5 exercises to do with your baby

How to exercise with a velcro baby

Life with a baby can make it tricky to fit in your workout despite what you see on social media. If you have a contact baby who prefers to be on you almost all the time (naps included) it can add a whole different challenge to “finding time to exercise”. In this article we explore some ways to incorporate your baby into movement to make sure you are getting in your exercise and your baby is still in their safe space near or on their mum. These 5 exercises can be done with (or without) your little one and are the perfect foundation workout suitable for most mums.

This is an example of a full body workout and it can be completed at home with a baby who doesn’t want to be put down! Aim for 10 of each exercise and try and get in 2- 4 rounds. Remembering that even 1 round is fantastic! Smiling too as you are setting a beautiful example for your baby.

Full Body workout with your baby

• Glute bridges
  Your baby can sit over your hips. Inhale, on the exhale activate pelvic floor correctly and raise the glutes to a bridge. You can add a couple of pulses (baby bounces) to the top of the movement or just return to the floor. Remember to relax all your muscles (incl your pelvic floor) as you inhale. Repeat for 10 reps.
• Goblet squat
  For this movement, hold baby close to your body. Inhale and activate pelvic floor on the exhale bringing yourself down to a squat. Aiming to get your thighs are parallel to the ground. Pushing through the heels to come back up, keep your shoulders back. If your pelvic floor finds the weight of baby too much, use a chair to sit down onto. As you stand, focussing on correct muscle engagement. Exhale on standing, pressing your feet firmly into the floor. Repeat for 10 reps.
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• Push up and kiss
  Set up for a push up position over baby. Please do not fall onto your baby! Either on your knees or your toes, inhale, appropriately activate pelvic floor and come down in your push up to kiss your baby on their head. Exhale and return to the top of the movement. Repeat for 10 reps.
• Tabletop toetaps
  Lie down next to baby, facing up. Bring knees up into 90 degrees. Inhale, as you exhale activate pelvic floor and core and bring each leg down to toe tap the ground individually. Repeat for 10 reps on each leg.
• Lying cobra
  Lying in a prone position (facing down on the ground – think, tummy time with your baby). Breath in, as you exhale and engage pelvic floor, raise shoulders and arms back so that you are encouraging your shoulder blades to meet. Repeat for 10 reps.

How to get more assistance with exercise

Find your local mumsafe trainer to be sure that your workout is appropriately catered to your individual needs and physically capability in this season of life.