Working out while having a baby/ young kid

QueenKatherineElizabeth

Get her on a regular napping schedule. Then you can workout during that time. I have a home daycare and I typically have 5-6 kids here daily. I workout in the basement at naptime while they are all sleeping. If I can do it, anyone can.:flowerforyou:

She doesn't have a regular nap time, and I rather her not becuase I don't want it to screw up her night time schedule because she sleeps through the whole night. Usually between 12am - 9am. I would hate to start getting up all through the night again.

QueenKatherineElizabeth

I will try to add all of you tonight when I get the time. But in the mean while if you would like to go ahead and add me I will accept. Thank you all for the advice I LOVE IT! Also someone had told me to look up workouts with baby on youtube that I can do while holding her so I will try that also.

4thehardman

I will try to add all of you tonight when I get the time. But in the mean while if you would like to go ahead and add me I will accept. Thank you all for the advice I LOVE IT! Also someone had told me to look up workouts with baby on youtube that I can do while holding her so I will try that also.

I did those workouts when the triplets were tiny. They were great fun and the trips slept well afterwards which gave me time for a shower and a cuppa!

lindalee0315

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:

obeseto13point1

I totally agree where are the dads? I have a 2yo who HATES the daycare at the Y, cries within 2 minutes and doesn't stop so I have given up on that for the time being... I mostly workout at night and she stays home with dad. He's on a business trip this week but luckily my mom knows how important to me it is to work out and has watched her so I can stick to my regular schedule. When she first was born I got up at 5am and went then and came home in time for my husband to go to work. Thinking about trying this again but I have been staying up way to late lately for that lol. I just stayed up after nursing her and if I had time I would even do a load of laundry before hand- wow was I nuts lol. I am also a student and work from home, but luckily I can do work/homework most of the time with her up. The key for me into getting it done as I don't think of it as an option, I know I won't be happy if I don't, I found people to work out with so it also is social time, and I have other goals besides weight loss (I do community races and signed up for my first 1/2 marathon in sept).

BAMFMeredith

Here's my typical day: Up at 6, get myself ready for work, get my 5 year old ready for school, get him to school by 8, I'm at work by 8:30. Work usually til 5, head to pick up the kiddo from school (he is in pre-k, they have an afterschool program as well), feed us both a snack in the car and head to the gym (they have a children's center open til 9pm), usually there by 6. Work out for probably an hour and a half or so, get my son and I a drink in the cafe (yes, I'm a bit spoiled, my gym has a cafe), head home, eat dinner---which is usually something I've made ahead of time so I just have to microwave it--, get my son in the bathtub, get his teeth brushed and story read to him and he's asleep by 10.

I know 10 is kinda late for a 5 year old, but even if we skip the gym and are home by 6pm, he isn't asleep til 10, just the way it goes.

My weekdays are exhausting. But it's what works for us! I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have a gym with childcare though.

Edited to add: my son's dad and I are not together, haven't been for 4 years. My boyfriend is basically like my son's father, but he has the same schedule I do, work, plus gym. On the weekends we alternate so I can go running outside and he can go to the gym or whatever, but weekdays we have the same schedule.

qtiekiki

I will try to add all of you tonight when I get the time. But in the mean while if you would like to go ahead and add me I will accept. Thank you all for the advice I LOVE IT! Also someone had told me to look up workouts with baby on youtube that I can do while holding her so I will try that also.

I swing my kids, fly them around like superman and dance around with them. I also do squats while they are riding piggy back, which they love (though your baby is probably too young for this), and I lift my 2 years old son up over my head (can't do it with my 3.5 years old; she is too heavy). You can get creative.

ljm0521

I have a gym membership and I LOVE it! My kids love playing while I work out. If that isn't possible for you, I would suggest lots of walks, or go for a jog once your husband gets home. I would sometimes wake up before DH left for work because I like working out in the morning. You make time for the things that are important to you. If you really want to do it, you might have to give up something else (like sleeping in...)

BAMFMeredith

I'll also add that when my son was a baby, I had an awesome jogging stroller and took him on long walks all the time. I quickly lost about 40 lbs when he was an infant doing this and pilates dvds while he napped (but I found 20 of those 40---hence the reason I'm on MFP now!).

taramaureen

I'll also add that when my son was a baby, I had an awesome jogging stroller and took him on long walks all the time. I quickly lost about 40 lbs when he was an infant doing this and pilates dvds while he napped (but I found 20 of those 40---hence the reason I'm on MFP now!).

I'll second this! Jogging strollers are wonderful! It's how originally got into running.

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.