ROLE OF YOGIC PRACTICES IN POSTPARTUM CARE

Abstract

Introduction: Child birth is a critical event in a woman's life. It comes with responsibility, physical-emotional stress and strain along with anatomical, physiological and hormonal changes. Maternal physical and emotional health issues are quite common after parturition. Yoga can be an important management tool in these conditions. Yoga is a cost-effective therapy and can be administered easily with only initial guidance. The mother can perform it at home after properly learning from trained personnel. Materials and Methods: This is a conceptual study based on elaboration of references from various books on Yoga, research articles and web sources. Discussion: Yogic practices with their holistic and psycho-physiological approach help in management of various physical conditions as well as emotional and psychological issues. Overall effects of all these practices are reduction in pain, improved mood status and sleep, reduced stress, anxiety and depression, improved physiological functions and re-established hormonal axis. The specic practices performed for specic health conditions help in their management. Conclusion: Yogic practices help in speedy recovery of the body for normal functioning of daily life in the postpartum women. They help in management of various postpartum health conditions and in coping with stress and give a positive sense of wellbeing.