This question is universal among new moms everywhere. You barely get time to shower these days – how on earth are you going to squeeze in an exercise routine? You may have to get creative. Exercise doesn’t have to mean going to a gym, using special equipment or taking a class (although those are all options, if you can manage them). Anything that gets your heart pumping is great!
Put on some music and dance with your baby. You may have to hold her now, but this is an activity she’ll enjoy doing well into toddlerhood!
Buy a good-quality baby carrier or backpack (or a sling, for when you make shorter, easier trips) and go for a walk or hike. Even just doing regular chores like cleaning, laundry, or dishes can become a workout when you’re carrying an extra load of baby! Make sure that the carrier fits well and doesn’t hurt your back and shoulders; pay attention to your posture and hold your abs in to support your back.
Take a brisk walk while pushing your baby in his stroller, or get a jogging stroller and run!
Check your local gym or YMCA for special postpartum exercise classes. If they don’t offer those, opt for a low-impact or beginners’ class. Most classes don’t last for more than an hour, so recruit your partner, a family member, or even a babysitter to watch the baby for an hour or so after work so that you can attend a class. Some gyms even have childcare facilities, but make sure that you thoroughly investigate them and agree with their policies before you send your baby there.
Get up thirty minutes to an hour before your baby usually does and go for a walk or do an exercise video in your living room. It may be hard to haul yourself out of bed, but you can always grab a nap later while your baby is napping – that’s time you won’t have to use for exercising, because you’ve already done it.
Speaking of exercise videos, try collecting a few of the more entertaining variety – cardio dance videos can be really fun. You can do these while baby is sleeping or when you can’t get to the gym, and you can always pause them if you need to stop for a few minutes. They’re a good way to add some variety.
Incorporate moves into your daily routine: squats while you’re folding laundry and calf raises while you’re doing dishes, for example. Keep your stomach held in and your abs tight at all times. Even when you’re sitting, you can tighten your gluteal muscles and hold for a count of thirty, release, and then repeat.
Invest in some easy-to-store home exercise equipment that you can use while baby is napping or playing contentedly.