Fave 5 Mom/Baby Exercises

02/15/2019

Hi, My name is Brittany and I’m a first time mom to a beautiful baby girl! I live with my (common law) husband of 5 years, our 4 year old rescue dog, Luna, and of course our daughter, Claire. I have a full time job with the City of Saskatoon that I will be returning to in September. In my (very little) free time I enjoy video games, board games, and Netflix. I live for coffee and craft beer. I enjoy cooking and baking but don’t have nearly as much time for meal prep as I’d like. Being a parent is both the most exhausting thing I’ve ever done in my entire life and also the most fulfilling. I can’t wait to share my experiences – good or bad.

As a brand new first time mom, I’ve been feeling a lot of pressure to bounce back to my pre-pregnancy body. Which, if we’re being totally honest here, wasn’t all that healthy to begin with. I’ve always been on the bigger side, which didn’t really bother me too much until I got pregnant. Suddenly, every extra pound I gained was frowned upon.

Now that I’m a few months Postpartum, and my daughter is a little more self sufficient, I feel ready to start exercising – and hopefully getting to a more healthy and sustainable place than I started.

Here are my 5 favourite mom and baby workout moves:

1.Walking or Highchair Lunges

Standing upright with your baby held against your chest or in your arms outstretched in front of you, take turns stepping forward with one leg and dropping the rear knee to the floor. Do a few repetitions on each leg. This can also be done with your baby sitting in their highchair. On each repetition I make silly faces and noises to keep her entertained.

2. Baby Bench Press

Lying flat on your back holding your baby in your hands, press your arms straight up in the air. Bend your arms and bring your baby down to your face. I give big kisses or raspberries on her cheeks to make this a fun game for her. **Be warned: this is not always the best idea if baby has recently eaten!

3. Front Squats

Standing upright with your baby held against your chest (or in your arms outstretched in front of you if you’re feeling adventurous), keep your back straight and squat down as low as you can without lifting your heels off the ground.

4. Plank (or Push Ups)

Lay your baby on their back looking up at you. Get yourself in a plank position, on your toes or on your knees, whatever feels best. If planking, hold for 30 seconds and release, rest for 10-20 seconds and repeat. If doing push ups, bend your elbows, keeping them tight to your body. Keep your back straight (don’t let your core disengage) and give your baby kisses or raspberries at the bottom. Repeat.

5. Baby Crunches

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Sit your baby up on your stomach against your thighs. Engage your core and crunch up. I bring Claire’s face closer to mine so I can give kisses or raspberries.

As always, be gentle with yourself. Don’t start a rigorous exercise routine without first consulting with (and getting the okay from) your doctor or obstetrician. Drink lots of water and (try to!) get enough sleep. Your body will thank you!