Baby yoga moves recommended by Justina Perry

This top-to-toe massage is done when your baby is fully clothed. Kneel on the floor with your baby lying on her back, with her feet between your legs. Then, gently stroke (her) from head to toe.

Make sure you keep eye contact with your baby at all times. Keep the tone of your voice soft and light and reassure her with lots of smiles.

Once you have done that three or four times, gently support your baby’s foot with one hand and stroke her leg beginning at her thigh and moving down towards her ankle. Switch hands, holding her foot with your other hand and repeat. Repeat three or four times on each arm and leg.

Finish with a gentle tummy massage, gently rubbing your baby’s belly in a clockwise direction. This movement encourages digested matter to move out of the body. By now, your baby should be nice and warm and relaxed, and you can start trying some more advanced moves.

As well as aiding digestion and trapped wind, this three-part move also helps with your baby’s spinal mobility and balance. It focuses on your baby’s hips and legs.

Start by kneeling on the floor with your baby lying on her back, facing you. Make eye contact with her and tell her what you are going to do. Then, holding her calves, bend her knees towards her tummy. Hold her knees in that position for a few seconds and then release. Repeat this same movement, three times. If there are 'sound effects' don’t worry, this move is excellent for alleviating wind.

Then, with the knees still bent, make the knees do a circular motion so that your baby’s thighs are gently massaging her tummy. Don’t press too hard and move both knees together in a clockwise direction.

Finally, keeping her knees bent and holding your baby’s buttocks for extra support, gently roll your baby from side to side, talking and smiling at her all the time.

With your baby lying comfortably on the floor facing you, pick up an opposing arm and leg, holding it gently by the hand or foot. Then, open and close her limbs towards each other three times.

Once you have done this, rotate the same hand and foot around each other slowly, first one way, and then the other. Not only is this movement good for getting your baby’s brain working, it also gets yours working, too!

Finish by bringing the baby’s arm across her chest and gently bringing the baby’s leg across her groin into the ‘half-lotus’. Again, don’t strain and only go as far as is comfortable for your baby. While you are doing this, don’t forget to keep making eye contact with your baby and smiling at her, for reassurance.

Then, repeat the first three steps again using your baby’s other arm and leg. This is a fun move for baby to enjoy and you can try accompanying it with a song or a nursery rhyme.

For this movement, start by sitting on the floor with your baby sat between your legs with her back to you. Make sure your back is well-supported and you are sitting comfortably. Next, take a deep breathe in, pushing your belly out at the same time.

Take the baby’s arms and roll them around each other 3-4 times. Finish this sequence by bringing her arms in and hugging them around her chest.

Then roll again 3-4 times, this time taking the arms out, so that you are opening up the chest area.

After this, do the same movement again but bring the arms down to the floor. You will find your baby will instinctively lean forward into the ‘lotus pose’. If you can, follow her lead, and lean forward as well, so that you are giving your back a good stretch at the same time.

Finally, bring your baby up so she is sitting with her back straight and roll her arms 3-4 times one final time. This time, bring the arms up. You may find that if your baby is ready and in the mood that she will automatically come up to standing. Do not force this. If your baby is happy to just sit, that’s absolutely fine.

This is a real ‘miracle move’ with lots of benefits for your baby. However, it’s also good for you, as it shows you how to stand up safely while holding your baby, reducing strain on your back.

Begin by kneeling up with your baby on your lap, facing out. Then, put one arm across her chest, and the other arm through her legs. Bring one of your knees up (so you are now kneeling on one knee), and then use the other leg to push yourself up to standing.

Once you’re standing, gently tilt your baby forward, so her belly and chest are resting across your lower arms. Make sure that both of your baby’s arms are hanging over yours. Now bring your one foot forward and bend the knee. Keep your other back leg straight, so that you are standing in the yogic ‘warrior pose’.

You can then begin to gently lift and swing your baby to and fro for one minute, bending your front knee at the same time. Only go as far as is comfortable – the deeper you go, the more strengthening it is. Change sides and then repeat the whole exercise again with your baby.