:13 AMI agree that women shouldn't practice asanas while breast feeding, because the nursing child would throw off the mother's balance and could prove to be a distraction as well. I'm afraid I don't know anyting about hormonal changes but, being a man, I am definitely against women doing asanas while breast feeding, as this could be injurious to the child. Thus it is written..Women must wait until the child is fed before practicing asanas. Meditation and breathing exercises are OK, though.
Sam -
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Re: Yoga While Breast Feeding
Wed, July 23, 2008 - 8:16 AMOh my - of course do not do asanas while literally holding a baby at the breast - I interpreted this question to be about practicing asanas during the 6 - 12- 18- however many months of being a breastfeeding mother... and the answer is YES you can practice during that time period. -
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Re: Yoga While Breast Feeding
Wed, July 23, 2008 - 9:09 AMFrom the orginal post:
"... suggest that nursing mothers refrain from Yoga asans until their babies have been completely weaned. We believe that the hormonal changes brought about by Yoga asans are evident i the chemical composition of the mother's milk and are not suitable for the well-being of the child. ..."
This thinking is not correct. In general it would apply to all of pregnancy and all of life.
The hormonal changes from reasonable asana practice are good for us. In some ways they are like exercise.
All movement will cause hormonal changes and if done in a reasonable way will benifit us.
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Re: Yoga While Breast Feeding
Thu, July 24, 2008 - 11:50 PMOkay, I actually joined this forum just to reply to this: I do yoga with my 2 1/2 year old daughter, who is still breast-feeding, and she will often come up and try to nurse when I'm in different postures. It's literally the only time she will besides bedtime, and I find it amusing: I wonder if she just wants to get in the middle of all that good energy? I don't advocate it as a practice, it can be quite distracting and basically puts an end to the posture, but I think it's all part of life and gets her initiated into the joys of yoga. As for her health, she's only been sick (and then only with a cold) twice in her life thus far, so I can't imagine that the yoga has hurt her in any way. Kudos to your daughter for wanting to do both: breastfeeding and yoga are both part of being a healthy and loving mom!
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Re: Yoga While Breast Feeding
Wed, July 23, 2008 - 10:06 AMI don't see how this makes any sense at all -- yoga is wonderful and advised during pregnancy, when the baby is *inside* the mother. Why is there some big difference once the baby is born and nursing?
Your daughter is going to be fine, and she should certainly continue her yoga practice as long as it's doing her good. I know plenty of women who did yoga both before and after the birth of their children, and they had beautiful, healthy babies.
