Photo by sunchild123

I’m not going to lie. If I read one more blog post about how motherhood is just a really great opportunity to self-reflect, get comfortable with being uncomfortable, and learn to go with the flow, I might gag. Seriously. I’m gagging a little bit as I type this and I’m just remembering all the poses I’ve read comparing motherhood to yoga.

I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but motherhood is not yoga. Especially when you have a young child under, say, 5. (I’m just guesstimating here because my daughter is just 3 1/2. I’m hoping that when she’s 5 things might get easier—or at least it will not be my problem to the same extent because I’ll be shipping that precocious, sweet, incredibly exhausting girl of mine off to school for a big chunk of time every day then.) Yes, you can draw lots of parallels between the practices of yoga and motherhood: After all both can be really challenging, and many people still underestimate how demanding both practices are. And both can give you glimpses of who you really are by testing your physical and mental strength, stamina, and fortitude. But that’s really where the similarities end.

After a yoga class, most people feel less stressed, less overwhelmed, and more relaxed, right? That’s why we do it. When my child finally goes to sleep at night, on the other hand, I definitely feel relief, but some nights it’s more like the relief you’d feel if you fought in a war all day and survived by the skin of your teeth.

Let me put it another way: No one thinks, Oh, I need to work out some of this tension… I think I’d like to spend 16 hours potty training, cutting the crust off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and playing with loud toys that light up and play music.

Sure, you can take a mindful approach to motherhood—which will help you enjoy your kids and your life so much more. But let’s not kid ourselves: Yoga and motherhood are two very different things. Both bring immeasurable joy and richness to my life, but they are not one and the same.

There are still some times I’m going about my normal mom business when I realize I totally just busted a yoga move without even meaning to. It doesn’t count as a home practice or anything, but it does make me smile (and that’s worth something).

4 Yoga Poses Moms Do Without Realizing It

The Lunge and Grab Pose
Practice this posture every time you see your child running toward something dangerous—especially oncoming traffic, high cliffs (or, you know, stairs), and the germ-infested toys in the waiting room at the doctor’s office.

Multi-Purpose Squat Pose
Take this position when playing with toys, waiting on a potty training toddler to finish her business, or whenever you have something very important to tell your child so you need to look her in the eye. You might think you’ll only be taking this position for a short period of time, but your child has other plans, so settle in and get comfortable.

Warrior Pose
This one is less of a pose, per say, and more of an attitude. You aren’t going to eat the organic couscous I slaved over, dear child? Then, you will not get another snack again.. EVER! Now, go brush your teeth and get ready for bed! When you have a small child sometimes it seems like everything is a battle. Warrior Pose when you’re actually in yoga class is all about standing in your power while you practice your laser-like focus. Warrior Pose when you’re fighting a battle with your kid is all about exerting your power without losing your cool.

Mommy-Needs-a-Break Pose
It’s like Savasana… only there’s a small child hovering right above your head using his whiniest voice to say, “Mommy, get up!! Play with me!” about 6 million times. If you find the noise disruptive, simply cover your eyes with your arms (this also serves to hide your tears of exhaustion from your offspring).

Have you ever done yoga on accident while you were parenting? What pose did you find yourself in?

Read more …
So You Wanna Be a Yoga Mama?
A Yoga Practice for Mommy Brain
5 Things I Learned Practicing Yoga for Two