Q - I have had a yoga practice for 13 years. This August I had my first baby and sustained a 4th degree perineal laceration. I have healed and am cleared for activity. What sort of sequence would you prescribe? Warmly, J
By laceration do you mean episiotomy or tearing from birth? Either one can take some time to fully heal. Often the psychic and body image trauma can persist long after the tissue is “healed.” I suspect you should be cleared for all asanas if you have completely healed as you stated. To me that would imply that sexual relations are normal and comfortable and you have no instability with bladder. If this is the case then I would simply add mula bandha and aswini Mudra practice to help heal on deeper levels. Mula is done during exhales pulling up the entire pelvic floor along with abdominal and gluteal contractions. The focal region of the contractions should be the perineum. Aswini is a rhythmic contraction and mild outward pressure exerted on the anal sphincter without pranayama applied. Both of these can be done within Asana practice especially during poses where torso is aligned – that is not in forward or backward bending.