Working out while having a baby/ young kid

ckenning

I have 4 children and work full time. Our yougest will be 1 in a few weeks...this has been my biggest challenge. Before my 4th child, I use to get up 3 - 4 mornings a week and work out w/ a neighbor. That would no longer work...I started to do 30DS at night as soon as the little ones were in bed. I also try and add in a few walks and bike rides over the weekend for some extra calories burned. Now that it's nicer out...and the sun stays up later...I can get out almost every night and play ball with the kids! It's funny, with all this weight lost, I'm like a new mommy!!

4thehardman

I have 3 year old triplets and a 4 year old.

Holy busy mom! Kudos to you for doing anything additional to keeping your sanity! And I mean that genuinely, not in any snarky or bad way. I have one four year old and sometimes he's too much for me. :happy:

Thank you.
They are getting quite independant of me now but it was chaos for a while. I have to be 100% on the ball at all time or they drive me bats++t crazy!!! I'm loving the spring and getting them out in the garden. I'm thinking of getting someworkout stuff I can do in the garden since thats when I get my Peace!
Oh and don't knock the power of that single 4 year old son. My eldest daughter is 4 and when we have one of her male 4 year old friends over I feel like I've had the wind knocked out of me by all that energy he has!!

MojitoNatural

So for the ones that have kids.... What is your work out schedule like? I have an 8 month old and I do not go to the gym. I work out from home & If she is awake I have to stop every minute and a half it seems to refocus her on a toy so i can get my burn on. Any tips on when to work out. I try my best when she is down for a nap. The other day worked out great. I put her in a Snugli and walked around our yard with her for an hour.

Also feel free to send a friend request. I could use all the support I can get from other parents.

Hi, I just walk and jog with my 8 month old.. almost 9 mo in the stroller.. she loves being outdoors with me and so far it helps me get a workout without having to focus on her too much!

skatters

Obviously this won't work for babies - but for toddlers, they need to start learning that it's ok if a parent does something for themselves once in a while. I think it's important for kids to see their parents taking care of themselves - it shows you value yourself, you want good health, and you are more than just a "mom". Perhaps they will learn to take care of themselves as adults, and they are WORTH the time it takes.

Granted, this doesn't work so well with two year olds... but you can start conditioning them early. If you take 5 minutes to do some stretching or squats or something, it is perfectly ok to tell the children "mommy's going to work on making her muscles stronger! Do you want to stretch with me, or do you want to sit down and color?" It is ok to tell them to wait for a few minutes while you finish up. Maybe even set a timer.

As a parent, we always want to sacrifice for our children, but your health needs to be a priority too. And there is nothing wrong with a child seeing their parent take care of themselves. BUT - all that being said, I love the workouts that incorporate the children... strollers, bike rides, etc.

Daydreams406

I have a four year old...I take him to the park with me, and while I walk around the park he plays at the playground. There is always other kids there and usually his 9 year old sister is along with as well. It works for me. I usually do 45 mins.

jparker12379

I am the mother of 5 (10 week old, 2, 5, 7, and 11 yr old) And I used to be able to get up at 4 am and head to the gym before the kids and hubby got up.... but now that seems to be when the baby gets up to eat. I have not been able to get a work out in since having her, I am exhausted by the end of the day and up all night feeding her. Once she gets on a schedule of sleeping thru the night then I might be able to get myself up in the AM and work out but right now I just get up, get the older kids ready for school, get myself ready for work and rush out the door with my meal replacement shake in hand just in time to still be late everyday :-(

Its a struggle !

ASA468026

hi where i live north carolina i joined the YMCA and they have a daycare and alot of people bring there kids, and some of the older one go into the kids zone where they have kids work out and yoga and zumba, now my daughter is 8 and she sometime work out with me. you should see if your local ymca or ywca have a daycare center, it come with your membership, and alot of ymca have discount.

mukie89

Hi everyone,
I have a 6 month old baby boy and am approximately 7 weeks pregnant. I'm scared to exercise with this pregnancy besides walking, which is strange because I exercised ALOT during the last pregnancy. Any tips and ideas?

nroisland

I have a 2 year old and a 1 year old and now that they nap at the same time I work out during naps and after they go to bedat night (if I still have the energy)... Also sometimes my 2 year old will ask to do situps and "legs" with me so we'll get on the floor and she'll count while I do my situps and then she lays on my legs and I lift her up (she never tires of this btw).

Expialidojess

I have 3 and 4 year old boys who keep my running all day long. I get up at 5:45 every morning to work out while they are still sleeping. Then I shower, get ready, and wake them up so we can eat breakfast together. I love having my workout over and done with in the morning - that way I can't use the things that inevitably come up every day as an excuse to miss it.

mukie89

I have a 2 year old and a 1 year old and now that they nap at the same time I work out during naps and after they go to bedat night (if I still have the energy)... Also sometimes my 2 year old will ask to do situps and "legs" with me so we'll get on the floor and she'll count while I do my situps and then she lays on my legs and I lift her up (she never tires of this btw).

hehe my son also loves this, he giggles every single time i bend up to meet him

mukie89

I have 3 and 4 year old boys who keep my running all day long. I get up at 5:45 every morning to work out while they are still sleeping. Then I shower, get ready, and wake them up so we can eat breakfast together. I love having my workout over and done with in the morning - that way I can't use the things that inevitably come up every day as an excuse to miss it.

wow good on you. My husband refers to me as the 'sleep dragon', referring to the fact that i'm quite grumpy in the morning when I've had a lack of sleep lol (was almost better when my son was younger and sleep just wasn't an option).This is a great idea though, I think I ma try it thanks

AcesMommy22

Story of my life and I only have one kid. I decided to join the gym and take him along with me.

andream1976

My kids are 2 and 5 and I work 3 days a week. My husband works and often works nights (like till 8 or 9) 2 days a week and several weekend days, so I spend a lot of time at home alone with the kids. My 5 year old is old enough now where she can come down with me while I work out and not get in the way. She will watch a movie or color or even "work out" along side me. But my 2 year old....OY! Whole other story. He gets into everything. The best time, really, is after everyone is in bed, so I do a lot of late night work outs. I can't seem to drag myself out of bed any earlier than I already do, especially given that I like to be mostly up and dressed before I get my daughter up for school. It's a challenge and I don't think those without young kids or whose spouses are home most evenings and weekends really understand how hard it can really be.

JennInMA

I also work and workout...two kids - 4 and 9 months - my advice - either early mornings before work or I try to do it after they go to bed. I don't go to the gym - workout at home...I have a tread mill so I spend time on that.
I'm actually going to try working out in the morning tomorrow vs. working out at night like I usually do. By the time I had lunches made, bags packed it was 9pm!
It is hard, but I feel better about myself WHEN I workout so I know I need to fit it in!

abirkel

When I work out at home I usually workout during naps or after they are in bed at night. This is what I did when my babies were very little.

Now that we belong to a gym and my kids are a little older (3.5y and 20 mo) my husband and I trade days...I go T, TH, S and he goes MWF after the kids are in bed or right before dinner. Sometimes depending on his work schedule we go together and put the boys in the childcare there.