Hi I’m Gina, a perinatal fitness trainer, birth doula, and mom of four. Join me as I navigate a 13-week postpartum workout with my baby, Zoe. I’ll cover practical tips for keeping babies entertained, ensuring gym safety for all children, and I’ll share core stabilization and strength-building exercises suitable for postpartum recovery. We’ll go over maintaining a realistic workout schedule and adapting exercises to meet the challenges of motherhood, focusing on rebuilding strength and functionality after pregnancy.
Making Fitness Work with Kids
As a mom of four, with children ages 7, 4, 2, and a newborn, my approach to fitness goes beyond just building strength. It’s about creating a safe, functional environment where I can meet my physical goals while tending to my little ones.
I really have to emphasize the importance of flexibility and patience when working out postpartum. My workouts are not always flawless, and that’s okay! Some days, I might need to cut my sessions short or switch things up based on my baby’s needs. After all, some workouts might need to be paused for a nursing session, a diaper change, or just a cuddle.
Preparing Your Space and Baby for a Workout
One of the first things I do before starting my workout is set up a safe and comfortable space for Zoe. I use a variety of surfaces—like a tummy time mat, play gym, or even a baby swing—to keep Zoe entertained and engaged. I make sure that Zoe is always close enough to her so she can keep an eye on her, while also ensuring that Zoe has plenty of space for tummy time and other developmental activities.
Other tools I find helpful are baby carriers and swings to give myself a little extra freedom to move. While Zoe is still young and not fully into toys, these simple tools help me get my workout in without compromising Zoe’s safety or her need for closeness.
Keeping the Gym Safe for Kids
Safety is a top priority when working out at home or in a gym setting, especially with children around. Some of the strategies I use to ensure my gym space is child-friendly include setting up safety straps on power racks, using clamps on weight trees, and storing barbells in places where kids can’t pull them down. I also keep kettlebells and other equipment in a designated area surrounded by a baby gate to prevent accidental access.
These precautions are crucial, particularly when you have curious little ones around. It’s also important to teach children how to stay safe in the gym space, such as not running around the equipment or getting too close to areas where heavy weights might fall.
Balancing Fitness and Family Life
Working out with kids, especially a newborn, requires flexibility. It’s about finding creative ways to get your exercise in, whether that means holding your baby during a workout, using a baby swing to entertain them, or modifying your routine to work with your child’s mood and needs. Sometimes, this means stopping mid-workout for a cuddle or a nursing session—and that’s perfectly okay!
My approach is all about training to meet the demands of motherhood. My workouts are focused on strength, mobility, and functionality to help me feel good in my body and keep up with my kids for years to come. I’m not training for a competition; instead, I’m training to be the best version of myself for my family. It’s okay if our workouts look a little bit different than they did before.
Core Stability and Postpartum Healing
As a perinatal fitness trainer, I have learned the importance of core stabilization exercises and the role they play in postpartum recovery, especially when it comes to strengthening the pelvic floor and rebuilding core strength. In the video, I demonstrate exercises like the dead bug, bird dog, and side-lying movements, which not only engage the core but also help re-establish the connection between breath and movement.
It’s also so important to listen to your body. Postpartum fitness is not about pushing through discomfort, but about moving in a way that promotes healing and strength. Over the course of my postpartum healing, I’ve gradually progressed from simpler movements with less intensity to more challenging exercises like squats and deadlifts, always staying within my capabilities to avoid any symptoms or pain.
Conclusion: Fitness at Your Own Pace
At 13 weeks postpartum, I like to remind myself that fitness is not a race, but a personal path to feeling strong and healthy. It’s about adapting your workout to fit your life, rather than fitting your life into a pre-pregnancy fitness routine. Working out with kids may look messy at times, but with patience, creativity, and the right tools, it’s entirely possible to stay active and take care of your body.
Remember, mamas, you don’t have to push through pain or discomfort to get back into shape. With the right exercises, a safe environment, and a little bit of help from your baby (or toddler!), you can make fitness work for you. Here at MamasteFit we want you to be able to keep up with your kids, feel good in your body, and most importantly, enjoy the precious moments of motherhood.
Stay strong, mamas! You’ve got this!