Excersizing with an Infant...

vmastudios
vmastudios Posts: 17
edited October 2 in Introduce Yourself
It's rather rediculous when I awake in the morning and TRY to make my day to go a certain way with two children, (one being an infant) when I very clearly understand that children are unpredictable.

My baby wont sleep during the day...and when he DOES, its the only time I have to do the dishes, the laundry etc... By the time my husband arrives from work, I KNOW that this would be the perfect opportunity to do some cardio... but I'm utterly EXHAUSTED, that all I wanna do is sleep for a decade!

My infant is only 2 months old and my oldest is 4yrs, so I know I'm tryin too hard to do too much, too quickly... but other than pacing back and forth for HOURS and lightly bouncing up and down to get this boy to sleep, what excersizes can i do WITH my child on me??? Its really the only thing I can do now a days...
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Replies

  • soifua
    soifua Posts: 82
    go for a walk - find a double stroller or take the kids to the park, have baby on you and keep 4yo in sight while you walk around the playground
  • beccarockslife
    beccarockslife Posts: 816 Member
    THere is only one thing for it. Give up housework.

    I did ;)
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    How about this: Ask your hubs to take care of the dishes and/or laundry when he gets home so that YOU can use the baby's sleep time for a workout.
  • rebysue
    rebysue Posts: 136
    Go for walks. Put the infant in an infant carrier and the four year old in a stroller or put both of them in a double stroller. The extra weight burns a few more calories as an added bonus! :)
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
    What about one of those baby slings and a bike ride?
  • vmastudios
    vmastudios Posts: 17
    haha! hilarious!...i just might do that::)
  • vmastudios
    vmastudios Posts: 17
    thanks you guys!...informative:)
  • mrschappet
    mrschappet Posts: 488 Member
    trust me there is always time to workout.. even with kids. I have 2 of my own and run an in-home daycare... when they nap forget the dishes and workout!!! even if its only 20 min.. You can always strap the baby to you and do the dishes later.. thats what I did when my daughter was a baby. Just remember dishes, laundry, chores... they will all be there at the end of the day you never can escape it. But, if you work out you will most likely have the motivation to get it all done by days end.

    Good luck!!! Never put yourself on a back burner, your health is just as important as the kids and most certainly MORE important than dishes!!!
  • jellybean1971
    jellybean1971 Posts: 417 Member
    I put my little guy in his bouncy chair or his swing while I do an excerise dvd. I might have to pause it a few times to get it finished. I'm also trying to fit exercise in with my housework I'll do calf rises while doing dishes for example. I have a 4 year old as well, it is challenging but do able.
  • sixpacking
    sixpacking Posts: 148 Member
    Buy one of those baby carriers and add his extra weight to yours, and walk at a higher pace to get your HR up. I personally started working out 10 wks after giving birth byc-section, was alone with a full time job, a new born and 4 yrs old. Husband was away by months at a time. So it can be done, you just have to know how to improvise. I did Tae Bo and was 180 lbs 1/10/10, by 7/2010 was 135lbs. Best of luck. We can all control how tire we feel, if we let our bodies control everything, then we don't get anything done.
  • Alexmommy2009
    Alexmommy2009 Posts: 5
    With my niece (back when I was skinny before I had my son) I used to lay her on her back with the baby gym and do push ups next to her and give her little kisses on the down trip. I would also put her in the bouncer at my feet while I did sit-ups. It was like a peek a boo game. I did lunges while holding her too.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Ellen Barrett's Happy Baby Fit Mama. Check out video clips on collagevideo.com

    http://www.collagevideo.com/workout-video/ellen-barretts-happy-baby-fit-mama-5818

    I can't speak for this particular DVD - but Ellen Barrett is great - love her!
  • Heatherbelle_87
    Heatherbelle_87 Posts: 1,078 Member
    What about one of those baby slings and a bike ride?

    Incredibly dangerous! If there were some type of bike accident whether it was her hitting/being hit by something or simply falling from the bike there are not Baby helmets and this would expose an already fragile infant skull & brain to seriouse trauma not to mention in the above mentioned scenarios you could jostle the baby enough to harm its spine, or have the baby come loose from a sling (moby, baby bjorn, ect) and be thrown varying distances or even simply plummet the 3-4 feet directly onto its head and spine
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    Walk a ton, and join a gym with free childcare.
  • gash200
    gash200 Posts: 32
    I actually saw a book that talked about exercises you can do with your infant. I think it's called exercise with baby. My son is just over a year and we have been going for walks.
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
    get a phil and teds double buggy, put the 4 year old in front, and baby in the back, and go jogging.
    My 4 and 3 year old still fit in the phil and teds easily and i do this sometimes
  • glolilly
    glolilly Posts: 3
    When my baby was small I let the baby lie on my stomach sometimes and lifted my head up slightly and flatten my stomach. When the baby got a litle bit older 5 or 6 months I put the baby in a windup swing in front of me while doing dishes, dusting, etc. If the baby fell asleep I walked with soft music in a make believe circle path around kitchen with tennis shoes for 30 minutes. And as some said a stroller is holding place to relieve your arms. So yeah, swing, walker, crib, crawler and all the other toys to entertain baby. A maid can be cheap also for major house chore relief for routine or a short period, say 6 months. :)
  • WaRachel
    WaRachel Posts: 17
    I know what you mean - mine are getting older now (my youngest is 7) but I remember how it felt like any second you could put the baby down you had to use to catch up on housework (or actually squeeze in a shower if you were lucky), and by the time my husband was home, we all ate dinner, and he was getting them in the bath, I was out of energy.

    A couple of things you might look into:
    *a double jogging stroller (you can often find them used on Craigslist or in consignment shops) would let you take both kids out on some walk/jogs - they will love it, and you could get your cardio in.
    *head to the playground, let your 4 year old play, and with the baby in a front pack (or sitting in the stroller in front of you) pump yourself on the swing, climb up and down the play structure, walk the balance beam - all those things we used to do as kids.
    *if you can afford it, consider a gym with child care, or see if you can hire a neighbor's pre-teen for a couple hours a week to play with the kids in one room while you work out in another room.

    Good luck - I know it all sounds easier than it actually is, but you can do it one step at a time.
  • Alexmommy2009
    Alexmommy2009 Posts: 5
    also put in some dance music while you do housework and dance while you work.
  • Candy42adore
    Candy42adore Posts: 40 Member
    I have a 1yr, 4yr, 9yr and 14yr. I have had to get up earlier (4am) to start my day to get any excercise. Its NOT easy but it has worked for me. Best of luck!
  • Nelly_J
    Nelly_J Posts: 53
    I know exactly what you mean! I have a 1 year old that never wants to go to sleep. After working a full day, coming home to cook, doing some cleaning, and preparing my daughter's things to go to the babysister for the next day I have no energy. I try to walk as much as possible since that seems to be my only way to get some sort of exercise in. And if she does go to bed at a decent time I try to do a work DVD for at least 25-30 min. Good luck!!!
  • clarech82
    clarech82 Posts: 244 Member
    As a previous poster said go for a walk its early days with your little one it took me a long time to get my energy back with my third.
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
    What about one of those baby slings and a bike ride?

    Incredibly dangerous! If there were some type of bike accident whether it was her hitting/being hit by something or simply falling from the bike there are not Baby helmets and this would expose an already fragile infant skull & brain to seriouse trauma not to mention in the above mentioned scenarios you could jostle the baby enough to harm its spine, or have the baby come loose from a sling (moby, baby bjorn, ect) and be thrown varying distances or even simply plummet the 3-4 feet directly onto its head and spine

    Oh, good to know. I don't know crap about babies.
  • nakabi
    nakabi Posts: 589 Member
    Push the toddler in a stroller while carrying your baby. I push my son (turned 2 yesterday) and carry my 5 month old in a sling and walk to the park (1 mile each way).
    I understand though how hard it is to put yourself first when you have kids and the housework is piling up. I'm blessed with a husband who helps a lot with the cleaning and cooking. He gets off work at 9:30 so by then my 2 year old is asleep and he will watch our daughter while I get on the treadmill. My neighbours below probably aren't thrilled, but hey, at least it gets done :)

    I would ask your husband if he would mind watching the kids for 30 minutes while you exercise. He will benefit from it as well (wink wink) and so will you when you feel good about yourself.
  • DancinSMartiPants
    DancinSMartiPants Posts: 363
    trust me there is always time to workout.. even with kids. I have 2 of my own and run an in-home daycare... when they nap forget the dishes and workout!!! even if its only 20 min.. You can always strap the baby to you and do the dishes later.. thats what I did when my daughter was a baby. Just remember dishes, laundry, chores... they will all be there at the end of the day you never can escape it. But, if you work out you will most likely have the motivation to get it all done by days end.

    Good luck!!! Never put yourself on a back burner, your health is just as important as the kids and most certainly MORE important than dishes!!!

    ^^^What she said! Seriously. It's easier to do the dishes one-handed with the baby in the sling than work out with children awake.

    Does you baby sleep through the night yet? Neighter of mine did by that age. It wasn't until they slept thruogh the night that I could consistently get up BEFORE them to work out in the morning.
  • saintspoon
    saintspoon Posts: 242 Member
    Try this link out! ther's babay bench presses & stuff like that to try :)

    http://www.babyzone.com/mom_dad/fitness_nutrition/article/exercise-with-baby-postpartum-exercises
  • HappyathomeMN
    HappyathomeMN Posts: 498 Member
    DANCE!! DANCE!! DANCE!!

    Get the four year old invloved and you dance while holding the baby. Silly kid-dancing in the living room to any kind of music makes them giggle and will get your heart rate up (exercises them as well). My kids love oldies: Beach boys, Ronettes, Dixie cups, etc. More fun music: show tunes(especially Grease!), Disney music, Kidz Bop (though it annoys me!), uptempo classical (which is also good for kids to hear anyway).

    Everyone ends up smiling or laughing and it is great on a rainy day. See if you can keep it going for 10 minutes the first time - it's harder than you think.
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
    i usually don't excerise with an infant. i find them to be unreliable weightlifting partners, and they can't even lift too much. and cardio is even worse. their stubby little legs don't allow them to run very fast or far.
  • saintspoon
    saintspoon Posts: 242 Member
    LMFAO!! I know.. find someone else to workout with :) Too funny, really liked this comment. Very cute :)
  • Green_Eyed_Girl88
    Green_Eyed_Girl88 Posts: 73 Member
    LMAO!!!!! OMG I cannot stop laughing!!!! :D


    i usually don't excerise with an infant. i find them to be unreliable weightlifting partners, and they can't even lift too much. and cardio is even worse. their stubby little legs don't allow them to run very fast or far.
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