Postnatal Yoga: The non-traditional way

I am so tired but I must do it. I drag the board over to place in front of the TV. I walk the four steps over to turn the console and TV on.

Grabbing the remote, I aim and click to set up the Wii Fit. My newest baby is snug asleep in her bassinet steps away from me. My two-year-old is drawing away on the kitchen table.

I cue up the Yoga program and step on. Every breath and arm raise I can feel my body creaking out of hibernation. I am out of practice. Having a ten pound thirteen ounce baby can do some serious damage to one’s body. Just ten minutes, I promise myself.

Miraculously my daughters are letting me do the small amount of exercise I am trying. With the dreadful winter weather, walks are out of the equation. It is my third day and I have not seen an improvement yet but I look forward to doing this every day.

When I complete the Sun Salutation I look to my left. My two-year-old is copying everything I am doing. Our eyes meet and we share a smile. This spurs me to finish my ten minutes. My cheerleader hugs me and goes back to her drawing.

After a month of regularly doing yoga on the Wii Fit I am noticing subtle changes. My energy level is not fueled only by coffee. Keeping up with two kids needs is challenging. Sifting through my clothes this morning I am finding that I am able to wear some of my pre-pregnancy clothes. I am standing taller.

I slip on an old favorite shirt and grab my girls to get the stroller out to go for a walk to the park. We run into neighbors with their kids and they join us.

Once the older kids are happily running around the park my baby falls asleep in her carrier. My neighbor looks at me. I feel nervous because I have not seen her in awhile. I wonder what she might think about how I look.

“Well, motherhood of two agrees with you. You look pretty good for a mom of a toddler and a newborn.” She says.

My cheeks burn with modesty, “Thank you.” I reply.

I leave it at that. I need to do more with my body to get it healthier. Finding time to exercise is paying off in bonding with my oldest daughter and my waistline.