Ask Pampers baby yoga expert Sam Petter your questions about baby yoga and you could win a £200 John Lewis voucher ANSWERS NOW ON THREAD

[AngelieMumsnet]

This week we're running a Q&A with Pampers baby yoga expert, Sam Petter.

Sam Petter is also the owner and founder of Tatty Bumpkin which she set up in 2004 to provide a creative children's programme inspired by yoga. Tatty Bumpkin is a character at the centre of yoga-inspired movement stories, incorporating music, storytelling and postures inspired by yoga. The award winning classes are delivered nationally, anywhere there are LO’s and parents looking for fun!

Pampers, together with Sam have developed a new, natural baby yoga routine with simple, easy-to-follow stretches that you and your LO can practice at home.

Baby yoga can be practiced safely from 6 weeks old and has many benefits including helping to improve sleep and encouraging movement, so you can enjoy a lovely bonding experience together that’s doing some good too!

Post your questions to Sam here before 18th May and we will send her 20 questions to respond to. We will then post her responses back on the thread on 22nd May.

This Q&A is sponsored by Pampers.

Thanks
MNHQ

[TooManyNames]

Hiya,

Can you tell us the other benefits of baby yoga? I see you mention it helps with sleep, but can it help with colic/trapped wind.

Also can it help babies develop muscles to sit up, support their heads, walk/crawl etc.? Do you have to do it regularly to get full benefit? How often is good?

Thanks!!

[SaladCreamOnEverything]

I'm a huge yoga fan, and find it's the only part of my week where I properly relax and switch off. Do you find that it has a similar effect on children? It would be great to find a way of helping my DD to relax at home when she's over tired and reluctant to settle.

[Bighairdontcare]

How many times a week do you recommend doing baby yoga? We've just started going to a class near us, but would like to give it a go at home too.

[CordeliaScott]

My baby is 7 months old and discovered crawling making it hard enough to get her to stay still whilst changing. Is this too old for baby yoga and do you find that older babies are receptive to being introduced to baby yoga or do they just want to crawl off in the opposite direction?

[keentobemeagain]

How often would you recommend doing yoga with DC? I often see Baby Yoga classes advertised but it tends to focus on newborns but is it something we can build on from 6 weeks old through toddlerhood, childhood and beyond? Like healthy eating, I'd like to build it into our lifestyle from early on. And I'd also like to incorporate some exercises for me into proceedings!

[CheeseEMouse]

My son is nearly 3 weeks old and a fairly calm baby. I am considering doing baby yoga with him when he's big enough - is there a best time of day to try it with him? Or is it best incorporated into a routine?

I'd also be keen to hear about anything restorative for me that I could do at the same time? I'd forgotten how tiring a newborn is!

[Cherrybellyboo]

I have heard baby massage can help with postnatal depression. Is there any evidence to suggest that baby yoga can help too?

[Timeforachangetoday]

I did baby yoga til mine could crawl then it was a waste of money chasing a crawler round the room for an hour. Is there a way to engage crawlers or if not what age would you recommend restarting yoga?

[mummybare]

I have a 3-year-old and a wriggly, commando crawling 8-month-old. Is there anything I can do that might engage them both at the same time?? (Tall order, I know ??)

Thanks!

[Wenglish]

What age would you recommend starting baby yoga? Could it work as part of a bedtime routine?

[Fizzyplonk]

How does baby yoga differ from baby massage in terms of benefits?
Is it worth doing both and would you learn one before the other?
Thanks

[hanrc]

I see that baby yoga is great for calming baby and help improve sleep but can it be used to help school aged children relax and improve concentration either before or after school perhaps?

[Theimpossiblegirl]

Are there any good books/DVDs to help me do baby/child friendly Yoga at home?

[OhHolyFuck]

I'll have 3 under 5 when DC3 comes along - is there a "family" yoga book or dvd that you'd recommend so we could all do it together and help them bond with the new one?

[sharond101]

Can baby yoga help colic?

[HangingInAGruffaloStance]

Do you have any recommendations around getting preschoolers into yoga? Is it a good way to help wind down?

[kittyvet]

What are your top 3 asanas for baby? What benefits do they bring?

[Snailturtle]

My baby ie six weeks old, but was premature. Would you recommend starting baby yoga at 6weeks for prem babies or waiting longer and are there any specific benefits of yoga for prem babies?

[kettlepot]

Do you need to have done yoga before doing baby yoga? And in the same way you get different levels of adult yoga, can babies/children progress as they become more experienced or do they have to stick to simpler moves? (Worried about boredom but also if more complicated positions would impede development in some way).

Thanks!

[AvaAmulet]

I used to love attending regular yoga classes for years before I had DD but have only been able to make it to one class since . DD is a very flexible 2 year old - she loves inventing new poses and I think she'd quite enjoy yoga. Is there anything we can do together?

[thewomaninwhitefluffybunnyears]

I know it is a pretty silly question but how do you know if you are doing it right at home? I always feel that I have not quite followed the instructions correctly.

[Emrob86]

At what age can you start doing baby yoga?

[Plateofcrumbs]

Compared with some other babies who are very 'bendy' mine has always been quite stiff. I've always had very poor flexibility (always struggled to touch my toes even as a child!) so perhaps he has inherited it from me. I have done yoga which helps me a bit. Can yoga for babies and small children help them develop better flexibility? Is it even necessary to think about flexibility for babies?

[Belmo]

Can you do adult and child yoga together?

[lexiemac13]

How do the benefits of baby massage and baby yoga compare? As soon as baby's can sit up etc can you take part in baby & adult yoga classes or would this not be considered safe? Also, I just wondered does baby yoga have any benefits for muscle & bone development. One of my elder children (now age 4) has severely overpronating feet and I just wonder would something like baby yoga have helped his foot development? My youngest is almost 7 weeks old and I would be willing to do anything possible to prevent the same thing happening.