Mommy and baby exercises

Are you struggling to find the time to get back into your regular workout routine now that your baby has arrived? It might be time to find an effective way to exercise that can be done with baby in tow! Mom and baby exercises are a great way for a busy mom to keep healthy and spend quality time with her little one.

Here are a few of our favourites.

Stroller exercise

This is a popular choice of moms and fitness experts alike. In a stroller, the baby is comfortably bundled up, and the extra effort required to push the stroller takes walking or jogging to another level.

• For new moms and newborns, first get approval from your doctor, and then get walking! It’s a great way to get your abs back in shape and enjoy the fresh air at the same time. Start slow, build up your endurance, then move on to longer, harder walks.
• Develop your own interval training by alternating the intensity of your walk between a warm-up level and power walking. To add cardio, incorporate hill climbs, and for more leg work, add a series of lunges.
• After your baby is a year old and has better muscular strength, try running with the stroller.

Floor exercises

As your child grows and develops, so can your workout routine. Here are exercises that should only be performed with an older baby but that seem more like play than a workout! Try these at home, or for fun, head outside to the park and be sure to add lots of kisses and cuddles!

• The baby press: Stand up and hold your baby in your hands. Lift your baby straight up in the air, then bring her back down to your chest. Repeat.
• Leg lifts: Lie on your back with your knees bent. Place your infant on her tummy on top of your lower legs. While holding her securely, lift your lower legs up to form a 90-degree angle, hold, then lower your legs and repeat.
• Push-ups: Lay your little one on the floor on her back. Get into the push-up position over her. Keep your body straight and push yourself up, hold, then lower your body. Repeat.
• Ab lifts: Lie flat on the ground with your knees bent. Have your baby sit or lie on your tummy. Keeping your knees bent, lift your hips up and then lower. Repeat this motion.

Other ideas

Have more exercise fun with your baby with these suggestions:

• Dancing: Put on your favourite tunes, hold your baby and dance, or if you are really going to get your groove on, put your baby in a baby lounger or high chair, and just let them watch.
• Water aerobics: Bring your baby into the pool, and while holding her above water level, run the length of the pool. Another option is to perform leg lifts or jog in place while in the water.
• Check out your local recreation centre for information on mommy-and-baby programs.

More on fitness

The benefits of swimming
5 Ways to squeeze in fitness
Workouts to do outside in spring