Can This Even Be Called ‘Yoga’?

Credit: D Sharon Pruitt

Like the Tiger Mom debate, I’ve been seeing this flip-flying yoga baby everywhere. I guess it’s not so much baby yoga as “dynamic gymnastics,” which could also be called “flinging your baby around kinda like he’s a kettlebell.”

I didn’t really enjoy watching the video, and judging from the comments on the article, I’m not the only one. Newborn babies, while strong in their own newborn-baby way, are still pretty fragile little creatures—there’s that whole little-to-no-head control thing to worry about. Personally, I can’t imagine taking a 2-week-old and flinging her around. Not only would I be worried about snapping a shoulder out of the socket or hurting her neck, but I would be worried about my own clumsiness! What if you happen to lose a firm grip? Also, I can’t imagine the spit-up (or worse!) that would be landing right in my face or be hurled around the room!

The baby in the video doesn’t appear to be crying. But is “not crying” the same as enjoying it? The woman in the video, Lena Fokina, says that the practice makes the babies’ hands stronger and that it promotes mobility, freedom and independence. She also claims this is one of the reason babies who do this (or have it done to them) are early talkers, readers and swimmers.

What do you mamas think about the video? If this is what it takes to make my daughter an early talker…well, I don’t want my little one growing up too fast anyway. I think I’ll just stick to baby massage or one of these more mainstream baby yoga DVDs! —Erin