Get Fit And Have Fun With Baby

After new moms have a baby, losing that baby weight and getting healthy are usually pretty high on the to-do list. However, most new moms don’t exactly have two hours to devote to the gym, and rarely have enough time after mealtime, play time, and maintaining a house all day. However, to combat the “not enough hours in the day” excuse, new moms are looking to incorporate their new baby in their workout routine.

Everyone knows that exercising is important to increasing metabolism, losing weight and muscle toning, but exercise is also important in new moms for preventing post-partum depression. Exercising is also important for stress relief, which every new mother can definitely benefit from. The bond between mother and child is bound to grow as well, as the child is learning to interact with the parent and grow in confidence and self-awareness.

From walking to jogging, yoga to resistance exercises, there’s something for everyone. “Baby carrying, especially in the first six months, is a great way to burn more calories throughout the day as well as helping baby to establish a secure attachment to Mom,” says Helene Byrne, founder of BeFit-Mom.Com

Other exercises include:

1)Baby Bench Press- Lie on your back and hold your baby securely above your check. Lower your elbows and keep your arms close to your side. Then, extend your arms straight up. This will provide you and baby with great eye contact and thus bonding, so be sure to laugh and smile.

2)Cooing Crunch- Lie on your back and hold your baby with arms extended in front of you. Sit up half way, engage abs, then come back down.

3)Baby Bend- Hold the baby in front of you and sit all the way down, bringing your butt to your heels while keeping arms straight. Stand up again and repeat.

4)Stroller Stroll -Push the stroller in front of you. Speed up for 30 seconds and slow down. Do the same thing uphill for added resistance.

5)Baby Squats- Hold the stroller in front of you (in locked position) and stand with feet wide apart. Bend from your knees till your hips are knee level, making sure to keep your entire body engaged.

6)Kiss Push Up- Arrange yourself in the push up position with your baby flat on his back near your head. Raise and lower your body doing traditional push-ups, and be sure to smooch your baby on the way down.