suggestions for exercising with baby?

new_mom2010
new_mom2010 Posts: 4
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
My 8 month old baby is going through serious separation anxiety right now and so it has been harder for me to find time to go to the gym, since my husband is having a really hard time watching her right now. I do have all afternoon free with her, and i go on very long walk with her, but i just dont feel like thats enough.

I used to carry her in a snuggli type carrier to burn more calories, but she's 23lbs now and very squirmy and its just been killing my back. i also can't afford a jogging stroller so im stuck with just walks.

does anyone have any other suggestions on ways i can exercise with her around???

Replies

  • Heather75
    Heather75 Posts: 3,386 Member
    Can you borrow 2 more babies and juggle them?

    Nah. I got nothing. Sorry.
  • JustMichelleB
    JustMichelleB Posts: 290
    exercise while she naps. get some dvds and do yoiur thing.
  • Lightjulesloves2run
    Lightjulesloves2run Posts: 91 Member
    I use my Wii fit..and my baby loves to watch me move:) Lol
  • Angela4Health
    Angela4Health Posts: 1,319 Member
    I have a one year old and I work out when he's napping, or I wake up at 5am to work out. I do home dvd's or running if I wake at 5. We also go on 45 min to hour long walks daily, and it helps but it's not enough alone.
  • Jbauer41
    Jbauer41 Posts: 55
    My "baby" is now 4 and I've always found it easier to exercise after she's gone to bed. Even when she was little she needed/wanted to be near me - I did find chest presses lifting her up in the air a great exercise. Harder now that she's almost 40 pounds....
  • rocklion
    rocklion Posts: 69 Member
    Have you tried looking for a jogging stroller on Craigs List or eBay? We just bought one off Craig's List and saved a lot of money that way.
    c
    I have an 8-month-old son as well who has the same problems. He wants mommy in his sight at all times. But honestly, if hubby is supportive of you, he should also help. My wife just recently got the Jillian Michaels 30-minute shred. She goes down to workout and I keep baby, screaming or not. That's one thing I would suggest is maybe looking at some of the 30-minute workout videos.

    Are you a member of a gym? If so, you can put baby in the nursery. He may cry and you might feel bad for the people watching him, but that's their job and they are used to it.

    Other than that I have a variety of other options, but they cost some money like a backpack carrier to put him in or a bicycle trailer.
  • loseit4ever
    loseit4ever Posts: 187 Member
    I do my exercise when my sixteen month old is napping, or I just do things I can do with her around. Leslie Sansone has great dvds for that, and I also use my Wii and do dancing that I can do in smaller groups of time to get the burn in. Hope that helps!
  • propjetprop
    propjetprop Posts: 60 Member
    Get the "BOB" stroller... go for a walk or run!
  • alyssa92982
    alyssa92982 Posts: 1,093 Member
    I put my baby in his walker or swing if awake and squeez in whatever dvd I can-sometimes its broke up like 20 min here then another 20 min there but somehow I get a full hour in for the day
  • I have a 1 year old who is still VERY attached to the hip! lol When he was a few months younger, he used to love bouncing in his Jumperoo next to me while I worked out in the living room (both of us got our workouts in for the day, lol) and switch to his playmat with his toys or his exersaucer every 20 minutes for variety. Now that he's busier, I have the living room blocked with a gate on each open doorway from the hall to the front and to the kitchen so he can play safely while I work out.

    Also - it never fails to workout when they're down for a nap! Use that time to get your workout in.

    Hope that helps - Good luck and don't get discouraged. You're loved. :)
  • khodges15
    khodges15 Posts: 114
    Can you borrow 2 more babies and juggle them?

    Nah. I got nothing. Sorry.

    lol
    Yeah no but i got nothing either :(
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    You can go to the gym before she wakes up in the morning or after she goes to bed at night. That's what I have to do.
  • MicMar66
    MicMar66 Posts: 186 Member
    You could try incorporating her into your workouts. I used to sit on the couch with my daughter sitting on my feet and do "leg lifts", lay on your back sit her on your tummy, bend your knees and lift your butt off the floor then raise and lower your butt (of course you hold onto her hands during these two excersises) lay her on the floor and do push ups-every time you lower yourself give her a kiss! Hold her under her arms and lift her out in front of you-raise and lower her like you would a weight. Parents magazine has had lots of examples for "working out with baby". Good luck and have fun!
  • beardofdarwin
    beardofdarwin Posts: 5 Member
    If you subscribe to Netflix instant watch they have work out programs like pilates, etc.. I do them while my baby naps. I make sure she takes a morning and an afternoon nap so I can work out twice a day. We also play a dinosaur game where we growl and I chase her all over the house for a solid hour! It's only a matter of time till you are running after your baby.
    As for a jogging stroller, you should look and see if you have a store called Other Mother's in your town, they are pretty common. You can work out an exchange of baby things you no longer need for things you do, like a jogging stroller, and you can also purchase things rather cheaply!
    Also, if you aren't sleeping 7 hours straight, it's damn near impossible to get the baby weight budging. I just went through this and it took a year for me to get my girl to sleep through the night so I could as well. Good luck!
  • CBaumgardner7
    CBaumgardner7 Posts: 212 Member
    I do the same thing...I wake up early, do some more exercising when they are napping and then may do another workout when they are in bed. It's hard but you do need your time too. I know she may scream and cry but staying with Dad will be a good thing while you go to the gym. It will help with the separation anxiety.
  • justsummie
    justsummie Posts: 320 Member
    Google "mommy and me yoga". There are videos for various routines that can be done whilst incorporating your child.
  • malmustafa79
    malmustafa79 Posts: 107 Member
    I went through the same thing with my baby, All I could do was invest in some work out videos and do them while he was asleep, 30 day shred is a good one it is only abuot 26 minutes for each level and a good calorie burn, My baby is 18 months now and he is so use to me exercising I can do it any time now and he just plays or exercises with me:)
  • FluffyMamaNeeds2Lose
    FluffyMamaNeeds2Lose Posts: 91 Member
    My nine month old loves when I say "okay its exercise time" and she goes in the jumperoo and I exercise right beside her to dvd's or just dance on the wii... she loves just watching me dance around or do the exercises and i can interact with her in between moves so she doesn't feel left out. She jumps along like crazy beside me and if I'm doing arm movements sometimes trys to mimic what I'm doing.

    Other wise.. like everyone else says I either take her for a walk in the stroller (weather permitting) or do my workout while she naps.
  • jdavis193
    jdavis193 Posts: 972 Member
    I always exercise when my baby goes to bed or naps. You can record yourself and let her watch it while your gone. just talk to her.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    Get some exercise DVDs at the library. That way it costs you nothing (or very little) while your getting through the separation anxiety.

    I used to work out with my kids right there, in the saucer or playpen, or bouncing along side me. They often thought it was great entertainment!
  • CakeFit21
    CakeFit21 Posts: 2,521 Member
    I do everything during nap time or before he wakes up. I did the Jillian vids, P90X, Insanity all during nap time. I run in the morning. I'm beat by the end of the day so this is the only thing that works.
  • kristydi
    kristydi Posts: 781 Member
    If you can afford it, get a better carrier.

    I loved wearing my DD and did it regularly up until about 15 months or so when she got really independent. I still wear her occasionally when she's tired and cranky and we're out running errands or when we're hiking and she's worn out. (see my profile pic)

    I can still carry my nearly 30 pound 3 year old for around an hour without back or shoulder pain. At 8 months, I could carry her a lot longer. Snugglies suck for anything over 15-20lbs. And once you've used a better carrier, you'll be amazed.

    I'd suggest an Ergo or a Beco Butterfly for the easiest carriers to learn to use. Both can be used for front and back carries and the Ergo can be used in a hip carry. I personally prefer the Beco.

    If you're a bit more ambitious you could get a Mei Tei. I think they're just as easy to use, but they look more complex. Kozy or BabyHawk are both good companies.

    If you want to see how they work before buying search youtube. There are dozens of how to videos for all kinds of carriers.


    and I'm getting off my babywearing soapbox now. I'm happy to answer any questions if you're interested.

    ETA You can get well cared for used carriers and tons of info at www.thebabywearer.com Also if you really want to learn it, you don't need to buy anything at all. The carrier in my profile pic is actually mt husband's long sleeve button up shirt,
  • yea, she is definitely not sleeping through the night anymore (she was until about a month ago when her seperation anxiety kicked in. now she wakes up all the time to make sure im still there), and her naps are short 30min naps now, where im usually scrambling to make dinner/clean. and i have a gym membership but they dont have a nursery.

    we do have netflicks though, so maybe i can try out a video and see if she doesn't mind watching me do them.
  • I have to agree with most everyone else, when the kids are that little, it seems like the only time to stay on track is when they are asleep. It was hard for me to get up before them and excercise because I was tired from being up at night with kids. It seemed like the Mommy Radar kicked in and they would wake up as early as I would most days anyway. I used dvd's and would walk the local park with kids in the stroller. The cool thing about my kids being older now is they ride their bikes while I walk fast/jog. Nice to excercise as a family, those days will be around for you sooner than you can imagine. Also for dvd's if you find one you really like ( I don't have netflix so not sure on the options you have ) and want to own it, Borders online offers used dvd options if they are available. Helps with the cost a little.
  • danimoon67
    danimoon67 Posts: 38 Member
    I'm a SAHM with a 2 year old and a 4 year old (as well as a teenager). And I've been successful at dropping over 100 pounds in the last year doing many of the things the previous posters have suggested. When they both napped, I would do Wii games or a DVD. But walking and pushing the double stroller has been the main source of my exercise. My 4 year old has given up on naps so she will do Wii dance videos with me when the little guy naps. I managed to score a free stationary bike from my SIL, so I will ride that at naptime while my daughter sits in the room with me and colors, does puzzles, or watches cartoons.

    I can't afford a gym membership, so I had to make up my mind that exercise was a priority, that I was worth it, and make it work. My kids enjoy the walks, they know which houses have dogs and where we might see some wildlife. Sundays the whole family heads out on the trail, it's a great way to spend time as a family. Hopefully as your little one gets a little older the naps will get longer and you'll have more time to get in a workout and get a few chores done, for my three it was usually about a year old when they started taking two good naps a day. Awww yes, those were the days.
  • McFrench
    McFrench Posts: 205 Member
    Keep walking and take the hills, that will get your heart rate up! Watch garage sales and get a comfy hiking backpack. I hike with my son (17 months old) on flat desert and up hilly trails. He weighs 30 pounds and adds great resistance! I also bike pulling him in a trailer. He loves all of these activities. I also push him in his swing and chase him around while it swings, I go under, run around wave my arms, look ridiculous:) My HRM says it's a great workout! Good luck!
  • mkennedym
    mkennedym Posts: 253 Member
    can you take the baby on a walk around the neighborhood? i see mothers doing that all the time where i live. if you have bike paths or live in the suburbs and have sidewalks available, i think walking around is your best bet.

    [edit]
    i see you do take her for walks. so your best bet is to just walk longer. an hour of walking a night while pushing her stroller is plenty of exercise for you.
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