Is baby yoga child abuse?

The baby in the viral video not only survived but &quot;seems to be doing just fine&quot; two years later, says one blogger.

(Image credit: YouTube)

last updated 10 January 2015

Many new moms turn to yoga to get themselves and their children in shape. But a Russian fitness teacher living in Egypt is trying to push the trend beyond prenatal yoga and mommy-and-me classes. The instructor, Lena Fokina, made a "baby yoga" video that went viral this week showing her swinging a 2-week-old baby by her tiny limbs, even flipping the infant over her head. Is this an innovation that will help parents raise stronger babies, or simply child abuse? (Watch the video below)

This is a form of abuse: This video clip is absolutely "horrifying," says Linda Marsicano at Babble. This "so-called Baby Yoga" looks certain to "dislocate a limb or two!" Fortunately, it seems highly unlikely that "swinging newborns" will catch on in the U.S. — "to me it looks like child abuse."

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At least the baby in the video was not hurt: I can't say "whether swinging a barely conscious newborn over your shoulders does more good than harm," says Nathan Thornburgh at Dadwagon. But "we've tracked down the baby in the video, and she seems to be doing just fine." In Russia, some motivated parents see "baby yoga" as a way to give their child a "leg up" — but if you're not a "Slavic Tiger Mother," it might not be for you.