Health Benefits of the Happy Baby Pose

Happy Baby Pose (also referred to as Ananda Balasana) is a stretch common to yoga and Pilates.

Yoga is a mind and body exercise that focuses on Flexibility, breathing, and strength. Its goal is to improve mental well-being. Pilates includes yoga-like movements to improve range of motion, balance, and flexibility, but it also strengthens and tones muscles.

The Happy Baby Pose is often incorporated into these two types of workouts because of its gentle, calming motion and many health benefits.

What is the Happy Baby Pose, though? Here’s a look at how to do the pose, as well as benefits of this movement.

What is the Happy Baby Pose?

Happy Baby Pose is a gentle and soothing pose that’s great for increasing relaxation and stretching the body. It involves lying on your back and rolling from side to side.

The pose is appropriately named “happy baby” because while you’re in this position — lying on your back and holding your feet — you’ll resemble a baby lying happily on its back. Who hasn’t stumbled upon a baby in this position while lying on a blanket or in a crib?

Happy Baby Pose is a relatively easy movement, so it’s ideal for beginners. Instructors often include the pose near the beginning or end of a yoga or Pilates classes due to its calming effect.

How to do the Happy Baby Pose

Here’s how to do the Happy Baby Pose, step-by-step:

• Step 1: Lie flat on your back on the floor or a mat.
• Step 2: With your head flat on the mat, bend your knees toward your chest at a 90-degree angle. Face the soles of your feet up toward the ceiling.
• Step 3: Reaching forward, grab and hold the inside or outside of your feet. Spread your knees apart, shifting them toward your armpits.
• Step 4: Flex your heels into your hand and gently rock from side-to-side (like a happy baby). Remain in this position for several breaths, inhaling and exhaling deeply.

Tips for doing this pose correctly

Although the Happy Baby Pose is an excellent way to stretch and relieve tension, make sure you avoid common mistakes to benefit the most from this exercise.

It’s important that your shoulders remain on the floor or mat at all times, so don’t raise them as you reach forward. If you can’t keep your shoulders flat, instead of grabbing and holding the inside or outside of your feet, grab and hold your ankles or shins.

Likewise, keep your head on the mat to avoid a neck strain. If this is difficult, place a rolled blanket or towel underneath your neck for support. Or, grab your ankles or shins instead of your feet.

If you’re a beginner and can’t grab your feet, hold a yoga strap around the arch of your feet to achieve this pose.

Precautions

Due to the nature of this pose, it’s not recommended if you have a neck or knee injury. It’s also not recommended for pregnant women.

Although it’s safe for pregnant women to participate in yoga, this particular pose is discouraged after the first trimester. It involves lying on your back, which might reduce circulation to the fetus.