Baby Yoga: Tiny Tugs!

Oh, God, this picture makes me want my hair back. My pre-pregnancy, pre-post partum falling-out-like-I-was-a-cancer-patient hair. Hair that I had time to blow dry. I want that hair back. Ah, memories.

This is a picture of Ava Grace Lake, one of the girls I was a nanny to, when she was about 4 months old. Speaking of memories, it feels like just yesterday that she was a baby! Now she is a 5 year old, with beautiful brown eyes and the most gorgeous brown curly hair. I still can not wrap my head around the fact that babies actually grow up and turn into little kids. So weird. I am very curious about what Penelope will be like when she is 5 or 25 for that matter.

But I digress, on to Tiny Tugs!

Lay babies on their back. They can be on the floor or on your lap facing you. If they are on the floor, you can have your legs like mine in the picture and do a little stretch for yourself as you lean forward to put them into the pose. If they are on your lap, sit with your back against a wall for support and bend your knees up so they can see your face good.

You gently hold one leg and the opposite arm. Then you extend their arm and leg out. Try and get their arm to touch the floor and pull their leg out straight to give their shoulder and hip a good stretch. Then let their arm and leg relax by bringing the arm down and putting a little bend in their knee.

While you are extending their arm and leg you sing/say "Tiny Tugs!" Give them lots of eye contact, smiles and encouragement!

Just FYI, most of the baby yoga poses I post, I learned at my Itsy Bitsy Yoga training. The founder and creator, Helen Garabedian, has a great book and dvds that you can purchase to help your home practice. Or you can go to her website and try and find a class near you!

Current Giveaway: 5 Class card for Baby/Tot Yoga!!

If you haven't heard, Itsy Bitsy Yoga classes are back!  Baby Yoga starts September 13th and Tot Yoga starts September 9th.

In honor, I am giving away one 5 class card ($40 value)!!!

You can enter up to SIX times in the following ways, but remember to leave a COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY.  1) add MBL to your blog roll (1st timers only) 2) become a fan on facebook (1st timers only)  3) mention the giveaway on your blog, or 5) on facebook, or 6) on twitter.  If you don't have a blog, you can enter two additional shares on FB or Twitter.  A winner will be randomly selected on September 8th 12p EST.  Good luck!

Baby and Tot Yoga are BACK!

This is a video of Penelope learning how to take a deep breath and say Om!  She JUST figured this out.  All it took was one hour of yoga with older toddlers (This week I starting teaching a local preschool, one hour a week) doing it and she figured it out.  I am constantly amazed at how quickly babies learn and how much yoga they can actually do.

To do this with your child, simply take a deep breath.  I exaggerate the breath for her now, but when she is older, I will be less dramatic and more "yoga like."   And you say something like, "Mama is taking a Deeeep Breath!  It makes me feel calm and happy.  Can you take a deep breath?!"  For an older toddler, you can add, "Put your hand on your belly and feel it move up and down when you take a deep breath."

Below is the description and information about my new yoga classes I am starting the beginning of September.
So if you are local, come on out!  If your not local, don't worry I am still going to keep doing a yoga tutorial every Wednesday here at the blog.

Join Stephanie Brandt Cornais, and her tiny assistant, as they share their yoga journey with you. Stephanie has been a yoga teacher for 10 years and teaching kids yoga for the last 5. She previously owned Mama and Baby Love yoga studio. She is a new mom to Penelope was born on 11.11.09. You can find her at her blog, MamaAndBabyLove.com

Class will be in her home (in Southwood. 3801 Piney Grove Drive), in her dinning room turned yoga/playroom!

Baby Itsy Bitsy Yoga classes contain dozens of unique yoga postures designed to support baby’s development. Each class is filled with calming, nurturing ways to enhance bonding and improve baby’s sleep and digestion among other things. During a Baby Itsy Bitsy Yoga class, babies enjoy yoga while on their backs, tummies, or held in loving arms. For parents, this class is a special opportunity to meet other moms, get support, and learn about baby's emerging personality. Most of the yoga we do in Itsy Bitsy Yoga is for baby, but you will also learn breathing and relaxation techniques as you practice a bit of yoga yourself. No yoga is experience required.

If your baby is not yet crawling being with our Baby Itsy Bitsy Yoga class. Baby Itsy Bitsy Yoga class is Mondays, 9:45 to 10:30a.

Itsy Bitsy Yoga for Tots is a supportive, fun-loving, and active yoga class. As tot’s mobility increases, classes offer tot-centric poses that encourage and support their physical explorations. Tots become more confident in their moving bodies as they practice yoga both in and out of class. During a Tots Itsy Bitsy Yoga class crawlers and walkers playfully practice yoga postures while they are standing, sitting up, walking, and jumping. Parents also get to do a little yoga, but no yoga experience is required.

If your tot is mobile but less than 24 months join the Tot Itsy Bitsy Yoga. Tot Itsy Bitsy Yoga is Thursdays, 9:45 to 10:30a

**Tot Yoga starts September 9th.  Baby Yoga starts September 13th.**

Registration not required. Just show up! Price is $10 for a drop in, or you can purchase a 5 class card for $40 ($8 a class).

If you have an older toddler, they are welcome to come. They are welcome to watch, participate, or we can set the older kids up in the living room with age appropriate toys or even some cartoons.

If you are pregnant, most all poses are safe, gentle and appropriate.

For questions or more information please email Stephanie Brandt Cornais at Info@MamaAndBabyLove.com

I look forward to sharing yoga with you and your family!