Baby and Me Yoga – Hip Openers

    Published: 06-16-2009
    Views: 14,061
    Yoga instructor Angela Cerkevich breaks down how to do yoga with your baby and demonstrates hip openers.

    Angela Cerkevich

    Angela is a registered yoga teacher and Thai yoga practitioner with Yoga Alliance and Thai Yoga Healing Arts. She is a Certified Life Force Yoga Practitioner for Anxiety and Depression. Her client base draws from the academic, corporate and professional communities, as well as inner city youth. She has taught yoga and practiced Thai massage in yoga studios, resorts, Pilates studios, spas, community centers, schools, corporate offices and private homes. As she hones her focus on the emerging new field of yoga therapy, she has also been following the teachings of Amy Weintroub, known for her research in yoga for depression and anxiety and Richard Miller in techniques for Yoga Nidra – deep relaxation. Her current focus lies in facilitating spiritual healing for groups and individuals recovering from life traumas caused by conflicts and social instabilities. Angela’s classes are geared towards finding balance in both the physical and mental bodies. She teaches a dynamic, alignment based vinyasa – styled class which usually includes some sacred poetry or yoga philosophy. Also included are pranayama, meditation, chanting, and deep relaxation. Her ultimate goal of balance is achieved by teaching classes that are appropriate to the level groups’ or individuals abilities.

    Angela Cerkevich: Hi! My name is Angela Cerkevich and Im a yoga instructor at Yoga Tales in Bethesda, Maryland and this is how to do yoga with your baby. Right now, were going to work on hip openers. So, first come into a hands and knees position, always making eye contact with your baby, and then when youre ready, youre going to cross the right leg over the left, so the knees are stacked. Then youre going to bring your feet apart, so you can softly sit down in between your feet. Now, if you have tight hips, you might already be feeling it. If this is too much for you, youre going to want to sit on a blanket or a little cushion, just underneath your hips; you dont want to be sitting on heels. So, as you can see the knees are stacked. Now, this is a lovely position to nurse in. So, if your baby is hungry, you could take your baby on your lap and rest them right here like so for nursing. Were not going to nurse right now, but were going to take five breaths. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, sit long as you inhale, feel your body going along and breathe out grounding down. Two more, you can use your baby just below your knee on your thigh to add a little extra weight and stretch. Breathe in, breathe out, last one breathe in, breathe out. Okay kido, are we ready for the other side?

    To come out of it, place your hands on the floor and were always keeping a little bit engaged in the belly. Unwrap that leg and make it back to hands and knees. So, for the other side, were going to take the left leg on top, same thing. Bring the feet apart, have a seat in between the feet. Baby is far away, so youre going to have to scoot forward a bit. Once youre ready, sit long and tall, inhale to link, exhale rooting down through your hips. Breathing in, breathing out, feel the hips loosening a little bit. Breathing in, breathing out, focusing on whatever sensation in the hips youre feeling right now. Breathe in, breath out, youre getting ready to play. Breathe in, breathe out. One more breathe in, breathe out. Are you ready for something else? Are you getting ready for something else? So, to come out of it, again place your hands on the floor in front of you, roll over your knees and now you have opened your hips a bit. Next, were going to learn how to do some twists.