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14 Inspiring Yoga Mamas to Follow

14 Yoga Mamas to Follow | SpoiledYogi.com

I recently wrote about how much I rely on my mom friends. In those moments when I’m about to lose it, I am SO lucky to have several moms who will (usually) answer my desperate texts. Even though I know I can lean on my closest friends when I need encouragement, advice, or support, there are still times I don’t want to bother them. Like when I’ve been trying for two hours (!) to get my daughter to sleep and I know they’re in the trenches, too, with their own little ones. In those moments, I maintain my sanity (and I use that word loosely) by looking for inspiration and strength wherever I can find it. That’s when I turn to the yoga mamas of the Internet who post their own struggles, advice, amazing photographs, and funny stories on their blogs and social media channels.

I learn tons from the yoga mamas I follow. The following list is a simple overview of where I get my inspiration when I need it the most. I’m sharing because know you’ll be inspired by them, too.

Please note that this is not a ranked list, and it’s in no particular order. I’m not claiming that these are the BEST yoga mamas on the Internet (just the ones I find myself checking in with over and over). I don’t really believe it’s possible to rank people in that way. We are all so different, and I don’t think that comparing ourselves to other moms (or comparing other moms to each other) is at all productive. What IS productive, on the other hand, is sharing stories, struggles, inspiration, and wisdom—something all of the women on this list do beautifully!

14 Inspiring Yoga Mamas to Follow

1. Elena Brower

Elena Brower | Yoga Mamas to Follow | SpoiledYogi.com

Photo by Pete Longworth

Elena Brower is one of the most respected yoga teachers there are out there. She has SO many things that make her stand out from the pack—including her background in design, training in life coaching, and extensive meditation training. She’s owned an incredibly popular yoga studio in New York City, has been a successful entrepreneur, and is an award-winning author. All of these things are worth bragging about, but what does the first word of her bio? Mama. Yes, she wears many hats, but mama is the one she puts first. My personal experience with her confirms this: I interviewed her a couple years ago for an article I was writing for Yoga Journal, and when my editors asked me to contact her again with more questions she was in the middle of packing up to leave on a family trip with her son. I can tell you that she has perfected the art of lovingly saying NO. To me, it doesn’t get much more inspiring than that.

Read more about her at ElenaBrower.com, follow her on Instagram, practice with her on YogaGlo.

2. Laura Kasperzak

Laura Skykora | Yoga Mamas to Follow | SpoiledYogi.com

Photo by David Tufino

Admitting this makes me feel way behind on the times, but I first learned about Laura when the New York Times featured her and a few other Instagram yogis. I was late to the Instagram party, and completely amazed that someone could have as much success as Laura by simply taking photos of herself daily. Of course, when I started following along a little more closely, I quickly saw the appeal. Her photos are stunning (and so is her yoga practice). But what is most inspiring isn’t the advanced inversions (she certainly rocks them!), but the sweet photos of her with her kids. Whenever I feel lazy and think of skipping my practice because, well, mothering is hard work, I take a look at her photos to remind myself that it is possible to practice with kids (sometimes even with them climbing all over you). If she can do it, I can do it.. and so can you!

Find Laura on Instagram, LauraSykora.com, or her site (which she founded with another inspiring yoga mama, ) TwoFitMoms.com.

3. Stephanie Snyder

When I was pregnant with my daughter, Stephanie Snyder was also pregnant—just a few months ahead of me. So, I depended on her online yoga videos to both keep me moving, but also for guidance and encouragement for the entirety of my pregnancy and the postpartum days. She’s a strong asana practitioner and her classes are physically challenging, so I loved that her prenatal videos often involved plenty of movement (something I craved). But Stephanie also helped me realize that it was OK for me to slow down and rest more… after all, if Stephanie Snyder was taking it easy during her pregnancy, I knew it was OK for me to, as well. Now that her kids are a little older, I love checking in with her social media accounts for little glimpses into what her practice is like with two young boys.

Follow her on Instagram, practice with her on YogaGlo, watch her TedTalk, and visit her at StephanieSnyder.com.

4. Janet Stone

Janet Stone | Yoga Mamas to Follow | SpoiledYogi.com

Photo by Jennifer Macniven

Janet Stone is the ultimate yoga mama—there’s something incredibly soothing and maternal about her voice and her presence (both in her classes I used to take with her when I lived in the San Francisco area and her online presence). She’s also collaborating with Yoga Journal on an online training called Yoga for Moms. I love that she often reminds mamas that they have to fight for their personal practice, or, as she says in the video below, “get a little fierce” to protect that time you make for yourself. People think of a home yoga practice as this serene, mellow experience, but when you’re a mom, you sometimes have to defend your right to a few minutes alone. You have to be consistent. You have to mean business. You have to make it a priority no matter what. And you have to remember that both you AND your family will benefit so much from that discipline. Janet is living proof of that.

Follow her on Instagram, Facebook, or visit JanetStoneYoga.com.

5. Gigi Yogini (aka Brigitte Kouba)

I’ve admired Gigi Yogini from a distance for years—she’s been a strong voice for positive body image within the yoga community and she’s all about helping women be more confident. I also love her positive affirmations she posts on Mantra Monday. So, when I recently saw through her Facebook page that she’s expecting—and twins!—I was so excited because I knew she’d bring her message of body positivity to a lot of pregnant and new mamas, too. I was totally right (and I love being right!). Her message to love your body (especially a pregnant body) shines through in her posts:

“I’ve always identified as being curvy, but now that I have two babies growing in my belly, my curves are on fleek! ? My thighs are thicker, my bum is bigger, my chest is swollen, and I’ve got a beach ball sized midsection! ? But rather than being embarrassed or ashamed of my weight gain, I’m loving every inch of myself because I know that in just a few months, my body will change – AGAIN! ?So this weekend I went to the beach and strutted my stuff in a bikini. ? I got some big smiles and winks, as if people were silently saying: “GO GIRL!” ? There’s no better time than the present to cultivate confidence and practice self love!”

Want to follow along? She created a special section on her website and a prenatal yoga email newsletter, which you can sign up for here, visit her webpage, Gigiyogini.com, or follow her on Instagram.

6. Andrea Ferretti

If you love good writing, clear and easy-to-understand asana descriptions, and a sense of humor, you’ll love everything this woman has her hands on. Andrea is a seasoned editor who spent many years editing in different departments at Yoga Journal magazine, so she knows a thing or two about yoga. As the mother of a 3-year-old, she also knows a thing or two about balancing career, family, and making time for herself, too, something she blogs about often as the editor of Jason Crandell’s blog. (Did I mention she is also married to Jason Crandell? They’re pretty much the cutest yoga pair ever.. Of course, I adore them both so I might be a little bit biased.) Andrea also still contributes to Yoga Journal and Rodale’s Organic Life—find her there or follow her on Instagram.

7. Liz Vartanian

What is it REALLY like to be a yoga mama? Well, if you ask Liz Vartanian, a yoga teacher and blogger who lives in Austin, TX with her two boys under 4, it involves a lot of coffee. Coffee and trains and deep breathing and messy hair and, well, actually being a yoga mama is like being any other kind of mama except you sneak in a few more stretches and maybe you are a little less likely to fall on your face when you trip over the toys because you practice standing balance poses so often. Life balance? Well, that’s a little harder. I absolutely adore Liz because she tells it like it is and she’s not afraid to bare her soul on her blog and social channels.

Read her blog, follow her on Instagram, and read her Mindful Mama interview right here on Spoiled Yogi.

8. Nancy Alder

Before I even thought about having a kid, Nancy, who blogs at Flying Yogini, was writing about what it was like to be a yoga mama. She calls her kids elves, which I think is so much cooler than other kid nicknames (seriously, if you call your human child a muffin or a monkey, we can’t be friends). She’s a great source for a new mama who is learning the ropes. In addition to teaching yoga and writing for her blog, Nancy writes about all things yoga and parentings for Annapurna Living, and is an editor for Mantra: Yoga + Health magazine. But of all the things she manages to juggle, the thing I find most inspiring is her ability to keep sense of humor. She reminds me to go with the flow and do my own thing, no matter how many dirty looks I get from other people at the grocery store or the park.

Read her blog and follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

9. Jennifer Williams-Fields

Jennifer Williams-Fields is a mama of six who wrote about her struggles with depression in her recent book Creating a Joyful Life: The Lessons I Learned from Yoga and My Mom. In the book she shares a ton of tips and helpful advice she drew from her yoga practice (and, of course, her mom) that helped her dig herself out of a depression and live the life she always wanted to live. Her book is a great read—it’s one of those books that makes me want to get up off my butt and get to work because, after all, if she can be so brave, show up, and do the work to improve her life with SIX kids… I can sure as heck do it with one.

Visit her at JenniferWilliamsFields.com, follow her on Facebook, and read her Mindful Mama interview here on Spoiled Yogi.

10. Stephanie Birch

Stephanie Birch is a talented yoga teacher who teaches in Sacramento and online on Youtube and the new yoga video subscription website, one0eight.com. She’s probably most visible, however, through the amazing photographs she shares on Instagram. Her photos are absolutely stunning (her Instagram account might be my favorite of all—and, as I’m sure you now, there are a LOT of yogis on Instagram!). Truthfully, it’s hard for me to put my finger on why. I think it’s the perfect mix of amazing light, beautiful poses, and the adorable way she incorporates her little one into the shots every now and then. She’s also a gifted writer. She often tackles not just yoga poses, but how it informs her decisions as a parent. To me, there is nothing more beautiful.

Follow her on Instagram or visit her website Stephynow.com.

11. Peg Mulqueen – The Ashtanga Dispatch

There are mamas who I follow because I identify with them and they help me feel better about being human. Then, there are the mamas I follow because they’ve been there and they offer so much wisdom and perspective on life. Peg Mulqueen is definitely someone I look up to for her wisdom. Compared to some of the other mamas on this list, she doesn’t even talk about parenting and motherhood all that much. But when she does… it’s smart, thought-provoking, and amazing (you’d expect no less if you’ve ever listened to her podcast The Ashtanga Dispatch or watched Peg on Periscope).

Here’s a gem that really caught my attention, which she posted up to Instagram last month:

“It’s kind of like our yoga practice. And I mean this. You want to wake up each morning, with a steady devotion. Some days, you’ll feel like you’ve “nailed it!” and sometimes, you failed it. But most of the time, it will just be you – getting up each morning, devoted to the practice of being a mum – and not knowing if you did either. Just knowing you did your best … We have to trust the process. It’s easy to do when it seems to be working. Easy to stay steady when we see the results we want. But it’s the rest of the time that really makes the difference. Stay faithful to the process and open to what’s to come. I guess that’s my best advice.”

I edited, but it really is worth reading the rest of her words here.

12. Mandy Wozniak

Mandy is a dear friend of mine—and she’s one of the first mom friends I ever made. I have learned so much from that relationship. She’s a mother of four, an amazing yoga teacher, and her blog, Yoga Addicted, meshes all of that together in a way that is as entertaining as it is wise. I feel incredibly lucky that I’ve been able to pick her brain in person during our kids’ play dates at the park. Since you most likely don’t have that luxury, you’ll have to glean all of her laid-back mama insights through her blog, which you might not have heard about because she spends more time doing her thing than she does promoting her work. But that’s one of the things that makes her more endearing and definitely more relatable for me—she gets it. She understands the struggle for balance, and she still takes it all in stride.

You’re going to want to go follow along with Mandy’s blog right now at YogaAddiction.blogspot.com. You can thank me later.

13. Desiree Rumbaugh

Desiree Rumbaugh is a phenomenal yoga teacher. Most people know her for her ability to explain concepts from her years of deep study in the Anusara and Iyengar Yoga traditions in a way that most yoga students can understand, relate to, and easily put into practice. She makes it light and fun, too, something that the most serious yoga teachers sometimes seem to find particularly challenging. While I definitely appreciate her teachings, it’s her personal stories that I find the most moving. Desiree often writes about being a mother, her relationship with her daughter (who recently got married and is expecting a child—Desiree’s first grandchild!), and reflects on the lessons she’s learned along the way. Sometimes those lessons have something to do with a yoga concept and sometimes she’s just being real and sharing her heart, which makes me love her even more.

Click on over to her website and read Two Courageous and Empowering Things You Can Do as a Parent.

14. Jennifer Pastiloff

Jennifer Pastiloff | Yoga Mamas to Follow | SpoiledYogi.com

Photo by T. Chick McClure

I first heard of Jennifer Pastiloff when she was in the news for creating a Karaoke yoga class—how fun is that? I called her to chat about it for an article, and I was struck by how incredibly warm and sweet she was. I dug a little deeper and discovered that she’s an avid writer and founder of the popular website, Manifest-station and leads writing and yoga retreats. And I LOVE that she does workshops for girls ages 13 and up called “Girl Power: You Are Enough,” we ALL need to hear that message, but teenagers could benefit so much. I’ve been admiring her work from afar for a while. Now that she’s pregnant, I love checking in to her social media feeds to see what she’s up to and her thoughts on the pregnancy. She sums it up beautifully here: “Sometimes we know 100% what we want. Sometimes we don’t get what we want. Life is messy. Letting it be is one of the most profound lessons of my life. With this, that’s exactly what I’m doing. Because the truth is—we think we have control of so much when we actually have control over so so little. Trust more today. Let it be. Tell ‘should’ to fuck off. Mostly don’t be an asshole. Especially to yourself!” I couldn’t have said it better myself!

Follow Jennifer on Instagram.

Pregnancy Perks: The Best Thing about Being Pregnant

I teach a prenatal yoga class weekly in the Charleston, SC area, and we start every class with some type of ice breaker question. These short conversations are my favorite part of class because there are so many things that the pregnant mamas laugh about together, heads nod, and there’s a chorus of “ME, TOO!” with almost every new point. I’m smiling just thinking about the relationships that are made during that first 5 or 10 minutes of class. But, as you can imagine, we end up sharing a lot about aches and pains, challenges, and general annoyances that come along with being pregnant. I think it’s good to get those things out in the open and for the mamas to realize that they are SO not alone… but I also am a firm believer in the power of thought. I believe you manifest the things you think about the most (whether you mean to or not). I never want the focus of a class to be on the negative aspects of being pregnant, but rather on the power, the magic, the holy-shit-there-are-TWO-hearts-beating-inside-my-body-right-now-how-cool-is-that? realizations, the pregnancy perks. So, I make sure to ask a few questions that cause the mamas to stop and reflect on the completely awe-inspiring miracle taking place in their bodies instead.

See also Find Your Mama Mantra

My very favorite such question is so simple: What’s the BEST thing about being pregnant?

My own answer is always the many surprises that came along with pregnancy… Will there be one line or two on the pregnancy test? Oh, my goodness, I didn’t know it would look like a BEAN! Is it a boy or a girl? Where will I be and what will I be doing when I finally go into labor? There are so many surprises to look forward to when you’re expecting. AND someone else has to clean the cat box out, which is a huge bonus.

I get some great answers from mamas every time I ask that run the gamut.

I finally have BOOBS! Everyone smiles at you. People get up and give you a seat. The expecting mother parking spaces.

Yaaaaasssss!

There Really Are a Lot of Pregnancy Perks

But the last time I asked this question of my prenatal yoga class, one mom-to-be gave an answer that struck me as so profound and beautiful, I just had to share.

I’m paraphrasing here, but the general idea was:

I am more confident in my body than ever before. I’ve always been a little bit self conscious about my tummy, and this is the first time in my life that it’s a GOOD thing for it to be big and round. I’m not trying to hide it. I’m not worrying about what I eat as much. When I want a treat, I eat it. It’s been a liberating.

For a moment, I was speechless (and if you’ve ever taken one of my yoga classes, you know I have a hard time NOT running my mouth the whole time). This is not the conversation we’re used to hearing about a woman’s body during pregnancy. I imagine most think of pregnant women as being uncomfortable with their changing bodies—the extra weight, the shifting center of gravity, the pregnancy waddle (which, by the way, I think is the most adorable thing in the world!). But I completely related to her words. I remember feeling a lot more confident when I was pregnant—I mean, how could I not? So many people treat you like you’re special, after a while you begin to feel special yourself.

I am so glad she brought up her new-found confidence. I LOVE that she’s feeling that way, and I believe it will serve her throughout her pregnancy and beyond.

While I didn’t feel exactly the same as my student when I was pregnant, I did put less pressure on myself to look a certain way or accomplishI was kinder. I did more to keep myself healthy and calm because, for the first time in my life, it felt like there was a greater purpose—it wasn’t just for me, but for the good of my little baby bean, too! The kinder I was to myself, the better I and more confident I felt in my skin.

And while I had a HUGE learning curve after I gave birth to my daughter and many I-don’t-know-what-the-heck-I’m-doing moments in those first few months (well, OK, years!—I’m still figuring it out), I believe that my yoga practice in the years before was a huge help to me in finding my footing, as a new confidence, as a new mom.

Of course, this doesn’t apply just to pregnancy. No matter what phase of life we’re in, what we do (and how we care for ourselves!) affects the people around us. When we’re kind, compassionate, and gentle to ourselves we have a positive impact on the people around us—our families, our coworkers, even the people we pass on the street! And all the good things that expecting moms do for the good of their unborn children, the healthy food, the exercise, drinking plenty of water, the yoga classes, the massages!, would still have the same great benefits to all women—especially those who are caring for small children.

So, I think I’d like to change my answer: The best thing about being pregnant was the permission I gave myself to be kinder, gentler, and more loving to myself in all areas of my life. Because I realized the amazing, transformative power of always making time to take care of YOURSELF, too. That was a huge positive change in my life, and it’s one that I feel so strongly about I’ve made it my mission to share with every pregnant and new mom I encounter in my yoga classes (and, yes, sometimes just at the park and wherever else I happen to see them, too!).

What are (or were) your favorite pregnancy perks? Please comment below and let us know!

*Featured photo by Sara Neff

How (And Why) To Find Amazing Mom Friends

How to make great mom friends | SpoiledYogi.com

When my daughter was a baby, it didn’t take long for me to notice a theme in the advice that kept popping up from moms with older children. It wasn’t about how to feed my baby, or how much (if any) to let her cry, or even about the correct way to put her in a carseat—though, really, never post a photo of your child in a carseat on social media unless you want 14,000 Super Moms to tell you how you’re putting your child at risk. (It’s annoying when you’re on the receiving end, but I’m glad they do it if it actually does keep the babies safer.)

No, it wasn’t those things that I heard most often from veteran moms. It was this (in a nutshell): Your baby is cute… I noticed you’re here at Target just you and your baby… I just wanted to make sure that you know that You. Need. Mom. Friends. OK? Do you have a plan to get some mom friends? Maybe you should join a mom’s group. Like, seriously, why aren’t you in a mom’s group already? You’ll find one soon, right? PROMISE me you’ll find one soon!

Geez.

These women REALLY wanted me to find someone I could text in the middle of the day while everyone else was at work when the baby won’t stop crying and I haven’t washed my hair in 4 days and I don’t remember the last time I actually ate anything myself and I might lose it if she doesn’t just go the f*ck to sleep right now. Not that that ever happened to me… OK, well, actually it happened all the time, but I was pretty sure I could handle it on my own. Because, well, have I told you about my theory that giving birth kills at least half of your brain cells?

See also Self-Care Isn’t Selfish

I’m not kidding. I can barely even believe I was that stupid (and I’ve done some epically stupid things in my day, people, believe me!).

My sister was one of the experienced moms who kept nagging me to join a group (probably because she was sick of me calling her in a panic 13 times a day). I remember being so annoyed at her for suggesting it so often I finally let out an exasperated sigh and said: “Look! I don’t LIKE mommies! They’re bossy. They’re know-it-alls. And I’d rather just complain to you and my current friends, thank you very much!” I’m pretty sure I hung up on her after that. I’m dramatic like that anyway, but when I haven’t slept in 5 weeks, I’m REAAAALLY dramatic. (The good thing about having sisters is they have to love you even when you’re an asshole. Which is lucky for me because in the weeks after having my daughter I was a royal asshole…)

But my sisters weren’t the only ones who were tired of me calling them to talk about breast milk (there really is SO much to say on the topic). My current friends were busy having happy hour at a wine bar in their fancy work clothes while I was nursing for hours on end in a sleep-deprived stupor (it’s kind of like being drunk… so we should still have that in common, right?). While my childless friends’ big drama of the day was who accidentally hit “reply all” on an email that was meant for the secret office romance, I was trying to decide if life as I knew it was going to be over because of the possibility that my baby had a dairy intolerance. It really is cruel considering I already couldn’t drink wine and now someone was threatening my cheese, too. For some reason my “friends” got off the phone quickly when I called and eventually, they stopped answering my texts altogether. Jerks.

Looking back, though, I can’t really blame them.

It pains me to write this, but that random lady at Target and my sister were right. I really did need mom friends, but when you don’t have a lot of friends in the same stage of life as you already it can be really difficult to make them—especially when it’s hard enough just to find time to wash your hair…

See also Find Your Mama Mantra

I tried many different ways to find mom friends and most were epic failures. But I learned from my mistakes, and now you can, too.

How to Find Mom Friends

Join groups with like-minded moms.

If you’re going to join an in-person or Facebook group for moms, make sure it’s a group that will draw moms that have some shared passion, hobby, or other interest. I know that poop, spit up, and complaining about not sleeping is a great way to start a conversation, but after you’ve all vented to each other, it’s nice to have something ELSE to talk about. Really, anything OTHER than how your life revolves around your baby would be great. You are likely a smart, educated, talented woman (you did find my blog, after all), and there’s more to you than your role as a new mom. Finding friends who will help you reignite your spark, your passion for something—anything!—else can make all the difference between being a stressed-out mom mess and being a happy, calm mom.

Go to organized activities and classes with your baby.

I know what you’re thinking because I thought the same thing when my daughter was a tiny baby. Why the hell would I pay $10 so someone can teach me how to lay my baby down on her back, make funny faces at her, and sing silly songs? I already do all the time! And my baby is so little right now, she can’t even lift up her head… why would I take her to a “music class for babies?” Let’s be real for a second. You don’t do it for your baby any more than you do prenatal yoga classes for the baby. You do it for YOU. (Sure, your baby will reap some benefits, but this is for YOUR sanity.. something that is vitally important to the health and well-being of your child, too.) These classes are the PERFECT way to make mom friends. There’s a certain type of mom who will enroll their baby in a mommy and me dance class or a mom and baby yoga class and another type of mom who goes for the music class … see where I’m going with this? You can meet other moms who share in your interests without it being forced or awkward! That, my friends, is priceless.

Whatever you do, wherever you go with your baby, be a regular.

This is the most important part because it’s really hard to make friends with someone when you only see someone once in a blue moon, so if the goal is for you and your baby to build relationships with people, you’ve got to show up. I admit, I wasn’t so good at this when my daughter was a baby because, well, I was an exhausted hot mess most of the time. But when I finally started sleeping again, I quickly realized that it was easy to make friends as long as I was seeing the same people regularly. So, whatever it is… a weekly trip to the park, story time at the library, mom and baby yoga class, that great gym you joined with the amazing childcare room, or even just that active Facebook group for moms who are really into raising their children sans technology (Ha!).. SHOW UP. Go often. Go at the same time every week. Engage with people as much as you can. And of course be your charming, brilliant, fun self.

You’ll be amazed at how quickly your mama tribe grows, and how quickly you grow so close to these women who are right there in the trenches with you—the ONLY women who could possibly understand the chaos that is life with an infant or toddler. Of course, that doesn’t mean I completely left the friends I had before behind, it just means they no longer have to endure a million texts about how hard it is to be a parent—and we’re all better for it! I have a feeling my mama tribe will be a part of my life for many, many years to come.

I’m so glad I’m not in this alone. And neither are you!

I’d love for you to be a part of my online mama tribe. If you’re looking for a place to vent, ask questions, and get to know like-minded mamas, join this Facebook group I created just for mamas who are committed to finding a more balanced life through yoga, meditation, mindfulness, self-care and sisterhood. We’d LOVE to have you.

Do you have an amazing group of mom friends? Is it something you had to work at or did it happen naturally? Do you have any tips for the rest of us. Please comment below.

*Featured images by Juliana Coutinho

How to Modify Savasana for Pregnancy and Beyond

Aaaaahhhhh.. Nothing feels more luxurious to me than a long, supported Savasana, or Final Resting Pose. I try to fit in at least one a day, even if it’s only in the few minutes before I fall asleep at night. Savasana, like other forms of self-care, offers a long list of health benefits (see a few of them over on the Gaia blog.) It’s great for all phases of life, but if you’re pregnant, plan to get pregnant, or want to teach yoga to pregnant women, you’ve got]to know how to modify Savasana for pregnancy.

This post will show you how to do reap all the benefits of Savasana before, during, and after pregnancy.

Why Savasana Is The Most Important Yoga Pose

When it comes to Savasana, people either love it (I know I always have!) or they have a really hard time with it. When I’m teaching yoga, I watch closely as my students settle into Savasana. Sometimes it is even a little comical to watch students fidget, scratch their noses, peek to see what other people are doing—anything but just lay there and relax! I know that sometimes there’s a physical discomfort that makes it hard to relax, but, more often than not, it’s that our minds are so accustomed to go, go, going all the time that we just don’t know how to slow down, much less stop (even for just 5 minutes!).

Just like with all the other poses, practice makes it possible.

I’ve seen many students fidget for weeks in Savasana. But, over the course of a few months, I watch their breath get deeper, the muscles of their faces relax a bit, and finally they seem to settle in. And that’s why I think Savasana might be the very most important of all the yoga poses—it teaches us, busy Westerners how to slow the hell down.

Of course, slowing down is important for all phases of life. But it is vitally important during pregnancy and when you have a baby at home. Think of it this way. During pregnancy, your body is growing a whole person on top of the normal, everyday functions of your body.

(Can we take a moment to awe at how freaking amazing it is that we can grow a person with working organs and a human brain and those adorable wide eyes?)

A pregnant body is working hard every second of every day even though you might not be able to see or feel the work.

When you have a little one, the work is a little more outward—all the time you spend feeding, rocking, changing diapers, and taking care of yourself, too. Look, there’s only so much energy to go around, so, at the end of the day, you’re going to feel much more exhausted and tired than you would normally. Savasana can help you build back your energy reserves—especially if you make time for it every single day.

Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as just lying on your back when you’re in the second or third trimester of pregnancy because lying on your back for even small periods of time is a no-no. So, you have to do some modifying to get comfy. Savasana with a baby can be even more complicated, because, well, if a baby’s uncomfortable they’re not going to silently fidget until it’s over, they’re going to scream cry until they are comfy (and a screaming baby really doesn’t make for a soothing restful Savasnaa).

How to Practice Savasana

If you’re not pregnant, baby is napping, or if you’re in your first trimester Savasana can safely be practiced the traditional way, lying flat on your back. So, go ahead. Lay down and rest.

Let your legs be slightly apart, and your feet open out to the sides like a book. Bring your arms by your sides and rest the backs of your hands on the floor so the palms face up toward the sky. This is a gesture of receptivity (you’ve been giving so much, Mama, now it’s time to receive!).

Close your eyes, let your breath be natural, settle in, and be still for at least 5 minutes (set a timer if you need to). If you have 10 or 15 minutes to spare, that’s even better.

When you’re ready to get up, slowly roll to your right side and pause here for a few breaths before you press your hands into the floor and lift yourself up to comfortable seat.

Get Comfy: If you have any low back pain at all, try rolling up a blanket and placing it under your knees. Cover the eyes with an eye pillow or even a dark piece of fabric to block out the light.

How to Modify Savasana for Pregnancy

1. Side Lying Savasana. It’s better to lie on your side during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy because the weight of the growing uterus can press on a major vein (the vena cava) and limit the flow of blood and oxygen to your little squish in utero. Having a couple of bolsters to snuggle with can be a great way to get comfy for this way to modify Savasana for pregnancy. Line up two bolsters on the right side of your yoga mat.

Lie on your left side next to the bolsters. Keep your left leg straight, and bend your right knee to about 90 degrees so you can rest your right knee, shin bone, and possibly your right foot on the bottom bolster. Stretch your left arm overhead so you can rest your head on it like you would a pillow. Rest your right arm on the top bolster and snuggle in.

Get Comfy: If your left hip is uncomfortable at all, put a blanket underneath you for extra padding. If your back is uncomfortable, try supporting it by placing a third bolster behind you. If you have any pressure in the top hip, it might because you need to lift your right leg higher—you want the knee at the same height as hip, so if your bolster isn’t big enough stack some blankets on top until you’re in better alignment.

2. Savasana on an incline. I am a back sleeper, and I’ve always found it easiest to relax when I’m lying on my back. So when I was pregnant, I preferred to modify Savasana for pregnancy this way. Set up an incline (for detailed instructions see How to Use Props to Get Comfy for Restorative Yoga During Pregnancy.). Everything else is exactly the same as a regular Savasana on your back

Get Comfy: To really settle, in try a blanket under your head for a little extra support. You could also roll a blanket up and place it under your knees and cover your eyes with an eye pillow or a dark piece of fabric.

How to Practice Savasana with Baby

Though including your baby in your Savasana might not be the MOST efficient way to rest, when you and your baby are calm, there’s nothing sweeter than Final Resting Pose snuggled in with your sweet-smelling babe.

Every week, I teach moms how to incorporate their babies in their yoga practice in standing postures, seated postures, and relaxation postures—this, of course, includes some type of Savasana. And sometimes we wind down just as all the babies either fall asleep or are amazingly calm and there is a brief moment of quiet. The mamas are able to lie down, cradling their sleepy little ones in the crook of their arm and we all breathe a deep sigh of relief. Just as often, however, when it’s time to wind down the babies are tired, cranky, and, well, not having it all. In those times, we have to all be OK with any kind of rest we can possibly get.

Sometimes that means the mamas sit upright babies in their laps and place, one hand to their own heart and another to their babies heart while the take in just 3-5 deep, calming breaths. (Hopefully, mamas can get a more restful Savasana in when they get home and get their babies down for a nap!) But the point is this, as moms the time and environment we have for relaxation isn’t always ideal. If we can find just a little glimmer of peace amidst the chaos, though, I believe it will sustain us until we can fully rest.

What’s your favorite way to practice Savasana? Do you do it before bed? Only at the end of a yoga practice? What ways has deep rest benefitted you?

6 Ways To Ruin Your Yoga Home Practice

I won’t sugar-coat it. Having a child of any age makes a yoga home practice pretty damn hard. Especially if you have a little one. I would know.I’ve been practicing almost exclusively at home for the last 4 years (if you do the math that’s about how old my daughter is.. Yep.). Now, I have the luxury of 3 morning to myself every week when my daughter goes to preschool. But I did my time finding creative ways to squeeze in a pose here and there in a vain attempt to maintain some sort of sanity.

I can tell you from experience that If you’re a mom, you have TAKE every opportunity you can to take care of yourself, because you never know what your next day is going to be like. Every. Single. One.

A while back, I wrote my best tips to create and maintain a consistent yoga home practice. It’s a strategy I’ve developed after many MANY epic fails at starting and stopping a regular home practice. Since, I’ve failed so many times, I have a few insights on what NOT to do if you want to rock your home practice. Learn from my mistakes. Don’t do these things!

See also So You Wanna Be a Yoga Mama?

How to Ruin A Yoga Home Practice

Plan to just squeeze it in whenever you have some spare time.

I took my yoga practice for granted for years. I did it when it was easy or when I needed a good stretch. But when I felt OK or had something else to do, I skipped it. No problem. Except it was a problem when I realized I hadn’t even unrolled my mat for 2 or 3 weeks at a time. Truth: There will ALWAYS be something else to do. I choose yoga instead because I know it grounds me, keeps me healthy, keeps stress at bay, and offers me SO much more than I can even put into words—especially now that I’m a mom. For that reason, my home practice isn’t optional. I have specific times on my calendar every week (just as I did when I attended yoga classes at a studio) and don’t schedule anything else during that time. Period. End of story.
Take it TOO seriously.

As I mentioned in point number 1, I take my yoga home practice pretty seriously. If I didn’t, it would never happen. HOWEVER, it’s definitely possible to take it too seriously. Look, practicing yoga at home is just not going to the same as practicing in a studio (especially when you have a little one!). There will be noises, distractions, messes, etc. I regularly practice next to a big pile of toys and a basket full of laundry. It might feel a little less sacred, and that’s OK. Just because it’s different doesn’t mean that it isn’t valuable. In fact, I’d argue that practicing yoga at home can be more fun because it’s a little more laid back. Need to take a bathroom break? Fine! You like to pause every now and then to take a sip of coffee (or wine, maybe? I’m not judging..). Nobody’s gonna stop ya! Decide half-way through your yoga video that that particular teacher has the most annoying voice you’ve ever heard? OK… Stop it and find something else. It’s YOUR practice. You don’t have to share it with anybody else, so do it YOUR way.But don’t NOT do it because it doesn’t feel Zen enough or you’ll NEVER do it.
Put your phone at the top of your mat.

I’m SOOOO guilty of this. And you know what? Every buzz and blink, I’m tempted to stop what I’m doing, pick it up, and see what the deal is. Even when I resist that urge, I spend the whole rest of my practice wondering if I’m missing something important and it totally ruins my practice. Unless you’re a surgeon and you’re on call for an emergency, do yourself a favor and just leave it another room.
Peek at your email just one more time first.

I am writing from experience here. Don’t do it. It’s too easy to get sucked into the endless rabbit hole that is the World Wide Web, and we both know that when that happens you’ll lose at least 20 minutes of your precious “me time” to responding to emails that probably aren’t that important anyway, liking someone’s vacations photos, or watching videos of cats doing cute things. Before you know it, your window of opportunity to take care of yourself will close and you’ll still be stressed out, drained, and wondering why because, after all, you DID get a break today…
Say to yourself, I’ll practice in a few minutes…

right after I {put in a quick load of laundry, wash up the dishes, pick up the toys, make a phone call, etc.} Refer to number 4. Don’t go there.
Only schedule your practice time when you’re on kid duty.

Even if you schedule your yoga home practice during their nap time every day, there’s always the chance that they’ll wake up screaming, or, worse, their eyes will pop open the second you try to put them down in their crib. This always happened to me when my daughter was little, and it was the most frustrating thing in the entire world! So, I had to be really creative about how to best fit it in. Sometimes the best I could do was only a few minutes at a time. Other times, I’d get in a full 45 minutes, which felt like I’d taken a week-long vacation or spent the afternoon at a fancy spa. And, of course, we did yoga together sometimes (but it’s really not the same.) So, ask for help. Squeeze in a quick session before bed every night or, if you’re one of those lucky mamas who can wake up before your children in the morning, fit it in then. But try to find a stretch of time (at least once a week) where you can focus on YOU and YOUR yoga practice. (Even if that means giving your little one a few minutes of screen time—gasp!)

Confession time! I want to hear from you. What are some things that you’ve thwarted your own best efforts to consistently practice yoga at home? Comment below so I can learn from your mistakes, too.

*Photo by Lisa Parker

7 Yoga Poses to Help You Sleep: Yoga for Insomnia

7 Yoga Poses to Help You Sleep | This sequence is designed especially for pregnant and new mamas to help them get a better night's sleep. | SepoiledYogi.com

Whoever came up with the saying “sleeping like a baby” was obviously never a parent. Babies can be the WORST sleepers, at least when you really want them to sleep so you can get some much-needed rest yourself. Am I right?

The significance of a good night’s sleep for pregnant and new moms cannot be over emphasized.

Even when you give yourself lots of time to get your beauty sleep there’s almost always something that messes it up for you. Maybe your baby thinks 3am is a great time to practice stretching his legs. And just when you drift off again… Leg cramps! We all know newborns are up every couple of hours ALL. night. long. And toddlers? Well, my almost-4-year-old still crawls into bed with me and lately has been cuddling a little too aggressively for my liking (she kept putting her icy cold feet on my back last night and even INTO my pajama pants).

It’s hard to control the quantity of sleep you get when you have a little one—some night are good other nights are the stuff of nightmares. But you do have some control over your sleep quality. In the last few years, I’ve learned to make the most of the little time I have for undisturbed sleep. One of the things that has helped me the most is establishing a great sleep routine, not just for my little one, but for ME, too.

On those occasions that I’m able to get my daughter down to sleep at a reasonable hour, I try to spend at least a few minutes doing something that helps me unwind and sets me up for at least some good quality sleep. If it’s late, I might sit down to meditate for just 10 minutes before I get myself ready for bed. If I have a little more time, I might take a warm bath with some lavender and epsom salt to soothe sore muscles and ease my anxious mind. My favorite way to prepare myself for sleep, though, is through a few gentle yoga stretches and lots of slow, deep breaths (if I’ve had a particularly stressful day, I do the following pose sequence with soft music and lavender wafting out of my essential oil diffuser, too.)

It’s what I imagine heaven is like…

The more often I do these yoga poses to help you sleep, the faster, more efficiently, (and more deeply) I sleep. And the more likely I am to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle another busy day (a mama’s work is never done!). Make time for it, Mamas. There is NOTHING more important than getting enough rest.. NOTHING.

Heavenly Yoga Poses to Help You Sleep Better

Supta Padagusthasana

(Note: Skip this one if you’re in your second or third trimester since it requires you to lie flat, or modify with a standing version such as Pyramid Pose and Triangle Pose)

Lie down on your back. Bring your right knee into your chest and give it a hug. Extend the left leg out in front of you, and ground the back of thigh down toward the ground. Flex both feet. Then, straighten the right leg up toward the sky. Use a strap around the fall of your right foot, or interlace your hands behind the lifted thigh for support. Either way, keep the arms straight and the shoulders relaxed. Keep grounding through the left thigh as the right leg lifts. Take a big breath in. Then, with an exhale, open your right leg over to the right (don’t feel like you have to bring the leg to the floor—resting it on a bolster or block can be plenty, especially at night). After at least five breaths, bring right leg back to the center and switch sides.

Seated Side Stretch

Take a seat in a comfortable position (cross legged or sit on your heels in Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose)). Root your sitting bones down and lift the crown of your head up, stretching your spine as loooooonng as you can get it. Exhale, let gravity help you drop your shoulders down and away from your ears. Inhale, feel your lungs expand. Exhale, bring your right hand to the floor outside of your right hip and reach your left arm up and over to the right. Stay here for a couple of breaths, imagining your left side ribs opening like a paper fan. Inhale back up to the center, and then repeat to the other side.

Supported Downward Facing Dog

Come to hands and knees with your shoulders stacked right over your wrists and your hips right over your knees. Have a block or a bolster between your hands. Spread your fingers wide and engage the muscles of your arms. Tuck your toes under and, with an exhale, lift your hips up and back. Slowly, start to stretch your legs straighter, but keep a slight bend in the knees if your back starts to round at all. Adjust your block or bolster to the appropriate height and position that allows you to comfortably rest your forehead (especially the Third Eye point right between your eyebrows). Step your feet in closer or further away from your hands if necessary. Take 5-10 deep breaths, emphasizing a long, smooth exhale.

Supported Pigeon Pose

Bring your right knee forward and to the floor to the inside of your right wrist. Press the top of the right foot into the floor to keep the leg active (this protects the knee from injury). Inhale, press your finger tips into the floor and lift your chest toward the sky so your spine is long. Exhale, hinge at your hips and walk your fingers forward. Cross your forearms bring them to the bolster in front of you. Rest your forehead on your forearms. Take at least 10 deep breaths, then switch sides.

Supported Child’s Pose

Come back to your hands and knees. Widen your knees mat-distance apart or wider. Bring a bolster between your knees (it should be vertical so your chest and head will be supported). Bring your hips to your heels. Either stretch your arms out in front of you or bring your hands back in line with your feet. The back of your hands will rest on the floor. Stay for 10 breaths.

Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose)

Move over to a wall. Lie on your back (or, if you’re pregnant, set yourself up with bolsters so you won’t be flat on the floor) and swing your legs up onto the wall. Bring one hand to your belly and one hand to your heart. Take deep breaths, finding that sweet connection between your breath, your heartbeat, and your baby if you are pregnant. Stay her for at least 10 breaths, then carefully roll yourself down and sit up.

Savasana (Final Resting Pose)

Set yourself up for Savasana at your mat (or even in your bed so you can drift right off to sleep!). If you’re pregnant, be sure to lie on your left side or support yourself with bolsters so you aren’t flat on your back. Extend your legs out in front of you and bring your hands to your sides, palms facing up in a gesture of receptiveness. Close your eyes. Stay here for at least 5-10 minutes (or, if you’re in bed, stay here until you wake up!)

Read more …

Mama Mantras

A Yoga Practice for Mommy Brain

Yoga Poses to Ease Tension Headaches

Tired of Being Tired? Try these yoga poses for energy

As you may already know, I’m been cutting way back on my caffeine intake recently. When the killer caffeine withdrawal headaches finally subsided, I though all would be well. Unfortunately, weeks later I’m still lacking that extra oomph that used to get me through drowsy mornings, afternoon slumps, tough writing assignments, creative projects, and pretty much anything else I need to do.

It’s easy to blame my lack of energy on ending my coffee habit, but let’s be real: Even when I was allowing myself as many magical beverages as my heart desired (I’m talking about coffee, obviously, though I would never deny the magical powers red wine!), there were still more moments than I’d like where I couldn’t muster the energy to make dinner, pick up the toys, answer the emails… the list goes on.

There are many reasons that mamas feel drained of our energy by the end of the day—demanding jobs, demanding kids, the wrong kinds of foods, imbalanced hormones, overstimulation, and a go-go-go lifestyle all play a role. While coffee, concealer, and energizing yoga poses are good band-aids for the exhaustion that comes with a busy day, a good, regular self-care routine can offer a long-term solution.

So, if you’re tired of being tired all the time, be sure you spend some time checking in with yourself to figure out where you can make more room in your schedule for the things that really leave you feeling restored and revived and make them a non-negotiable part of your routine. Ask yourself the important questions: When was the last time I did something for ME? Am I hungry? Did I get enough rest last night? Am I trying to be Super Mom again? Do I need to sloooooooow down?

Luckily, even when you’re cutting back on coffee or neglecting your self-care routine, a short, mindful yoga practice can be a wonderful way to give you a quick boost of energy when you need it.

Here’s a quick practice that I use often to get me through. I hope it helps you, too.

My Favorite Yoga Poses for Energy

Energizing Yoga Breathing

It sounds too good to be true. But when you’re feeling low energy, sometimes all you need to do is give yourself a few extra slow, deep breaths. Focusing on the inhale can give you extra energy because it’s a great way to get extra oxygen to your brain. It’s like a yawn, but way more effective.

Try this: Close your eyes and take a few regular breaths just to check in and see what your breathing pattern currently is. Then, breathe slowly through the nostrils. Make your inhale as slow and smooth as you possibly can. Exhale fully. Repeat at least 5 times.

Sun Salutations

Sometimes just a little movement can get your blood pumping and give you the energy you need. It can be as simple this: Start standing tall. Inhaling your arms up over head. Exhale as you fold forward, bringing your fingertips to the floor or a block. Inhale as you reach your chest forward, collarbones wide. Exhale, keep your spine long as you fold in again. Inhale, and stand up the same way you bent down. Go slow and keep the rhythm of the breath steady. Lather, rinse, repeat.

*Pregnancy modification for Sun Salutations: Keep you feet at least hip distance apart or even wider so you don’t compress the belly during Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend).

Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

Backbends are fabulous energy boosters. They naturally speed up the heart rate and the breath and are a naturally stimulating to the body’s systems. I love Ustrasana because just a few breaths can make such a big difference. And, if you practice it gently, it doesn’t take a ton of prep work like some deeper backbends.

Try this: Kneel on your mat with your hips stacked directly over your knees. Bring your hands to your sacrum (fingers pointed upward) and hug your elbows toward each other behind you so your collar bones are wide. With an inhale, lift your chest upward. With an exhale, soften. Stay here for a couple breaths, then lift yourself back up with an inhale. Then, sit on your heels to rest. Repeat 2-3 more times.

*Pregnancy modification for Ustrasana: Keep the belly soft and avoid over-stretching by focusing the stretch in the upper back and chest area. Think of lifting the sternum bone upward instead of bending backward and don’t over-do it. You want to be able to breathe comfortably the whole time.

Downward Facing Dog

Inversions (even mild ones like Down Dog) are said to bring fresh, oxygenated blood to your brain, which can refresh the brain and result in clearer thinking and more energy. Downward Dog is also a great stretch for your back, legs, arms, it’s kind of a catch-all pose that’s good for everything. (Of course, if you have a practice of another inversion you like better, go for it. But please don’t put yourself at risk for falling if you’re a pregnant mama.)

Try this: From hands and knees, spread your fingers wide, tuck your toes under, and lift your hips up high and press them back. Keep your knees bent slightly to find maximum length in the spine. Relax the neck and let the head hang. Stay here for at least 5 breaths.

Savasana (Final Resting Pose)

Don’t underestimate the power for a 5-minute Savasana. It’s the ultimate pose for energy boost.

Of course, you are supposed to do a little Savasana at the end of every yoga class, but I’ve found that nothing is more energizing than a little Savasana time strategically placed right smack dab in the middle of my day (or any time when I’m feeling overwhelmed or drained).

Try this: Lie down on your back. Stretch your legs out in front of you. Let your feet flop open like a book. Turn your palms to face upward, in a gesture of receiving. Close your eyes. Breathe. Be. Imagine every breath is slowly filling up your energy reserve. Stay here for 5 minutes (set a timer if you need to).

Pregnancy modification for Savasana: After you enter the second trimester, it’s not a good idea to lay flat on your back. So, pregnant mamas will take their Savasana on their left sides, or propped up a bit. (See How to Use Yoga Props to Get Comfy in Restorative Yoga Poses.)

How to Use Yoga Breathing to Ease Stress and More

How to read your breath | how to use pranayama to relieve stress | Spoiledyogi.com

Have you ever heard anyone talk about yoga breathing and wondered what on earth they’re talking about?

Stop whatever you’re doing right now and take a slow, deep breath.

Go on, I’ll wait.

Now, isn’t that better?

There’s something about slowing down your breathing that eases tension in your body and calms your mind.

There’s a profound connection between breath, body, and mind. What you do with one affects the others. Just think about what happens when you’re freaking out about something—your heart pounds, you might break out into a sweat, and your breath gets rapid and shallow (there’s no time to breathe into your belly when you’re freaking out, so you probably breathe quick breaths that only expand your collarbones a bit).

Luckily, the opposite is true, too. When you’re in the midst of a freak out, and you notice your body responding in the way I just described above, one of the best things you can do for yourself is interrupt the sequence of events taking place in your body by taking a big, deep, belly breath. Even people who have never set foot on a yoga mat know this. It’s a very common thing for moms from all walks of life to tell a child in the middle of a tantrum.

Take a deep breath. Count to ten. Slow down.

It doesn’t work because the child realizes the err of his ways. It works because the breath disrupts the body’s response to stress and that has an instant calming effect on the mind and emotions, too.

That’s also why there’s SO much emphasis on breathing for mamas who are preparing to give birth naturally.

The breath is magical.

And since it’s is something you do all the time anyway—and it’s not as disruptive as busting out a Down Dog in the middle of a grocery store, work or wherever else you might be—breathing can have a dramatic impact on your daily life, too. You can check in with your breath anytime you want to gain a somewhat objective and honest look into what’s going on with you. Are you stressed out or anxious? Are you calm? Depressed? Energized?

Pranayama for Yoga Mamas

Then by making a conscious effort to change your breathing pattern, you can impact your mood and how my body reacts to your mood, too. Another word for yoga breathing is pranayama, which really just means breathing mindfully. While there are tons of specific techniques you can try for different reasons (I’ll share some of my favorites in an upcoming blog post so stay tuned!), just becoming more aware of your breath and slowing, deepening, or balancing when necessary is a great place to start.

How to Use Yoga Breathing to Find More Balance

Fast shallow, chest breathing. This is the universal sign of stress—and when you notice yourself doing it, doing some simple yoga breathing can help you to relieve stress, calm down, and feel better almost instantly. The next time you’re stressed out about something, try taking a few deep breaths. I promise you’ll see things a bit more differently when you’re not so worked up over the situation.

Held breath. When you catch yourself holding your breath, it’s probably because you’re trying too hard at something—maybe it’s a yoga pose, or you’re thinking a little too hard about a particular problem you’re trying to solve. Either way, it probably means it’s time to back off, take a Child’s Pose, relax a little, and come back to the task at hand when you can keep your breath steady and flowing.

More exhale than inhale. When your exhale is longer than your inhale, there’s a good chance that you’re feeling defeated, drained, or even depressed. Finding more equilibrium by consciously extending the inhalation can give you more energy, elevate your mood, and help you feel more balanced.

Slow, balanced breathing. On those occasions when you’re feeling calm, controlled, focused, and just plain happy, your inhales and exhales will be the same length. You will also be able to feel them go deeper into my diaphragm. It’s kind of astonishing how infrequently I notice this type of breathing—usually just during Savasana, my morning meditation, or before I drift off to sleep.

Do you check in with your breath often? I want to hear all about how being mindful of your breath has affected you in other areas of your life.

Photo credits:

Featured image by cea+

Breathe photo by Shawn Rossi

My Secret Sauce: Yoga for Increased Productivity

5 Ways Yoga Boosts Productivity | SpoiledYogi.com

Life with a small child is a lot of things: It is messy. It is exhausting. It is frustrating. It can be very loud. And in some moments, life with a little one is so sweet and fulfilling that it feels like your heart could burst right open (because, truly, you’re not sure if it can contain the overwhelming love you feel).

Oh, yes, and it is also definitely very busy, too.

There is one thing, however, that life is definitely not when you are the parent of a baby, toddler, or small child: Productive. At least not in a check-stuff-off-your-to-do-list-like-a-boss kind of way. It is definitely not that most of the time. There are times that that really bothers me. I feel sorry for myself because it’s like my ability to be the tiniest bit competent, organized, productive, member of society left my body sometime while I was giving birth to my daughter. Like, maybe it came out with the placenta or something? I don’t know what happened to it. But I certainly don’t have it any more.

It regularly takes me several hours to do simple tasks that once took me 30 minutes. When had a baby, I couldn’t get things done very well because I had the kind of baby who wanted to be held every second of every day. (And, let’s be honest, I’m the kind of mom who kind of wants to hold her baby every second of every day and let everything slide.)

When my girl was learning to stand on her own and walk, I’d pile laundry up on the couch to fold and put away. When I turned my back for a second to pick up something, I’d see that the entire pile (both folded and unfolded piles, mind you) had been pulled into a big heap on the floor.

Now that my daughter is in preschool, she says, “I just want you to PLAY with me,” literally no less than 28 times a day. (I counted once.)

I’m not going to lie. I’ve given up on getting shit done more than a few times in the 3 1/2 years I’ve been a mama. What’s the point?

Sometimes I need to remind myself of this: I feel better about myself (more confident, more energetic, and less stressed out) when my life isn’t in a constant state of havoc. Feel better when I’m getting things done that are important to me and I feel like I’m making some progress, both as a mom, a yoga teacher, a writer, a business owner, and all the 15,003 other things I want to be in life.

How do I manage to make time for it all?

I’ve found a secret sauce that helps me get my head on straight and get. shit. done. It doesn’t require me to keep a calendar or any complicated list system (though I do love a good to-do list). It isn’t about dropping everything that’s important to my family and home life in order to

5 Ways to Use Yoga for Increased Productivity

Photo by Benjamin J. DeLon g

1. Yoga teaches you to focus on one thing at a time. You can’t think about other things when you’re in the middle of a challenging yoga pose. You just can’t. The better I get at focusing on one thing at a time, the more often I manage to find that sweet spot of intense concentration when I am able to get things done quickly and efficiently. I’ve noticed the more frequently I practice yoga, the more frequently that happens.

2. Yoga gives you more energy. Sometimes it seems to give me more energy simply because it’s a way for me to spend some time alone and focus on my own needs for once (something that mamas don’t do nearly enough!). But when I’m feeling particularly sluggish, I practice a yoga for energy—sun salutations with some hopping, backbends, and an inversion or two, and I’m usually rearing to go on whatever project I need to work on.

3. Yoga is a natural mood enhancer. When was the last time you were feeling down-in-the-dumps depressed, but you still managed to fly through the tasks on your to-do list? Never? Yeah, me too. When I’m in a good mood, I naturally just have more energy for the things that inspire me, which gives me more energy to do even more (it’s the best kind of slippery slope!)

4. Yoga teaches you to stop wasting your energy on things that don’t matter. How often does your yoga teacher tell you to “soften your eyes” or “relax your jaw”? Pretty often, probably. That’s because most of us are pros at using our energy in all the wrong ways. If you’re tensing your shoulders during a standing pose, you’re creating unnecessary tension and wasting energy. It took some time for me to bring this lesson into my daily life, but I’m slowly becoming more aware of all the ways I create unnecessary tension and waste my energy in my life. When I’m not wasting my energy on things that don’t matter (worrying about what other people think, for instance) I have more to use on the things I want or need to accomplish. And, I have yoga to thank for that.

See also How Competition is Zapping Your Energy and Ruining Your Life

5. Yoga will help you get better sleep. I know, I know. If you’re a mama, sleep as you once knew it is a thing of the past. Maybe your little one is up every hour to nurse or maybe you’re just still on high alert on night, listening for any noise that might need your attention. But think about it. Yoga helps you exert some excess energy physically, tire your muscles, and help your brain chill the heck out. If that doesn’t give you the best chance at some decent shut eye (at least between feedings) I don’t know what will. A good night’s sleep is essential to a productive day in the morning.

Now, I want to hear from you. Does yoga help you get more checked off your to-do list? Do you practice yoga for increased productivity? Tell me how by commenting below.

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Now Enrolling: Peaceful, Present, and Prepared Birth

14 Inspiring Yoga Mamas to Follow

1. Elena Brower

2. Laura Kasperzak

3. Stephanie Snyder

4. Janet Stone

5. Gigi Yogini (aka Brigitte Kouba)

6. Andrea Ferretti

7. Liz Vartanian

8. Nancy Alder

9. Jennifer Williams-Fields

10. Stephanie Birch

11. Peg Mulqueen – The Ashtanga Dispatch

12. Mandy Wozniak

13. Desiree Rumbaugh

14. Jennifer Pastiloff

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There Really Are a Lot of Pregnancy Perks

How to Find Mom Friends

Join groups with like-minded moms.

Go to organized activities and classes with your baby.

Whatever you do, wherever you go with your baby, be a regular.

Why Savasana Is The Most Important Yoga Pose

How to Practice Savasana

How to Modify Savasana for Pregnancy

How to Practice Savasana with Baby

How to Ruin A Yoga Home Practice

Plan to just squeeze it in whenever you have some spare time.

Take it TOO seriously.

Put your phone at the top of your mat.

Peek at your email just one more time first.

Say to yourself, I’ll practice in a few minutes…

Only schedule your practice time when you’re on kid duty.

Heavenly Yoga Poses to Help You Sleep Better

Supta Padagusthasana

Seated Side Stretch

Supported Downward Facing Dog

Supported Pigeon Pose

Supported Child’s Pose

Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose)

Savasana (Final Resting Pose)

My Favorite Yoga Poses for Energy

Energizing Yoga Breathing

Sun Salutations

Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

Downward Facing Dog

Savasana (Final Resting Pose)

The breath is magical.

Pranayama for Yoga Mamas

How to Use Yoga Breathing to Find More Balance

5 Ways to Use Yoga for Increased Productivity

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Now Enrolling:
Peaceful, Present, and Prepared Birth