The Moving Mommy – How to Stay Active With Young Children

For those new mommas out there, we know how hard it is to find time for yourself amidst the calm and chaos that is fresh parenthood. You’re still adjusting to a foreign schedule, and it can be tricky finding the time to care for yourself. You’ll be happy to hear that incorporating some exercise into your daily schedule can be one of the best ways to feel like your normal self once more. Here are a few small ways you can stay active as a new mom.

Strolling

There are a variety of active prams online which will most definitely help both you and your new baby get out into the world once you’re both feeling ready. Although it’s natural to want to get back into jogging right away, it’s recommended that you start with some even, relaxed strolling, just to allow your body to ease back into physical activity. Returning to exercise after pregnancy can naturally take some time, not to mention that babies should also be slowly introduced to the ‘outside world’ as it were. So it’s in both your best interests to start gently. If you already have a pram, make sure it’s suitable for jogging or running before you plan out any routes, as you’ll want to make absolutely sure that your pram will be able to handle some swift walks once you graduate from strolling at an even, relaxed pace. Even so, it’s best to invest in an active pram that boasts advanced manoeuvrability and flexible storage options, as these are guaranteed to be most comfortable for outings regardless of whether you’re strolling or running.

Reps, reps, reps

We work out for different reasons. Some of us want to lose some baby weight and get back in shape. Some of us want to just make time for ourselves so that we can pursue our own interests, and practice some much-needed self-care. Our motivations can be a mixture of a myriad of wants and needs. In my case, I wanted to start feeling happier more often, and the mental health benefits of regular exercise cannot be understated. But, in the words of Mr Schwarzenegger, ‘there are no shortcuts’. We need to consistently make time for ourselves in order to be able to consistently reap these benefits. If you’re housebound, try doing some light weight training with some dumbbells or a medicine ball. Even simple sets of leg lifts, squats, and curls performed regularly, will aid in muscle toning and weight loss. There are even some simple exercises that you can perform with your baby!

Yoga

A common qualm shared by new moms is how they can go about regaining abdominal muscle strength after experiencing pregnancy and childbirth. With the variety of poses and practices available for all types of bodies, yoga has always been a foolproof way of regaining full body strength without placing ourselves at risk of sustaining injuries. There are some basic postpartum yoga sequences that you can practice from the comfort of your own living room, which will aid in both the development of deep muscle strength, as well as promoting mindfulness and positively impacting your emotional health and wellbeing.

It can be tricky getting back into the groove after having a baby, but once you allow yourself some daily active time, you’ll find that your days will feel a lot longer, you’ll be able to get more done with your time, and your mood will also be far more consistent. Never underestimate the power of making time for yourself! And develop these healthy habits now for a lifetime of smiles and passing on good lessons.