Experts around the world agree that babies need sensory stimulation for healthy growth. But there is an ever-growing controversy about what the sources of stimulation should be and how much. For example, how much ‘screen time’ should babies and children receive, if any? Parents of every race, tribe, and social class will disagree and everyone will have a personal line of acceptance.
In some cultures, like Botswana, babies traditionally receive very little stimulation during the first weeks after birth. Visitors and activities are kept to a minimum and babies remain inside the home. By contrast, in America and Europe, babies are surrounded by toys designed to stimulate their senses from birth with an abundance of primary colours and noises.
Baby Yoga is a balanced source of sensory stimulation. It takes the regular time babies have with you to a more lively version of life. It is just you and your baby, connecting through movement and music.
She’ll see your face draw near then far as you move. You’ll connect through sound as you sing gentle songs to her, and bond through gentle touch as you ease her into simple stretches while also doing some yourself.
In a SensoNana class featuring baby yoga, parents will get gentle exercise that focuses on connecting you with your breath and releasing the tension you’ve brought in with you. Each week the exercise will change as we go through a hatha yoga based sequence of poses. Particular focus will be given to the abs, hips, arms and shoulders as they get so tired from carrying your baby. Integrated throughout the class will be segments for your baby, where you’ll connect to your baby through touch and stimulate all your baby’s bodily systems, including the digestive and nervous systems.
Babies get their emotions from us; they pick up what we’re feeling and model us in their tiny bodies. Yoga will enable you to experience your world through all of your senses so that you feel calm and comfortable. Your baby will thus feel settled too.
By giving your baby such high quality attention she will learn to trust you even more. All while you get a nice relaxation designed to help you cope with the stresses of parenting.