3 Restorative Yoga Poses for New Moms

Restorative yoga poses were truly transformational for my health after having my son, and I truly recommend exploring this type of yoga to anyone- especially to new moms who are so commonly battling inadequate or low-quality sleep and dealing with higher levels of stress.

Restorative yoga is a gentle, supported yoga practice that focuses on deep relaxation, stress reduction, and simulating the parasynthetic nervous system (responsible for relaxation and the “rest and digest” response- think the opposite of the “fight or flight” response- more on that later). Restorative poses usually supported by “props” (like blankets and yoga blocks- I’ll provide household item replacement suggestions) and held for more than 5 minutes. Restorative yoga can help counteract the effects of low sleep, and can leave you feeling healed, refreshed, and rejuvenated.

This post is all about restorative yoga poses for new moms.

Sleep Struggles as a New Mom

When I first became a mom, one of my greatest struggles was sleep. And it was a serious struggle. My son woke up constantly, as newborns do. We struggled with breastfeeding so I had to pump in the middle of the night to stay ahead of the game and not worry about running out of milk. When he was sleeping, I felt like I had to power through and catch up on house stuff and paperwork stuff and food prep stuff. I was recovering from preeclampsia. I was, simply put, a wreck.

It was joyful and amazing to be a mom- but it was hard. The lack of sleep took an incredible toll on me. I had always been a pretty good sleeper. Even if I went to bed late, I never struggled with interrupted sleep or serious insomnia. After my son it was completely different. I found myself craving sleep; daydreaming about sleep. I felt like I was walking around in a daze.

That overwhelmed phase lasted longer than I wish it did, but that’s a story for another post 🙂

How I (Re)Discovered Restorative Yoga Poses

At some point, I began trying to get back to things that made me feel wholly myself again. Self-care. Exercising. Journaling. And yoga.

I discovered yoga when I was around 20 and it had a huge impact on my life then; I actually ended up taking a yoga teacher training years later.

Yoga as a new mom definitely felt different. Old things I had cared about when practicing (like reaching “peak” poses or mastering a handstand) seemed almost laughable. My balance was different, and the distractions felt neverending. Still, practicing helped so much and perhaps just this reminder of life “tools” I actually had access to.

One day, I thought about a few days in the yoga teacher training that was focused on restorative yoga. A teacher who specialized in restorative yoga came in and went through poses with us, sharing great information, stories, and insight.

One of the stories she shared was about a yoga and meditation retreat she had taught at in Utah. The retreat was held in the mountains. She suffered from altitude sickness there and it resulted in horrible insomnia. She told us that while she couldn’t get any sleep, her restorative yoga practice helped her from completely falling apart. It provided substantial “rest” to her body.

Nothing can replace sleep, of course. I would 100% recommend prioritizing sleep and finding a way to make at least 7 hours a night of quality sleep a non-negotiable.

But when adequate sleep is just not available, providing your body with the immense relief of quality rest from restorative yoga can make a huge difference (from my experience).

Support and Setup

One of the biggest barriers for many people in terms of restorative yoga is the setup. It’s true: many restorative yoga poses call for props and a somewhat detail-oriented setup.

If you want to make restorative yoga a part of your life, I definitely recommend investing in some props. They’re helpful for other yoga practices as well. I will include links to some of my favorite affordable yoga props at the bottom of this post.

In the meantime, I have tried to include prop alternatives with stuff you have at home (or pose alternatives).

Here are 3 restorative yoga poses to try:

Supported Bound-Angle Pose (Salamba Supta Baddha Konasana)

I honestly thought about not including this pose, because there IS some complicated set-up and props involved. But then I realized that would be crazy, because I think it is truly the MVP of restorative yoga poses- I don’t know that there is another pose that’s more impactful or beneficial in the series. And once you get the hang of setting it up, it’s not a big deal.

Benefits

This pose opens the chest, abdomen, and pelvis and allows for deep relaxation and opening.

Props:

• Yoga Bolster (at-home alternatives: couch cushions, pillows, a couple folded blankets, blocks)
• Yoga Strap (really a must-get but at-home alternatives include stockings, long socks, and belts)
• Large blanket
• 4 double-fold blankets that can be folded into long, rectangular support blankets
• Additional optional props include another blanket for warmth, an eyebag or eye mask, and a clock or timer

Getting into the pose:

1. Sit in front of your bolster so that it is touching your tailbone.
2. Bend your knees and put your feet on the floor.
3. Be gentle with yourself as you lie down, using your arms for support as needed.
4. The bolster should now be supporting you from your sacrum. [Note: The sacrum is the triangular bone at the base of the spine You can feel the dimples of your sacroiliac joints on both sides of your lower back, across your low hips]
5. If there’s any discomfort in your low back, adjust the height of your supports.
6. Place a double-fold blanket underneath your neck and head. [Note: The whole neck should be supported. VERY important that there is no strain in the neck. Take the time to get 100% comfy]
7. Your torso should now be at a 45 degree angle to the floor.
8. Now place the soles of your feet together, and let your knees fall to the side.
9. Place a blanket (folded long) under each outer thigh. Even if you feel like you don’t need them, these blankets encourage the supported feeling this pose is aiming for.
10. Now for the belt. To start, fasten the belt into a loop that’s long enough to cover the distance from your hips to feet when lying down. Now bring it over your head and place it around your hips. With the soles of your feet together, wrap the (free side) of the loop around your feet
11. Put two more long-roll blankets down to support your forearms. You might want to test lying down and see where your forearms will land- this will allow you to then…
12. Lie down in complete, blissful relaxation. You might stay in this pose for 10-15 minutes; some stay for 30+ minutes. When I am in this pose, I try to focus only on my breath.

Watching a video of setting up for this pose can definitely be helpful. I was searching for a good one and came across this one. It’s supported bound angle pose instructions as taught by Charlotte Bell, the author of one of my favorite books ever –

Elevated Legs Up the Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)

Legs up the wall pose is one of the most well-known restorative poses, and a favorite of many yoga practitioners. It’s simple, beneficial, and soo relaxing. It’s also a lot easier to get into than many poses (I’m looking at you, supported bound angle :P)

This elevated version is more supportive and restorative.

Benefits: Fights stress and rejuvenates the legs and back. Can be helpful for PMS, stretching the lower back, circulation, and digestion issues.

Props:

• Yoga Bolster (at-home alternatives: couch cushions, pillows, a couple folded blankets, blocks)
• Large blanket
• Additional optional props include another blanket for warmth, an eyebag or eye mask, and more blankets for additional support.

Getting into the pose:

1. Put the long side of the bolster parallel to the wall (about 6-10 inches between them).
2. Place a blanket folded the long way on the floor at a 90 degree angle to the middle of the bolster (so the whole thing should look like a T).
3. Sit on the end of the bolster, with one shoulder near the wall and the length of the bolster behind you.
4. Roll back, gently swinging your legs up the wall. This might take some practice to get right, and to get the distance between the bolster and the wall correct. You can try it without the bolster to help you understand the distance needed. Tightness in the legs might make it harder to get your legs up- you cna move the props further away to make it easier.
5. When in position, your legs are almost vertical and your torso is in a half-dome shape.
6. This pose should be personalized to your body and comfort. Don’t like the bolster? Try some blanket instead. Need more height? Add a blanket to the bolster.
7. Remember that there should be no strain. This is a relaxing pose and not a stretching one.
8. There should be no strain or discomfort in the neck. A common tendency is to jam the neck to the chest. Check for this and make sure your neck is free and happy.
9. Close your eyes (cover them if you can) and relax. Arms can go by your sides or overhead, supported by another blanket. Feel your shoulder and chest opening, and the stress and fatigue draining from you.

Here’s a helpful video with instructions for supported legs up the wall pose with Eve Grzybowski.

Mountain Brook Pose

“Change your breath, change your life.” I’m not sure (even after some research) where that quote comes from, but I heard it many years ago and it has stuck with me. If you’ve ever consciously worked on your breathing, you likely understand how true it is. In daily life, it’s easy to forget to breathe fully, deeply, even.. adequately. Especially when we’re under-slept and overstimulated. This has a ripple effect to everything, including health and mood. Mountain Brook pose is a treat for our breathing; it promotes deep, smooth breathing naturally- providing an effortless boost to one’s health and spirits.

Props:

• Yoga Bolster (at-home alternatives: couch cushions, pillows, a couple folded blankets, blocks)
• 2 larger blankets
• A blanket rolled long
• Additional extra blankets might be helpful for support or warmth

Getting into the pose:

1. Fold the blankets into long almost rectangular shapes and stack them. Then sit in front of the long side and lie over them, with the center line of the blanket just below the shoulder blades, to see how it feels. Depending on the type of blankets you’re using, and how arched you want your back to be, you might want to rearrange these, unfold one, etc. Once you’ve got your folding down, roll to one side to gently sit up.
2. Put the bolster under the knees.
3. Place the rolled long blanket to support your neck.
4. Lie back.
5. Do a comfort check. The arch of your next should feel wholly supported. The head is tilted gently back, throat relaxed. As author Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., P.T. writes: “I cannot emphasize often enough that when this pose is properly set up, your neck should be completely relaxed…you will likely enjoy a small, rolled facecloth under the lowest part of your neck to support the cervical spine. Do not support the middle of the neck, as this will only serve to increase the the curve, not support it.” She also writes that if you are still uncomfortable after trying to support your neck, you may want to skip this pose.
6. Your arms can go wherever feels best: by your sides, up in a cactus pose, overhead and supported by a blanket.

Here’s a great video with Mountain Brook Pose instructions.

Restorative Yoga Props and Resources

Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., P.T.’s “Relax and Renew” is probably the most renowned book on restorative yoga and it’s a wonderful resource.

I do like Lululemon yoga accessories and mats, and they usually have some colors and designs on sale. Here are some affordable yoga blocks and blankets on Amazon: