When you are a busy mom but want to fit in exercise, babywearing can help! Just doing some basic chores around your house can turn in to even more of a workout when wearing your baby. There are also some basic exercises you can do while wearing. When it comes down to it, just having that extra weight attached to you is going to amplify the fitness level of everyday activities.
Here are some things to keep in mind: As with any babywearing scenario, you should make sure your carrier is properly supportive for you and baby and that baby always has proper positioning. Avoid stretchy wraps when focusing on exercise as they may not provide enough support while you are doing some more strenuous activities. Baby can be on front or back for many of the activities.
One great way to get moving is to turn on some music and have a babywearing dance party! This is especially fun when you invite the whole family and other babywearing caregivers to the party! Most of the commercial in-home DVD dance workouts can be done with a baby in a sling. Or go for a hike or a brisk walk with baby in tow!
Posted by: Gwen
The nice thing about wearing your child is it puts you in a great position to squat. You and baby should always stay upright when squatting. When you squat to empty the dishwasher or pick things up off the floor, for example, you are getting a great lower body workout. You just want to be sure that you keep your hips back as you squat and don’t let your knees go over your toes. (When you squat, think of sitting back in a chair) Vacuuming and sweeping/moping the floor can allow you time to snuggle your babe while you get moving.
I think that bouncing my kids to sleep in a mini squat position really helped tone and shed the baby weight. We bounced all over, all hours. That was the preferred methods for getting my second child to sleep-to bounce him until he started to doze off and then transfer him to his bed. And the great thing for us was that anyone could easily put my little guy to sleep with the help of a sling!
Now if you really want to focus on some exercises while wearing, you can try the following exercises:
Squats (as seen above)
Leg lifts: front, side or back
Plié
Lunges
So, get out there and enjoy a weight bearing workout with baby!
Editor's note: Reminder that all activities should be low/no impact. Baby heads are fragile and impact activities like running could result in shaken baby syndrome. Always use good judgment when engaging in activities with baby.
Photos by: Gwen and Kit
No comments:
Post a Comment