Exercise before kids was a luxury I took for granted. I’ve always been an early riser and have preferred to get my workout done first thing in the morning. Now with kids, the nights are so unpredictable. They might sleep through the night, so you can wake up early and get your workout done before they wake up, or they can have a horrible night’s sleep keeping you up basically all night. The unpredictability with kids (and especially babies) is what stresses me out the most. I wish I had a crystal ball and knew how the night would go so I could plan accordingly.
This time around I’ve given myself a lot more grace in my expectations for what working out postpartum “should” look like. I’ve lowered my expectations for what a workout must look like. Right now, with Kinsley being 15 weeks old, my goal is just to move most days. If I have the time and energy I will try for a more intense workout, but if I’m tired and/or short on time I will do a more gentle workout or go for a stroller walk.
Exercise and movement is SO important for my mental health so I try to make it a priority everyday. I know it can be so challenging to get in exercise with a new baby, so I thought today I would share some tips that help me stay active with a new baby.
- Lay out workout clothes the night before and put them on right when I wake up. Even if I don’t plan to workout first thing in the morning, I find it is one less hurdle later in the day to motivate me to get moving.
- Exercise with the baby We go on a walk almost every day together as she loves stroller walks. You can also look into a Stroller Strides program or something similar in your area.
- Coordinate with your partner On the weekends I like to take a class or do a longer workout, so I coordinate with my husband so I can get this time to myself.
- Make it short but effective Even just 20 minutes will make you feel so much better and likely energize you. I find a quick HIIT workout (love the Peloton app for this) gets my heart rate up, breaks a sweat, and makes me feel 100 x better.
- Stay active throughout the day I’m always trying to find ways to move throughout the day with Kinsley. If you don’t have a big chunk of time to dedicate to a workout, then break it up into little bursts of activity throughout the day.
- Plan a walk date with a friend If a friend is wanting to catch up or see the baby I usually suggest grabbing a coffee and going for a walk. This keeps the baby moving and happy, you’re getting exercise, and you get to catch up with a friend.
- Floor time together while the babe is doing floor time/tummy time sneak in some abs, lunges, or squats. You can even throw on a your own online workout while they are happy on the floor and this keeps you engaging with them.
- Get it in before the kids are awake This is my favorite way to exercise. I love to get it in first thing while everyone is still asleep. This is more challenging right now with Kinsley’s unpredictable night sleep. Set your alarm to go off before the fam wakes up and get in a workout, make some coffee, enjoy some quiet time and be ready to take on the day before they are even awake. Sets the tone for a great day.
- Make it a family affair We have started going on family walks on the weekends. Quinn rides her bike, my husband walks the dog, and I push the stroller (or we switch) and then everyone is getting exercise together.
- Be flexible I’ve learned to set my expectations low. Let’s just say I’m not training for a half marathon right now 😉 (or ever again ha!) Be kind and gentle without yourself for the season you’re in. I keep reminding myself that Kinsley will sleep through the night (or take longer naps) and I will be able to be more structured and consistent with my workouts. I’ve learned to embrace where things are at and just trying my best!
Please share how your tips and tricks of staying active with a baby/kids.
xx, A
