Stretch With Your Baby - Suggestion 1: Touch Your Toes

With every exercise routine, it is important to stretch! Teaching your child some quick and simple stretches will help create a good habit to help prevent injuries.

The first set of stretches involves touching your toes. Have your child try to follow along with you.


1) Stand up straight with your feet together and your arms at your side. This is the Start Position.

2) Raise your arms straight above your head.

3) Bend forward at your waist as far as you can comfortably go. Keep your legs straight, but do not lock them.

4) Guide your arms down toward your toes as far as they can comfortably reach.

5) Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.

6) Slowly rise back up to the Start Position.

Exercise With Your Baby - Suggestion 15: Bench Press

The standard bench press may or may not work for you, depending on the size of your child...if you have the ability to sit at an incline, that may help:

1) Lay flat on the ground with your legs together. 

2) Lift your baby up and have them lay flat on your chest with your arms underneath their armpits. This is the Start Position. 

3) Slowly lift your baby straight up above your body until your arms are straight up, but not locked. 

4) Slowly bring your baby down towards your body until approximately one-inch away. 

5) Repeat steps 3 and 4 for a total of 10 reps. 

6) Rest for 60 seconds.  

7) Complete 3 sets.

Exercise With Your Baby - Suggestion 14: Seated Twists

If you want to engage your abs during your workout routine, outside of sit ups, you can try some Seated Twists:

1) Sit in a chair that allows you to bend your knees at a 90 degree angle. Keep your legs together.

2) Lift your baby up and have them straddle your lap. This is the Start Position. 

3) Slowly lift your baby up above your lap, with your elbows slightly bent at a 45 degree angle.

4) Twist your upper body to the left and extend your elbows to almost a 90 degree angle. 

5) Lift your baby back up with your elbows at 45 degrees and then twist across your body to the right side.

6) Extend your elbows to almost a 90 degree angle then lift your baby back up with your elbows at 45 degrees and twist back to the Start Position. 

7) Repeat steps 4, 5 and 6 for a total of 10 reps. 

8) Rest for 60 seconds.  

9) Complete 3 sets.

Exercise With Your Baby - Suggestion 13: Overhead Press

Another shoulder exercise that is fun and enjoyable for your child is to lift them up above your head so they get an amazing view...and maybe a thrilling ride.

1) Start with your legs shoulder width apart.

2) Place your hands under your baby's arms. As always, preferably under the armpits to get the best grip and balance.

3) Lift your baby up so that their face is in your face and your elbows are completely bent. This is teh Start Position.

4)  Straighten both of your arms all the way up, over your head, while still holding on to your child.

5) Hold for 3 seconds and then slowly relax your arms back down to the Start Position.

6) Lift back up 9 more reps.

7) Rest for 60 seconds and repeat for 2 more sets.

Exercise With Your Baby - Suggestion 10: Sit Ups

One of the best ab workouts is related to the simple exercise: Sit Ups

Once again, you use the weight of your baby to increase the resistance on your way up, similar to when you hug a weight against your chest as you do sit ups. 

Sit Ups:

1) Lay down on your back with your legs bent and feet flat on the ground. 

2) Place your baby against your chest so that they are lying flat against it. This is the Start Position. 

3) Raise your upper body until your baby's back touches your knees. 

4) Lower yourself back to the Start Position. 

5) Repeat steps 3 & 4 for a total of 10 reps. 

6) Rest for 60 seconds.  

7) Complete 3 sets.

Exercise With Your Baby - Suggestion 7: Leg Raises

Here's an easy exercise routine that is fun your baby as well!

Seated Leg Raises:

1) Sit in a chair that allows you to bend your knees at a 90 degree angle (or slightly more).

2) Set your legs close together and have your baby stand up against them.

3) Place your hands on your baby's back or shoulders to secure them and have them grab hold of your legs. This is the Start Position.

4) Slowly lift both of your legs straight in front of you so that they are parallel to the floor. 

5) Hold for 3 seconds and then slowly bring them down to your Start Position. 

6) Repeat steps 4 & 5 for a total of 10 reps. 

7) Rest for 60 seconds.  

8) Complete 3 sets.

Exercise With Your Baby - Suggestion 6: Lunges

With your baby increasing in weight, it's a good idea to strengthen your leg muscles to support your upper body when doing arm exercise routines. 

Lunges are the topic for today's post:

1) Start with your legs shoulder width apart.

2) Place your hands under your baby's armpits and lift them up.

3) While holding your baby out in front of you, take one step forward with your right foot, about three feet ahead of your left foot.This is the "Start Position". 

4) Lower your body straight down so that: a) your right knee is at a 90 degree angle and behind your toes and b) you bend your left knee until it hovers about 1 inch off of the ground. and then return to your st and Let your shoulder be the swivel point as you keep your arms straight and lift your child up - straight out in front of you so that your arms are parallel with the floor.

5) Hold for 3 seconds and then slowly rise back up to your Start Position. 

6) Repeat steps 3 & 4 for a total of 10 reps. 

7) Rest for 60 seconds, switch legs so that your left foot is ahead of your right foot by about three feet. 

8) Complete 3 sets for each leg.

Exercise With Your Baby - Suggestion 5: Shoulder Raises

To increase the strength and mobility of your shoulders, what better way to enjoy a minute with your child than essentially lifting them up and out in front of you, and then back down to your waist / legs.

For today's post, here is a series that you can try:

1) Start with your legs shoulder width apart.

2) Place your hands under your baby's arms. As always, preferably under the armpits to get the best grip and balance.

3) Straighten both of your arms all the way down, while still holding on to your child.

4) Let your shoulder be the swivel point as you keep your arms straight and lift your child up - straight out in front of you so that your arms are parallel with the floor.

5) Hold for 3 seconds and then slowly relax your arms back down.

6) Lift back up 9 more reps.

7) Rest for 60 seconds and repeat for 2 more sets.

Exercise With Your Baby - Suggestion 4: Squats

To engage your core upper leg muscles, a great option is squats. This will work out your thighs, hips, quads, and gluteal muscles really well.

1) Start with your legs shoulder width apart.

2) Look up at the ceiling a pick a point to stare at during your set.

3) Place your hands under your baby's arms. Preferably under the armpits to get the best grip and balance. Bend the elbows at 90 degree angles.

4) While staring at the point on the ceiling, Squat down until your upper leg is parallel to the floor - 90 degree angle at the knee. Hold for 3 seconds.

5) Rise back up to standing position and repeat 9 more reps.

6) Rest for 60 seconds and repeat for 2 more sets.

Combined with your curls exercise, your arms will definitely get a work out while your legs consistently tone and improve in strength as your baby increases its body weight.

Exercise With Your Baby - Suggestion 3: Curls

What better way to tone your biceps than 'baby curls'. As you tend to pick your baby up several times each day, my suggestion is the following:

1) Place your hands under your baby's arms. Preferably under the armpits to get the best grip and balance.

2) Stand up straight as you lift your baby up of the ground.

3) Extend / Lower your arms so that they come down below your waist. Hold for 3 seconds.

4) Raise your arms up to a 90 degree angle at your elbows. Hold for 3 seconds.

5) Repeat for 10 reps. Relax for 60 seconds then repeat. Complete at least 3 sets.

As your baby grows older, his/her weight will definitely increase. So, while continuing your 'baby curls', you'll also be increasing your muscle as they get trained to lift more weight!

Exercise With Your Baby - Suggestion 1: Jog

If you are having trouble finding time to incorporate an exercise routine while taking care of your new baby, the best solution may be to incorporate your baby into your exercise routine.

I hope to get feedback from others on exercises they do with their kids. For now, my first suggestion is to jog with your baby. I wouldn't suggest a baby carrier for this activity because it will definitely not be that comfortable for you or your baby.

The stroller I use to take my baby for a jog is the Baby Jogger - City Select. It has great rear wheels that are of decent size to allow for stability while incorporating smaller front wheels to allow you to maneuver around corners very easily.

Initially my baby was able to use the car seat adapter to accompany me. As he is now over six months old and has good head control, he fits comfortably into the regular stroller seat.

While I push the stroller along, he has a great time looking around at the surroundings. The cars, birds, trees and other landscape are within his view.

So, as he gets a breath of fresh air, I get a nice 15 - 20 minute jog. At least 3 days a week and I meet my aerobics quota. Now only if I could figure out a weight routine with him...let's see what I can figure out in my next set of posts.