Parenting is always challenging but 2020 has been a whole new ball game. I send out my love to the mothers who had babies this year, especially if it was your first. Mother’s groups providing support from other mothers and nurses, were cancelled due to COVID 19. Then the lock downs prevented family and friends from visiting and providing vital help would have made those first months really tough! When you are stuck at home with children with or without COVID 19 what can you do to instantly relieve some of that stress?!

Massage in the home

I have been seeing a lot of Mummies recently for a massage in their homes. We often hold stress in our shoulders and necks which can be easily massaged out. Pain and the ability to remain calm is worse with stress. Relaxing music, aromatherapy oils and the luxury of not having to leave your home has really helped a lot of my Mummies. I invite you to book one too!

“I have been seeing a lot of Mummies recently for a massage in their homes. ”

Holiday day dreams

This time last year my family and I were blessed to be on a tropical holiday to refresh from the long winter. We couldn’t do that this year, when we really needed one. We were really looking forward to a camping trip on the recent long weekend instead. However that was a complete disaster! With 40km/hr winds keeping us awake the first night, a 5 hour return trip back to Adelaide on Saturday night to go to A&E with a suspected clot, then the next day blessed us with torrential rains (40ml which is almost Adelaide’s annual rainfall) on Sunday which saturated our tent so badly we opted to leave it behind and drive home without it! Relaxation objective achieved. Project relaxation: fail.

“As a mother I now get stressed washing and blow drying my hair because those minutes seem to go forever”

Daydreams of 5 minutes peace

As a mother, you can’t spend 1 minute on the loo without interruptions, As a mother I now get stressed washing and blow drying my hair because those minutes seem to go forever. I never felt this before kids!

The resort last year offered meditation classes overlooking the sea. Epitome of heaven right? No. Standing, sitting then lying still for 45 minutes with no music, no calming words or yoga moves to make me feel like I was making the most of my time, was mentally one of the toughest exercises I have ever had to do. I am optimistic, grateful, able to live in the present, but to do nothing, when time as a mother is now so precious, was so hard.

“When I have no time but I am stressed, I do just 5 minutes of yoga and feel much better.”

Yoga

What calms me far more, and is a regular practice for me now, is Yoga. When I have no time but I am stressed, I do just 5 minutes of yoga and feel much better. If I have more time I will practice for up to an hour which can provide these benefits:

Benefits of yoga

Reduce stress for mental wellbeing and the ability to parent better
Stretching tight muscles
Strengthening muscles
Align the body and joints
Prevent and treat pains and tightness

Benefits of children doing yoga

maintain their joyous natural flexibility
calm their minds to hopefully reduce tantrums
promote good sleep
check out YouTube for some children’s themed yoga

Causes of muscle tightness with parenting

When parenting, especially a new born, we do a lot of sitting, nursing our baby. We also naturally round our shoulders to breast feed or cuddle our babies. If breast feeding is painful we often lift our shoulders in apprehension of the pain. Alternatively we may stand with arched backs to hold or lift our babies. As a result we can end up with stiff muscles and joints and resultant pain.

5 minute yoga video

Here are a few common yoga moves that I do regularly to quickly destress and to target those common parenting stiff muscles and joints. Note: Forgive the Mummy brain but I forgot to do the salute to the sun to stretch the hip flexors on the left side so please add that in if you follow the video!

Exercise tips from a physiotherapist

COVID 19 has at times closed gyms so more people are exercising at home but you do have to be careful about new exercise you have not had individual guidance on. I have been doing YouTube aerobics and yoga but this can be fraught with disaster. If, like many, you who don’t have good body awareness or technique knowledge, you can do exercises incorrectly and end up doing an injury. Ordinarily I would advise getting a good instructor until you know what you’re doing or at least pay close attention to your form and build up slowly.
Listen to your body. If something hurts, stop. Don’t push through pain.
Breathe- exhaling can help to increase the stretch. Deep breath to support your body and enhance relaxation- see my blog Could vanity be giving you neck and back pain? on tips on how to breath properly.
As a new Mummy, ligaments are still lax in the first 6 weeks so take care to not over stretch. Standing on one leg may also compromise your lax pelvis in this time so stand on two feet when exercising.
If you have a prolapse avoid deep wide squatting (as well as jumping, star jumps and running) until you seek advice from your Obstetrician, Gynaecologist or Women’s health Physiotherapist.
Read my blog on relaxation techniques which hold no risk at all and are easy to do in your own home.

Summary

Parenting is hard but COVID 19 has made it especially challenging.
5 minutes of yoga is all you need to re centre your inner calm to continue being the best parent you can be.
Yoga can help prevent and treat tight muscles and joints that result from nuturing your child.
Take out time for you because you deserve it!

Melli Tilbrook is the Director and Physiotherapist of Mummyotherapy and also works at Milkwood Studios, Tusmore

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5 minute yoga for busy Mummies