The first few months adjusting to parenting life can come with many challenges. None more so than the stages your little one goes through developmentally and in health and wellness. One of the many struggles we see and hear about in our Kalma Baby yoga classes are parents facing hours of grueling crying and babies in discomfort largely due to colic or constipation. The two C words in the beginning of motherhood we come to dread. There are many benefits to babies practicing baby yoga daily however a huge benefit it to help prevent and ease both symptoms of colic and constipation.
Signs and symptoms of colic include:
- intense crying bouts
- crying in the late afternoon or evening that lasts several hours
- your baby’s face being red and flushed when they cry
- your baby clenching their fists, drawing their knees up to their tummy, or arching their back while crying
If your baby has colic, they may appear to be in distress. But the crying outbursts are not harmful, and your baby should continue to feed and gain weight normally. Colic tends to begin when a baby is a few weeks old. It normally stops by four months of age, or by six months at the latest.
What causes colic?
Colic can be caused by many attributes such as overfeeding, constipation, diarrhea, and too much wind in the bowel, indigestion, underdeveloped intestinal track, immature nervous system, or spasm of the gut. Colic can become worse if your baby is tired or tense. Baby Yoga can often help soothe colic symptoms and in some cases eliminate them completely by relieving tension throughout the body. You will notice a huge difference in your babies discomfort by using baby yoga or baby massage techniques learnt inside a class before and after every feed. It is also important to look after your own well being during this time as it can be difficult for parents.
Baby yoga helps to soothe effects as during the sessions various postures particularly with legs and hips help stimulate babies’ bodily systems. The digestive system in particular with stretches we perform with legs and hips. Poses such as gently bending your baby’s knees towards their chest in a marching action can help to relieve tummy tension, wind, colic and constipation. Often our gentle holds which include tiger in the tree whilst rocking is enough to soother baby through the difficult hours of crying. During a typical Kalma Baby Yoga session you will find a range of movements and postures to help colic and constipation which include tummy presses, marching, washer wheels, tiger in tree, slow walking and tummy massages. Most importantly you will the support from others inside of classes and if ever your worried medical advice should always be sought after.
To find your nearest class visit www.kalmalifeuk.co.uk