Baby Yoga, Urban Kneads Centre, Nottingham
6 Week Course £45 - Please refer to the FAQs pages before contacting Urban Kneads if you have a Baby Yoga query.
Check the timetable for the next course start dates - click here to download your Baby Yoga course booking form.
So, What Happens in a Baby Yoga Class?!!
Most of all Baby Yoga is about having fun with your baby and meeting other parents. During just one Baby Yoga session, your baby can receive as much stimulation as they normally would in a whole day, leading to a worn out baby who sleeps for England! Hurrah!
There are also a number of health benefits to coming to Baby Yoga, some of which I have touched on below:
Arrive
Arriving at a class can often be hectic for new parents so there is time factored in for everyone to arrive. We usually use this time to have a quick chat about issues the group have come across in the group such as feeding or teething or to share news about other events or classes loacally for babies to attend.
Warm Up
We begin with a short, gentle warm up for mum (or dad) and a simple breathing exercise to calm everyone down after an inevitably stressful morning! Whilst we are doing this, your baby will enjoy watching you from the soft matting floor or cushions. Sometimes they prefer to discover something from the treasure basket in the middle of the circle
Dry Massage
Once we are nice and relaxed, we warm baby up with dry, (no oil), massage over all or some of their clothes. The babies like it when we sing some rhymes whilst we do this!
Soft Stretches
After the massage has got baby's blood flowing, we can take baby into some gentle soft stretches. Amongst other things, these help to open the hips, uncurl baby's arms, improve digestion,constipation and wind, increase flexibility, improve co-ordination and cross-brain function.
Other Fun Things
After we have stretched her, baby enjoys balances (to help the vestibular system within the inner ear as well as core strength for sitting) inversions, and tummy time, (some babies don't enjoy being on their front so we look at alternatives to lying on the floor). Again the babies like it when we sing to them, (as long as the parents drown out Suzie!!)
Swings, Dips & Flying
This is where mum, (or dad), has to work a little bit harder! Our babies enjoy moving through space in different ways and we use a variety of holds to give your baby different experiences or dropping and swinging.
Sensory Play
To give parents a rest and let baby discover their senses, we have a short sensory play section. Sometimes this will involve exploring differently themed treasure baskets, other times the babies will be mesmerised by fibre optic lights. The babies also enjoy tactile sessions with sheepskin rugs and pure silks - decadence!!
What Else?
During the sessions we also look at a number of relaxed holds that you may not have been introduced to before. These give you some alternative ways to hold your baby to make life easier for you and more interesting for them.
For The Brave
Only for the brave - we learn the Baby Flip where we take baby upside down. Not a party trick - come along and learn the reasons we teach this move!
Save The Best to Last....... Relaxation Section!
Finally we end with a relaxation for both parent and baby. Often we spend so much time dashing around with our hectic lifestyles that we forget to stop and just be still.
10 minutes of good relaxation can be as beneficial as a good night's sleep. It is also an opportunity for your baby to learn that it is ok to be still for a time. We play relaxing music and dim the lights. Blankets are available if you wish to cuddle up with your baby.
Your baby will stay near you for the relaxation, sometime she will want to feed at this time which is fine. Other babies may prefer to go back to the treasure basket. If your baby cries during the relaxation don't be tense - everyone else is there with a baby too!
Places are limited to just 8 parents and babies each session, and class groups often enjoy going for coffee and cake at one of the local coffee shops afterwards.
Urban Kneads Limited, Corner of Cranbrook & Lennox St, Nottingham, NG1 1ER, 07809 419 175
