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Pregnancy weight? Postnatal depression? Not for us thank you!

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22 March 2013

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'One of our girls, Katya, is a first-time mother. She got so tired of seeing only pots and pans in her kitchen every day and came to our classes just out of curiosity'. Picture: Anastasia Neustroyeva 

Around the world sling-style has proved popular with stars like singer Beyonce and actress Natalie Portman, but we reckon these Moms and their kids deserve even more credit.

Last year the world's most popular English language news site, Mail Online, reported that baby slings had been voted by parents in the UK as 'the most useless product new parents can buy'.

This maybe true in the West, but these Siberian Moms have a different viewpoint. 

'Our girls perform every six months at concerts in our school like the one we had in February', said Anastasia, director of the Siberian Sling Dancing School from Novosibirsk. 

'We had more than 60 people coming to see our performance. The best part was that not only that the relatives of the girls came, though of course the grandpas and grandmas plus husbands were there supporting our dancers. It was that other people came just to learn what it was all about including several couples with babies.'

This not only spreads the keep-fit-and-have-fun dance message - but also helps families with young kids meet others in the same position, she says. 

In fact, their dancing reached a much wider audience, on the web in Russia but also on TV when they were invited to Moscow to strut their stuff. 

slim-go-mothers Siberia


slim-go-mothers Siberia


slim-go-mothers Siberia

'I get the opportunity to get back in shape, but the best part is that I don't need to be away from her baby'. Pictures: Anastasia Neustroyeva 

Anastasia, 30, is impressed by the different women coming to her class. 

'For example, Anya gave birth to her third baby and now she has joined our classes,' she mentions.

'With her second child she spent five years at home, and rarely went anywhere. But with baby number three, after she was four months, she came to our dance studio.

'Another girl Katya Zubakina is a first-time mother. She just got tired of seeing only pots and pans in her kitchen every day and came to our classes just out of curiosity. She liked it - and stayed.

'Another girl, also called Katya, started with us when we began in 2011 but now she doesn't come anymore because the baby grew too big for the sling. 

'There's an interesting story with her. We were invited to go to Moscow for a TV programme on the first channel of Russian TV. Later when it was broadcast, her grandmother saw her on TV. The granny didn't have internet (and lived faraway) so she couldn't see her grand granddaughter growing. She was so pleased to see them performing on TV'.

She reveals: 'We don't get any negative feedback. I guess the people who don't find it interesting just don't come to our performances. But those who do give us lots of positive energy and smiles.

'The fathers give us the best feedback, in fact.

'They say than since their wives or girlfirnds started visiting the sling dancing classes, they became more relaxed and calm. They don't bother husbands after work with thousands of questions as they already had her share of communication during the day.

slim-go-mothers Siberia


slim-go-mothers Siberia


slim-go-mothers Siberia

'The fathers give us the best feedback- they say than since their wives or girlfirnds started visiting the sling dancing classes, they became more relaxed and calm. Pictures: Anastasia Neustroyeva 

'Actually it's a Western idea but I'd never heard of it when me and my friend realised that we'd like to start dancing after giving birth. 

'But how can you do it? We couldn't leave the child alone and dancing together with the child would be quite dangerous.

'So we started research on the web and learned about sling dancing, and also about the fact that there are already some groups in Russia but not in Novosibirsk so we decided to start one of our own.

'We consulted with the professionals before introducing such an innovative dance. I visited an orthopaedic expert, a psychologist and other doctors, and based on their advice we came up with the moves that would be not only beautiful but safe for the child. 

'Of course no fast swings and turns, no jumps. Even when the girls turn around they hold the baby's head, so it's absolutely safe for the baby, while the extra weight makes it good exercise for the mother'.

'And for the baby? It's good because he or she loves to feel the mother's movement and warmth. Look at the faces too. The babies - all older than four and a half months - are happy'. 

As one Mom says: 'We get the opportunity to get back in shape - lose weight, get muscles in trim - which is particularly necessary after childbirth. 

'But the best part is that the Mom doesn't need to be away from her baby. 

slim-go-mothers Siberia


slim-go-mothers Siberia

'It's important that the child gets the opportunity to develop a sense of rhythm, and feels a sense of movement and balance with the music and dance'. Picture: Anastasia Neustroyeva 

'It's important that the child gets the opportunity to develop a sense of rhythm, and feels a sense of movement and balance with the music and dance.

'It's like a fun game for the baby that teaches a lot, you don't see them complain. Meanwhile Mom gets the chance to straighten her back, feel the joy of movement to music - even if you have not danced before - and to improve her shape'.

Time to watch them dancing! 

Comments (5)

Thanks Anastasia you just gave me an idea !
Pat, London
31/03/2013 22:42
2
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ok I take it that girls - and all men around them! - like it, but what's the fun for poor babies being tossed about?
M, Sydney
25/03/2013 23:40
5
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watching it now with my wife she says I wish there were other mothers like this around here
Nat, Sweden
25/03/2013 23:38
5
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hahaha great fun!!!
Tom, germany
25/03/2013 23:34
6
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hum... not sure I can imagine British mothers dancing like this with the babies. But they all seem to be having great fun, so why not!
Anna D., Manchester
25/03/2013 22:31
6
0
1

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