Ask almost any mom and she will tell you – personal time is tough to manage when you are taking care of little ones. Setting aside an hour to stay healthy might feel impossible in the face of eager youngsters, clamoring for your attention. Your personal health shouldn’t become less important with motherhood, but how do you manage your fitness and your children? We think you should workout with them.

Your mini workout buddy plays the role of motivational coach and adorable ‘weight’ in this simple, postpartum focused routine. Before you begin, there are a few things to note and prepare:

For Mom:

• Only begin an exercise routine after getting the OK from your doctor.
• Wear loose fitting clothes, and have a towel and mat nearby. Feel free to listen to music to get you going!
• Start slowly, only doing a few repetitions the first few times. It might also be a good idea to start with a walk around the neighborhood to get your muscles warm.

For Baby:

• Only begin exercising with your little one once they can control their own head (around 4/5 months)
• Change your baby, and avoid feeding right before this workout, as they may spit up

5 Simple Exercises

Abdominal Crunch

Plant your feet firmly on the floor, hip distance apart. Keep your knees comfortably apart and rest baby on your upper thighs, holding their hands to keep them stable. Tighten your abdominal muscles and raise your head and shoulders off of the floor, simultaneously lifting your lower legs to be parallel with the floor.

Plank

Place baby under you and hold a plank for 30-60 seconds each set. Your hands should be positioned below your shoulders, and your back should be flat.

Push Ups

Begin in a plank position, and place baby underneath you. Keeping your back flat, lower yourself and give baby a kiss at the bottom of each push up.

Plie Squat with Torso Rotation

With your feet positioned slightly wider than hip-width apart, point your toes at a 45 degree angle. Hold baby and sink into a squat, sinking no further than 90 degrees. From this position, rotate slowly side to side.

Plie Squat with Shoulder Press

Hold baby while you sink into a plie squat, then extend through, back to standing standing position holding baby above your head.

Once you have completed each exercise a few times, work your way up to completing 4 sets. For your first set, try 20 reps of each; then 15, 10, and 5, (or until baby has had enough). Good luck and remember to stay hydrated and stretch!

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