Can You Do Hot Yoga While Breastfeeding?
After a stressful birth, breastfeeding is that moment when a mother feels content and peaceful. Nursing is also a way of bonding between a mother and child. Breastfeeding is essential for the health of both mother and child.
But, a natural process like breastfeeding can create many problems. If you are a new mom, you may experience severe back pain or discomfort on your neck and shoulder all the time.
Sometimes it is because of breastfeeding, as you have to sit in a certain posture for a very long time while breastfeeding.
Some gentle exercises and yoga can fix this problem. Practicing yoga after giving birth can have many benefits. Some yoga poses are very beneficial in increasing the flow and the quality of breast milk. New-age moms are more health-conscious than old-generation moms.
They love to keep their body in shape after birth as well. But the health of their baby is also a topic of concern. That’s why after childbirth, every new mom should consult their respective gynecologists if they should start their workout routine again.
Targeted Yoga Practice For Specific Goals
Some yoga poses are there that are famous for weight loss. One of them is ‘Hot Yoga’ or ‘BikramYoga.’ Naturally, after birth, new moms tend to choose these yoga poses to reduce the extra weight that they’ve gained during pregnancy.
As ‘hot yoga’ is one of the most effective yoga for weight loss, new mothers usually perform this to reduce weight. Hot yoga is intended to be done in a room with a high temperature. But is this yoga safe for a breastfeeding mom? Does this yoga affect the production of breast milk?
To help you know all these answers, in this article, we’ve thoroughly discussed hot yoga and if it is safe for a new mom to practice while nursing.
What Is Hot Yoga?
Hot Yoga is yoga that is performed in a humid room with high temperatures. Hot yoga is commonly known as ‘Bikram Yoga,’ though they are not the same. ‘Bikram Yoga’ is one type of hot yoga. This yoga has gained popularity in recent years.
To perform Bikram yoga, a room has to be of 105 F and 40% of humidity. The practice time of this yoga is 90 minutes. In contrast, you can do hot yoga at a higher than normal room temperature. In hot yoga, you don’t have to maintain any particular temperature. Hot yoga is a very traditional yogic form, and it has many benefits.
You can reduce your stress, improve your muscle flexibility and strength just by doing hot yoga. The poses of hot yoga vary from instructor to instructor. Hot yoga is less serious than Bikram Yoga. You have to practice Bikram Yoga in a quiet place. In contrast, you can enjoy some music while practicing hot yoga.
According to some experts, hot yoga is more effective than an intense workout because of the heat. Not only does hot yoga provide relaxation to the mind, but it also helps in improving the physical fitness of the practitioner.
Benefits Of Hot Yoga
Hot yoga is supposed to be performed in a room with high temperature and humidity. The heated environment may cause some problems for some people who are allergic to heat. But this yoga can give more benefits if it suits you. Doing hot yoga can be challenging, but the outcome is totally worth the pain. Hot yoga can be done while breastfeeding as well if it is done safely and correctly.
To clear your vision about hot yoga, let’s now talk about the benefits which you can get by doing hot yoga.
Flexible Muscle
It is a general fact for working out. Before exercising, you have to warm up your muscles. Otherwise, you can get injured while stretching. If you are in a hot yoga studio, the heat makes the warm-up process easier and faster.
In turn, it makes the stretching easier. Thus, the yoga practitioner can achieve great muscle flexibility. You can achieve great muscle flexibility and can control the muscle properly too.
Stress Reduction
Hot yoga is mainly popular for the reduction of stress. This yoga helps to calm your mind easily. Hot yoga can improve the quality of everyday life by giving you control over your behavior. This can make your social life easier.
Glowing Skin
Performing hot yoga causes a lot of sweating. It increases the oxygen circulation in your blood. This process helps to nourish your skin properly. You will have glowing skin in just a few weeks.
Burns Calories
When you do hot yoga, the heat helps to burn more calories. According to experts, you can burn the maximum level of calories just by doing hot yoga.
Sugar Control
Hot yoga reduces the circulation level of blood glucose in your blood. This yoga can effectively control your blood sugar more than any other exercise. Practice yoga regularly, and you will not have to worry about blood sugar in a few years.
Reduce Depression
Hot yoga can effectively reduce depression and relax your mind.
Does Hot Yoga Affect Milk Supply?
Every new mother thinks about the health of their baby before starting any exercises. You may come across some misconceptions regarding yoga. Some people believe that some yoga and exercises can actually affect breast milk.
But any proven clinical evidence is not there to support it. A mother can do mild exercises and yoga. Consequently, it will improve her health and lifestyle. A new mother can also do hot yoga. It will help them a lot to stay fit.
But before starting any exercise, every mother should consult with their gynecologists. It will ensure that you will not face any trouble.
Is It Safe To Do Hot Yoga Immediately After Giving Birth?
For various safety reasons, new mothers should not do hot yoga or any other yoga right after the child’s birth. After a child’s birth, all the pelvic muscles become weaker. In this condition, doing yoga or any other exercises can be harmful. Do not worry. After some months, you’ll get back all the strength; then, you can start doing hot yoga slowly.
Tips For Breastfeeding Mom’s
If you are a breastfeeding mom and about to start your physical exercise with hot yoga, these tips will definitely help you to stay safe from any problems.
Start Slowly
As we’ve discussed earlier, after giving birth to a child, your pelvic muscle gets weaker. So, it is recommended to start hot yoga or any other yoga after some months of your delivery. Hot yoga contains a series of yoga postures. Don’t try to ace it on the first day of your post-delivery session. Start slowly and steadily. Your body will take some time to get used to the hot yoga.
Drink Enough Water
It is important to stay hydrated when you are nursing your baby. Experts suggest every human should consume six to eight-ounce glasses of water every day to stay hydrated. When you do hot yoga, your body releases toxins through your sweat.
That’s why experts suggest drinking 2 cups of water more if you practice hot yoga while breastfeeding. You can also try drinking electrolyte water. It will help during the hot yoga session to stay hydrated properly.
Take Your Sweet Time During The Session
A breastfeeding mother can find the yoga postures difficult, as their breasts are full of milk. As a new mom, you can face difficulties while bending during this yoga. But don’t try to push yourself to do more. It can badly affect your health.
That’s why you should do the hot yoga routine in your own space after the delivery. Don’t worry; strength will eventually return to you. Just be patient and do the hot yoga at your own pace.
Listen To Your Body
Your body is the ultimate indicator of your lifestyle. Always try to listen to your body. A female body goes through an extreme transformation during pregnancy. After your child’s birth, your body will take some time to heal.
After completing the healing process, you’ll get signals from your body to start a workout like before. This healing process might take some time if the birth was complicated. That’s why it is important to listen to the signal of your body.
Consult Your Gynaecologist
Consulting your doctors is the most important thing to do before you start any exercise or yoga after the delivery. They can guide you properly in that matter. During pregnancy and childbirth, your body goes through an extreme change.
Most doctors suggest that you should wait at least one year before starting yoga. You can reduce this time if your delivery is uncomplicated. But before making any decisions regarding yoga and exercise, you must consult with your gynaecologist first.
Conclusion
Hot yoga is a very intense form of yoga. This yoga has many benefits for the human body. Not only does this yoga help to reduce stress, but it also helps to build a magnificent physique. As a new mom, you can also perform hot yoga with proper supervision.
Hot yoga will not affect the production of your breast milk. In contrast, hot yoga will improve your health by releasing all the toxins of your body through your breath and sweat. To practice hot yoga safely, you just have to follow some tips which are mentioned in the article.