Celebrity moms discover the benefits of baby yoga!

 Action & Event-ure:

Celebrity moms and their babies discover the benefits of play and movement as they are introduced to the latest baby yoga inspired exercise routine - the new Pampers Yoga Stretchycise.

I was given the chance to interview celebrity moms Camille Pratts, Amy Perez, Danica Sotto and Meryll Soriano and they all shared the joys and challenges of raising their children, now in their active baby stage, and how baby yoga becomes a welcome treat for them! =)

While it was the first time for many of the them to try baby yoga, they were quickly won over as they sat, stretched and sang through the different routines with their babies.

Pampers Yoga Stretchycise, developed by Pampers the Mother and Child Nurses Association of the Philippines (MCNAP) and Gymboree Play and Music, is a fun playtime routine that combines yoga moves with stretching which will help encourage the development of baby's mind and body.

“It really helps you bond with your baby because he will pay attention to you, listen to you and follow you as you do the exercises,“ said Camille Pratts, who did the session with her son, Nathaniel, while Danica Sotto, who learned the routines with her baby Jean Michel remarked that, “It’s fun and it really helps stimulate him physically - through movements that stretch his muscles, movements that help him learn to balance and allow him to practice his crawling and walking.”

These simple exercises encourage baby movement and active play, which is essential for babies at this stage of their development. The first two years of life is when a child’s brain is growing fastest and before a child can speak, movement is the most important way for them to explore and learn about their social and physical environment and develop new skills.

“The Active Baby Stage is really a period for developmental achievement and intellectual growth. It’s a time of intense exploration of the environment as children attempt to find out how things work,” said MCNAP President Estelita Galutira.

This is further confirmed by the U.S. National Association of Sports and Physical Education who states that “current research confirms that the physical activity of infants and young children is an important component of early brain development and learning. Postivie early movement experiences increase the infant’s chances of achieving full developmental potential throughout life.”

Another thing these celeb moms agree on is that mothers should encourage their children to play. “I think moms should actually be happy when their babies become active because an active baby is a healthy baby. I was advised to support that and to find activities that are appropriate for my baby so he can release his energy,” said Meryll Soriano, another Pampers Stretchycise participant with son Elijah.

Amy Perez, who also joined the yoga session with her son Sean Kylie, shared that her son moves a lot but she should adjust and cope with it. “Active baby stage happens once so we should have time with our babies, watch them grow, and support them in the best way we can.”

Meanwhile Camille advised fellow moms not to be scared to let their children explore. “Support their eagerness, give them stimulants and let them crawl and run. These things will make them stronger,” she said.

And the perfect diaper partner for babies at this stage of their development is Pampers Active Baby, which now has balloon stretch tapes that expand and contract, following baby’s body shape so he can play comfortably.

“With Pampers Active Baby, the sides are stretchy so whether he’s sitting or standing, there’s that little bit of allowance that makes the diaper more breathable,” described Danica while Meryll said that “It’s really a good fit for babies at this age. It’s good that you have a diaper that can support him in his activities so you have fewer worries.”

Pampers Active Baby also has absorbency that lasts up to 12 hours, as experienced by Amy with her son, Sean Kylie. “The diaper doesn’t leak so he’s free to move,” she remarked.

To learn more about Pampers Yoga Strechycise and Pampers Active Baby, parents can visit www.pampers.ph.