Soothing baby yoga classes (AD)

Elsie and I were kindly invited to attend a course of soothing baby yoga classes in exchange for an honest review*.

I haven’t really practised yoga before but after a quick chat with owner and instructor Clare I knew Elsie and I were in good hands.

Clare runs a range of classes across Tyneside and south Northumberland.

Each course is designed to be accessible for all, whether this is your first time at yoga or you’ve attended courses before.

Soothing baby yoga is suitable for babies from 12 weeks old until they start crawling/moving and is a natural progression from infant massage.

Birthlight pioneered what is now known as ‘baby yoga’ as an inclusive set of practices to enhance playful interaction and communication between parent and baby and to promote their healthy development.

Clare is a qualified Birthlight instructor who guides parents and carers through a range of gentle movement and touch exercises.

The sessions are small and really personal with both mam and baby in mind.

We each have our own yoga mat and cushions and once we’re settled Clare puts our name cards out so we can all see each mam and baby’s name.

Clare’s aim is to ensure babies are relaxed and not over stimulated.

The mats we use are turned upside down so they are plain and therefore less distracting and simulating for babies.

Before we start our warm up movements we go round the circle and introduce ourselves and our baby, how old little one is and we chat through whatever we want – something positive from the past week, something perhaps we’re struggling with or to ask for some advice.

I really like this introduction to each session as I feel like we’ve all been able to get to know each other better.

At other baby classes we’ve attended I never got to know other mam’s names and it didn’t feel quite so inclusive.

Clare really makes everybody feel welcome and included and you do the moves and stretches at your own pace and ability.

There’s absolutely no pressure on you or your baby to take part in everything.

The stretches and mindfulness techniques are something I am also doing at home myself to strengthen my core, improve my pelvic floor and to relax.

Clare has also shown us techniques to pick up your baby that puts less pressure on your back which I’ve found really helpful.

In the latter stage of the session we do our relaxation techniques which is an opportunity to unwind and empty your mind while soothing and calming baby too.

Elsie enjoys the songs, massages and one to one interaction she gets from me during the sessions.

The movements and stretches are gentle but you still feel a benefit from them – designed with post natal bodies in mind.

Elsie and I have really enjoyed our sessions and I feel like we’ve both gotten so much out of it.

I would absolutely recommend Clare’s soothing baby yoga classes, you and baby will get so much out of the sessions and it’s been one of the genuine highlights of our week.

We enjoyed soothing baby yoga so much we’re actually signing up to do another course with Clare.

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What are the benefits of soothing baby yoga classes?

Baby yoga helps to attune you to your baby’s needs and to calm or stimulate them as appropriate while also giving them a sense of security and well-being.

It is beneficial for all babies.

You don’t have to be a yoga expert yourself to get started with your baby.

From birth babies respond positively to the stimulation of movement and touch together.

The soothing baby yoga sessions include a wide range of different practices that can be combined to suit the needs of each baby, the course includes:

• gentle body strokes similar to baby massage but performed on top of clothing, a dry massage without oils to warm up baby
• Yoga moves adopted for babies – mini twists, mini stretches, upper and lower body movements, diagonal movements.
• A combination of postnatal yoga and baby yoga for new mams
• Playful moves with rhymes and songs
• Transitional practices to develop head control, sitting, crawling, standing and balance
• Joint parent and baby relaxation – waking relaxation, instant relaxation, relaxation to sleep and feeding relaxation

Baby yoga offers quality physical stimulation that has become essential in our urban sedentary lifestyle.

Babies spend a lot of time strapped in car seats and pushchairs, even just five minutes of baby yoga provides gentle stretches and benefits to encourage a healthy lifestyle.

Baby yoga can be practised instantly anywhere at any time and generates a joyful interaction for baby.

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About Clare

Clare is a highly qualified, experienced and friendly instructor who runs courses in infant massage, and yoga classes for children aged from babies right through to young adults.

She is a Certified Infant Massage Instructor (CIMI), qualifying with the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM) in 2010.

Clare has practised yoga for many years so training to teach baby yoga was the natural progression.

She is also qualified in moving baby yoga and toddler yoga (Birthlight); as well as children’s and teen yoga (Calm for Kids/Teen Yoga)

Clare teaches baby massage sessions, baby and toddler yoga and children’s yoga in the community, as well as teaching pre-school yoga at a number of nursery/pre-school settings in Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside and Northumberland.

Clare also teaches children’s yoga at local after-school and holiday clubs.

You can follow Clare on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Visit her website for more information on the classes Clare runs.

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*Disclaimer

This review has been written with 100% honesty.

I was not financially compensated for this post. I was invited to attend a course of sessions in return for an honest review.  The opinions expressed in this post are completely my own based on my own experience.

If you would like your company/service featured on rachaelstray.com either in the form of review, sponsored post or an advertising slot, please feel free to contact me at rachaelstray@gmail.com

Please visit my contact/work with me page for more information.

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