Benefits of working out with your baby.

I started working out with my 1st daughter when she was about 3 months old.  We did Stroller Fitness through the summer and then baby & me fitness (with her in a carrier) until she was a year old and I had to return to work.  We both loved it.  She was an active part of my workout and got most of my attention for that hour.  I got a great workout in and did not have to worry about finding someone to watch her.  Plus, if she got hungry, all I had to do was stop and feed her.  It was a group of moms, there was no worry about breastfeeding as needed.

The stroller fitness class that we attended was great.  I signed up for morning classes, so it would get my day started off the right way and it lined up with my daughters morning nap, so she would sleep through most of the class.  She was a pretty easy-going baby, so she was good even if she did not fall asleep.  I have been teaching Stroller Fitness classes myself now for 4 years.  After my 2nd daughter was born, I decided to start offering the classes in my neighbourhood (this is before I moved to The Beaches in Toronto).  She was not as easy-going as my 1st daughter, but she still seemed to be happy just to get out in the fresh air and always enjoyed the stroller ride.  My girls are older now, but they still come with me to a class or 2 each week.  They no longer stay in a stroller, but they are good at staying close by and entertaining all the babies.  I still continue to teach Stroller Fitness classes, even if my own kids are not in strollers, just because I love it. It can be a great workout and it is a great way for the moms to meet some new friends while the kids get a bit of fresh air.

I also offer indoor Mom Fitness classes.  These are great for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.  As my kids got older, I really noticed the lack of classes offered for moms with more than 1 child and for moms with older kids.  These classes can sometime be chaotic, but they are all worth it!  The moms manage to get in a great workout (most days... all kids have their bad days)... and the kids get a chance to have a playdate with the other kids.

So, there are the obvious benefits to working out with your baby... the exercising itself is great, the time with your baby is wonderful...but there is more.  There is the mental benefits that are specific to new moms.  Exercise reduces stress and decreases the chance of post-partum depression.  For anyone that has experienced this or has been close to someone who has, you know how traumatic it can be for everyone involved.  Life with a new baby is filled with stress, sleep-deprivation and loneliness... a exercise can help with all of these, especially one that is geared to new moms. Exercise can actually help mom sleep better!  Plus, if you join a class for new moms, you are sure to meet at least one other mom that you become good friends with.  In my classes, over the past few years, I have seen so many strong friends grow and continue long past the maternity leave.

Babies benefit from the exercise as well.  If it is a class that actually includes the baby in the workout, the interaction is wonderful... it is also a change from the day to day routine.  There were days when my girls were so cranky, I would be going insane... just getting out of the house and getting into a new space where they were getting my attention would be all they needed.  The interaction in these "babies included" workouts builds confidence, self-awareness, human connection and love... all these intimate interactions are vital to your babies emotional growth and development.

Group Fitness Classes with Toddlers and Preschoolers

After having my first daughter, I signed up for Stroller Fitness and Baby & Me Fitness classes. I loved them both and continued them until I had to return to work. I lost all the baby weight before returning to work and I had enough energy to get through the day. My daughter also loved the classes, and it was nice to have that time with her since it was benefiting both of us.

Once I returned to work, I also starting working part-time as a personal trainer. I introduced Mommy & Me fitnuyouess classes to the club I was working at and continued to workout through my 2nd pregnancy.

It was not until after I had my 2nd daughter that I had a hard time getting back into shape. I could not find a class that would allow me to bring both kids to the class and my daughters hated the gym daycare... and they would go ANYWHERE but there! That is when I realized that there were no classes for moms and their kids once the kids turned 16 months old! Even Stroller Fitness classes would not allow toddlers! So, I decided to start my own business and offer the classes myself. It enabled me to work with my kids by my side, but it also gave a lot of moms the opportunity to exercise with their kids close by. I started by offering Baby Fitness classes in a local church basement, and added Stroller Fitness classes in the local park once the weather warmed up. I designed the classes so that the moms with young babies could wear and incorporate the kids into the workout or so the moms with the older toddlers and preschoolers could get in a great workout, while their kids played in the attached playroom. The classes slowly gathered interested and I am now offering classes in the Beaches, Upper Beaches and Leslieville. I am looking to expand into other parts of the East End of Toronto, but it all takes time to gather enough interest.

I still have my youngest come with me to the class once a week, but the rest of the time she is in Nursery School. I am lucky enough to be able to keep my kids with me while I work and I love it. My oldest is in JK now and only gets to come to the classes on PA Days, and she asks constantly if she can come. They both love playing with the other kids and babies.

I love teaching the classes. Some moms are more determined to lose the baby weight than others, but they are all looking for a welcoming, social atmosphere and I try my best to offer that. All the kids (my own included) have good days and bad, but overall, it is a mom and kid-friendly class and we all have a great time!

I started my business as a way to help moms that have a hard time finding the time, energy and money to exercise. My own kids are growing quickly and soon I will not have either of them tagging along to the classes, but I will continue to offer these classes in order to help the moms out there with kids over 16 months of age. Of course, babies are welcome as well. I have moms that started with me 4 weeks postpartum with their first baby and are now still with me with their 2nd child (some still on the way)! It is great to see the babies and families grow!

Working... and working out... with my kids

I am a personal trainer, a group fitness instructor and of course, a mom. I was lucky enough to be able to start up my own business and include my kids in my work. Since my youngest was 10 months old, I have been training clients in my home-studio. There is an attached playroom for my girls (and any kids that come with my clients) to play in while I work and they have always come with me to my classes. My oldest is now in school, so she no longer comes with me, but my youngest is still there on the days that she does not have Nursery School.

We have our good days and our bad days, but overall, the kids are great for me. They understand that when I am with a client, I can not be as focused on them as they would sometimes like, but I am still close by to help them if needed. When I first meet with my clients, I explain that my kids will be with me during certain times of the day and I have been very fortunate with all my clients being very understanding with my kids. Some clients only come in the evenings, so they rarely even see my kids, but in general, my kids like to know who is with me, so they will come down for a visit every now and then, even if Daddy is home.

The hardest part of my day is trying to get paperwork done with the kids around. As great as they are if there is a client here, they just do not understand that when I am working at the computer, it is just as important. Getting my programs done, researching new exercises and, going through food logs, bookkeeping, marketing, creating new classes, finding good music to workout to for the classes, paying the bills and keeping up with the day to day office work that comes along with running a small business just does not seem important to kids. I can not blame them, but at the same time, it can be frustrating when I am trying to get something done in my office and they become needier than any other time of day! Even trying to have a conversation on the phone with a potential client can be close to impossible. Not sure why the phone is such a trigger for kids, but my youngest can not stand it when I am on the phone!

As for trying to get my own exercise in, it is tough. Since I teach classes and demonstrate the exercises for the participants, I do manage to get some exercise in, but it is hard for me to get the workouts done at home. Since I do not have a client with me, my kids feel it is crucial that they are all over me for this time.

Overall though, I would not change a thing. I love working with the women I work with, I love having the ability to schedule my work around my kids, and I love the fact that I am in control of where my career and business are going. I am happy with the small home studio I have in the Beaches for personal training and I am happy to rent spaces in Leslieville and the Beaches for my group fitness classes... for now. Once my kids are both in school, I am excited to spend more time expanding the business and hopefully getting a space somewhere in the Beaches or Leslieville.

I would love to hear from other "mompreneurs" about how they manage to get their paperwork done with kids around! Being a work at home mom and running your own business is a whole other world and I am still learning the tricks to making it run smoothly on a personal and professional level... any advice would be welcome!!!