The beginning and the end, a way to relax and loosen/tighten the joints, and most importantly it is asking permission to start our yoga classes.

Hands on hug – Place the hands on the top of baby’s head and stroke the baby quite firmly with both hands all the way down to the feet. Repeat two more times. Holding onto the bottoms of baby’s legs, pull gently towards you and wiggle the legs. This should be firm enough for the baby to feel it and it is a good way to prepare little ones for yoga, asking baby’s permission to begin.

Milking – Hold the thigh with one hand and as you sweep down the leg bring the other hand to the thigh. Alternate the hands sweeping down the legs in a milking action. Repeat a few times and then do the same on the other leg. Use the same technique on the arms going from the shoulder down to the hand.

Shoulder rub – Place the hands in the centre of the chest then sweep them over the shoulders and down the arms to the hands. Repeat two more times.

Massage the thighs – From the knee joint up to the groin using fingers and thumbs in small circles. This helps with lymph drainage.

Massage the feet – Under the toes from the big toe to the little toe. Stroke the whole foot with the thumb on the sole and fingers on the top, gently massage not forgetting the instep. Press on the heel with the thumb and stroke firmly up towards the toes. Repeat this a few times.

Toe rolling – From the big toe to the little toe roll the toes working the joint. Repeat on the other foot. Can be done to ‘This Little Piggy’.

Rolling – Take the thigh between your hands and roll the flesh as if rolling pastry between your hands, then slide over the joints and do the same with the calf. Repeat on the other leg. Repeat on the arms, with one hand on the top of their arm and the other on the bottom. Can be done to ‘Jelly on a Plate’.

Sinus draining – Careful not the cover the ears. Place the thumbs in the centre of the forehead just above the brows and firmly stroke in an outwards direction three or four times. Place the index fingers on the bridge of the nose between the eyes and stroke the fingers outwards along the cheek bones and repeat three or four times.

Flexi ankles – Hold the back of the ankle in the palm of your hand, then with the other hand gently hold the foot near the toes and rotate in a circle one way and then the other for approximately 4 rotations. Then flex and point the toes for approximately 4 cycles and repeat both exercises on the other foot. Gently massage the feet by using your thumb on the sole of the foot and fingers on top of the foot, working from the toes to the heels not forgetting the instep.

Ear massage – With the index finger and thumb gently massage the ears from the top the lobe in a circular motion.

I Love You – Helps to relax a tense, bloated tummy. Begin by making a simple ‘I’ stroke down the left side of the tummy (your right). Use gentle but firm strokes with your fingertips starting just under the rib cage down just past the belly button. Stroke an upside down ‘L’ going from your left to the right across your babies tummy, then continuing down the left side. Finally make an upside down ‘U’ again going from your left to right ensuring in a clockwise motion over the belly button. Repeat the process a few times. It’s a firm but gentle pressure so baby can feel the pressure but it should not hurt. Stop if your baby seems in pain.

Sun and Moon – Picture a box around the belly button about 2 cm either side. This is the area to work within. Draw a circle within the box with your fingertips around baby’s belly button in a clockwise motion. Continue the full circle stroke with one hand while the other follows behind it to do a half circle. Say the words ‘sun and moon’ whilst stroking. Perform in a clockwise direction.