Tips for Postpartum Exercise with Full At-home Workout

Getting back into a fitness routine can seem near impossible after your little one's arrival. The last thing you want to spend energy on is getting yourself to a gym, especially when every muscle in your body is telling you to plop down on the sofa and get some much needed sleep. That's why we asked certified personal trainer and pre/post natal fitness guru Sia Cooper from Diary of a Fit Mommy  to give us her best tips and tricks for exercising post pregnancy. Here's what she had to say: 

I have often been asked what am I going to do once [my daughter] is born in order to get my workouts in. After all, being a new mom is already challenging in itself, but to now find the time to actually go work out can seem like a strenuous task. I am so happy to tell you that it IS possible to get fit after baby and I can prove it. Sometimes you have to include them into your routine and not be afraid to get a little creative.

Tips to working out as a new mom:

• Build your own home gym. I realize that it is so hard to find time to workout after baby is born. I could not make it to a gym after the birth of my son so I brought the gym home by creating my own home gym. I purchased some used equipment for cheap off various sites and slowly, but surely I had my own little convenient gym. To view what I have in my own home gym, click here.
• Workout while baby sleeps. Newborns sleep for most of the day so in the beginning your only battle should be fighting that fatigue that is telling you to not go workout.
• Incorporate your baby. If your baby does not want to take a nap, that is absolutely fine! You can incorporate your baby into your workouts by various ways such as stroller jogs, wearing your baby, and even using your baby as a weight.
• Pop in a DVD or stream a workout. Since you won't be leaving the house as easily as you used to, a workout DVD may not sound like such a bad idea. You can also stream workouts for free straight off of YouTube as well.

After my son was born, we did a lot of stroller workouts together! Here are 5 of my favorite moves that you can do anywhere, anytime using your stroller:

1. Stroller Leg Ups (3 sets, 15 reps)

• Laying on a mat on your back, place your hands on the foot rest of your stroller and grasp the sides firmly. As always make sure your stroller is on LOCK.
• Straighten your legs out and slowly lift both legs upward towards the ceiling in a 90 degree angle. You can go further if your flexibility permits.
• Hold for a second and bring back downward. This is one rep.

2. Stroller Back Kicks (3 sets, 10 reps)

• Stand behind your stroller with both hands on the handles.
• Lean forward and kick one leg behind you in a swift motion.
• Bring the leg back to standing position.
• Alternate and repeat.

3. Stroller Oblique Crunches (3 sets, 12 reps)

• Standing with the stroller at your side, place one hand on the handle and the other behind your head or out towards your side.
• Lift your leg upwards and touch your knee to your elbow in a "crunching" motion.
• Return back to standing position.
• Repeat and alternate sides. 

4. Stroller Side Leg Lifts (3 sets, 15 reps)

• Standing with the stroller at your side, grasp the handle firmly.
• Put your hand on your hip and slowly raise one leg out towards the side.
• Pause for a second and bring back down.
• Repeat and alternate sides.

5. Stroller Crunches (3 sets, 20 reps)

• Lay on the floor, on a mat for comfort, and place both feet on the stroller's foot rest. Be sure to angle your knees appropriately.
• Place your hands behind your head or criss-crossed in front of your chest.
• Slowly crunch upwards, pause for a second, and lower back to the floor.
• Repeat.

It might get a little discouraging to think about fitness in the whirlwind of a new pregnancy, becoming a mom, and getting used to baby; remember that every little bit counts. You do not have to spend hours a day working on your fitness, running marathons, or lifting 100lbs. Little things here and there truly add up! 

If you've got a bun in the oven, check out Fitness for Two Part 1: The Dos and Don'ts of Pregnancy Exercises, also on our blog! Looking for a workout buddy? SoundBub™, our cuddly and travel-sized Bluetooth speaker and soother, is just that! Clip it to your stroller, carrier, backpack or even your belt loop to listen to your playlist wherever you are. Visit wavhello.com/soundbub to learn more!