
As you can see, Child’s Pose can be a difficult position for many people to get into. Yoga poses are not a one size fits all, and everyone has a unique body and level of comfort. In this article, I walk you through the process of getting into the Child’s Pose yoga position, as well as the partner video through my YouTube channel , and offer variations for the position, including a seated variation for those of you stuck at work, to help you adjust this position to meet your needs. If you are looking for a different type of modification or have questions, please contact me , I’d love to hear from you!
- Decrease pain in pelvic region, abdomen, back, hips, and groin
- Help with conditions associated with pelvic floor dysfunction
- Combat chronic constipation, fatigue, and pain
- Combats fatigue
- Decrease period cramping
- Helps to facilitate introspection and focus on diaphragmatic breathing
- Aid with sleep preparation and downregulation
- Lengthens and stretches the tissues of the back and neck, aids with pain in these areas
- Gain opening in the ankles, knees, and hips
Begin on your hands and knees. Place your toes together behind you, in line with your tailbone.
Sit back and rest on your feet. Slide your knees wider apart. Slide to a comfortable level for you, that allows you to bend and drop your chest forward comfortably, while still supporting your abdomen. I change the width of my knees daily based on my body’s level of comfort that day. Feel free to do the same!
From here, slowly bend forward creating a nice curve through your tailbone and spine. I suggest moving into position slowly to monitor your body’s level of comfort. Here you can see I bend and place my elbows on the floor or surface.
MODIFICATION 1
This pose demands a lot of knee flexion, or the bend in your knee. This can be painful or even impossible for some to achieve. To combat this concern utilize a towel, blanket, or foam roll behind your knees for additional cushion or support. This will also help to decrease the flexion demand on your knees.
MODIFICATION 3
Ankle concerns are another cause for discomfort in this position. If your ankle can not handle the amount of extension demand in this position, utilize that towel or mat you have in another way. Placing the support item underneath your ankles will allow you to keep your ankles bent. Raise them into whatever degree bend is comfortable for you. The additional modification below may help you as well to find a comfortable position with this variation.
If your knees and ankles can not handle any type of flexion at all, or if you are stuck in an office chair at work and still want to exercise and stretch that pelvic floor. This modification for Seated Child’s Pose will be ideal for you. Here is the best way to enter the seated position:
- Sit forward on your seat edge with enough room that your upper thigh is still supported.
- Position your knees directly above your ankles.
- Flex forward, bringing your rib cage to your thighs.
- Rest your elbows on your legs or knees.
- Rest your head into your palms.
If you are looking to increase the reach of this position, but aren’t quite ready to move to Prone Child’s Pose from the beginning, this is a position that allows for you to fully fold forward. Reaching your hands to the ground, place them on either side of your feet, or even grab either side of your ankles to hold the position. Let your head relax and dangle down, releasing tension in your neck and shoulders. Focus on your breathing and maintain the rounding throughout your spine in this position.
For a full range of poses and stretches, with a multitude of modifications, check out the following resources! Use these to design an individualized, daily plan to build healthy movement into your life!
PELVIC YOGA POSES:
VIDEO PLAYLIST: Pelvic Floor Yoga Poses (with MODIFICATIONS)
GUIDE: Pelvic Yoga (with MODIFICATIONS)
PELVIC FLOOR STRETCHES:
VIDEO PLAYLIST: Pelvic Floor Stretches (with MODIFICATIONS)
GUIDE: Pelvic Stretches (with MODIFICATIONS)
Extra References
New to the Pelvic Floor – Start Here
Interval Timer App that I Use (Apple Store)
Relaxed Diaphragmatic Breathing for Your Pelvic Floor
Recommended Products
I LOVE the yoga stores listed below for their quality, and variety of options, designed to meet all of your needs. Manduka is a great one-stop-shop for high-quality yoga products, and Yoga Outlet has an amazing variety of props to make yoga and meditation accessible for all. Both of these sites also sell clothing and other accessories to make those pelvic stretches possible for everyone. Available through my website are coupons and links to all kinds of pelvic floor products. Click on each of the links below to check out the products they have to offer!
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✨ Manduka
DISCLOSURE: Hi there! – I truly hope you love any product I recommend, I always try them out personally or with my patients. At times, I use affiliate links. You do not pay more, a small percentage of the sale goes to the person who has influenced your purchase. This helps me to continue offering free content. Let me know your experience! All pricing is up to date at the time of posting.
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