Exercises To Do With Your Baby To Alleviate Depression

Childbirth brings up beautiful emotions in a mother; you could be fit by doing some post-delivery exercises along with your baby. Prescribed by
Lorna Balfour who has a special interest in wellbeing, pre and post pregnancy fitness, nutrition, and strength training, these light and regular exercises that can be done at home tone the body, calm the mind and alleviate depression.

Alleviate depression by doing these exercises with your baby: 

The Squat:

Holding your baby with both hands over your shoulders, keep your feet hip widths apart, with your toes pointing out 30 degrees. Next keep your heels on the ground, squat pushing the butt backward making sure to keep the spine aligned by pushing the chest up and shoulders back. Breathe in as you squat down and breathe out when you squat up ensuring to not squat further past your knees. Try repeating it 8-12 times; do 3 sets with 1 minute rest in-between. 

Alternate baby’s position with holding the baby at arm’s length and shoulder height and lift and lower with each squat.

This exercise alleviates depression and exercises the muscles in the front of the legs, butt, hamstrings and calf muscles. It stabilizes your body by exercising muscles in your abdomen and lower back.

Goddess Squat: 

This exercise is a slight variation of the squat, with a wider stance than a squat and uses the inner thigh muscles.  Done 8-12 times in 3 sets with a 1 minute rest between, In addition to the muscles exercised in squat, it also exercises the inner thigh muscles or adductors.

Heel raise:

Get to squat position and then raise both your heels as if you are going up onto the balls of your feet, inhaling when you rise and exhaling as you lower your heels to the ground. Done for a similar number of times and sets as squat, it exercises the calf muscles.

Butt clenches: 

This exercise helps exercise the butt muscles. Done with the baby on shoulders first stand upright and clench the butt muscles for 2 seconds; then relax them for an equal time. Repeat this exercise for 8-12 times.

Warrior Lunge: 

First stand with your legs apart with the front foot facing forward and the back foot turned 45 degrees. With the baby safely tucked on your shoulder and with hips square hold the pose for about 25 breaths. Next raise the front heel on every count making the pose a bit more challenging. Next switch legs and repeat the exercise.

This exercise works on the front and back of the legs and on the butt.  

Arm raise: 

This exercise helps to exercise the muscles of your back, arms, forearms and shoulders. First hold the baby in front of you with your elbows bent at 90 degrees. Then extend your arms above your head; make sure your elbows are not locked. Next lower your arms so that the baby is in line with your chest. Try to do this exercise 8-12 times in 3 sets with 1 minute rest in between each set.

Meditations:

This exercise that calms the nervous system and energizes the mind can be done either while feeding the baby or while seated in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and take your awareness to your lower abdomen muscles. Inhale to a count of 3 and exhale to a count of 6; while you inhale the belly should rise and the belly button should be drawn towards the spine on exhaling. Tone your tummy and mind by breathing in ‘I am calm’, and breathe out ‘I am centered’.

A final note; these exercises really help to tone the body muscles and the mind to alleviate post partum depression, but do consult your GP or medical professional before you start any exercise regime.

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