What happens during a baby yoga class?

Each Love Baby Yoga baby yoga class begins with a 'dry' massage over the baby's clothes to communicate to the baby that we are about to begin. The parent or carer uses this time to establish eye contact and to begin to tune into their baby's cues.

Follow your baby's lead

The class then progresses with each adult using the lesson to follow their baby's lead letting them communicate to the adult whether to slow down, speed up, stop and look around, or to continue. The babies are never forced to do something they don't feel like doing and if they are tired we let them rest and if they are hungry they are fed.

Lying and seated baby yoga positions

The first hip sequences are usually performed with the babies lying on their backs between the seated adult's outstretched legs. The adults sing songs and rhymes to accompany the yoga movements, watching all the while to see what their baby enjoys and if they are happy to remain in the supine position. If not the adult will move the baby to sit on their lap or over their knee so that they are able to see what is going on and still be able to continue the movements from an alternative position.

Standing baby yoga postures

After the lying/ seated positions the class usually moves onto standing postures encouraging parents to try different lifts and holds with their baby. Benefits for different holds are pointed out and the parent watches to see which their baby is most happy in. Songs are sung while the parents swing, lift and whoosh their babies into the more dynamic baby yoga moves.

Dynamic finish and relaxation

The class will continue to include upper chest movements with the babies sitting on their parents laps, prone moves such as the 'rollercoaster', partner work with baby's facing each other, adult core strengthening moves such as 'flying babies' and always concluding with either a standing, seated or lying joint relaxation for parent and baby dependant upon the individual baby's cues. There is always time left at the end of each class for discussion and to make new friendships.