Fitness trends come and go; from the booty barre to mash-ups like ‘yogalates’, ‘Piloxing’, and female-oriented body shakers like burlesque and pole dancing, we may think we have seen it all.
One trend which has recently gone viral is mother-child workouts. Whether actually involving your child in the workout itself or simply letting them exercise in their own world as you shape up, mothers are no longer making excuses when it comes to hitting the gym – or simply working out at the comfort of their own homes.
Mother-child workouts are a great way for mums to exercise. The additional weight of a child can be used instead of free weights, increasing the difficulty of the workout, which will help build strength and endurance. Working out with a child is also time efficient as you don’t need to travel to the gym, you can work out in your home which is ideal for all those busy mothers out there.
The most important thing for parents to keep in mind is safety. You need to make sure the child is safe and happy to work out, but you also need to be aware of your own safety. When parents work out with children, their attention can sometimes be focused on their child so they can lose focus of their own form. This can cause injuries.
Therefore, it is necessary to keep a good balance between the two. In addition, for new mothers, it is vital they check with their physician before they begin exercising to make sure their bodies are ready.
The concept (using babies as weights while exercising) of strapping baby to mum’s chest while exercising has been around for a few years and appears to be growing in popularity. However, the trend is not without potential problems.
The first and main consideration is the strength of the mother’s pelvic floor muscles. Remember, Pelvic Floor First principles advise performing pelvic floor safe exercises initially without weights, until the woman’s pelvic floor strength increases. Adding baby as a weight is similar to adding weights before a postnatal mum is ready.
For any mum who has pelvic floor weakness, low endurance or a degree of laxity, loading the pelvic floor during standing exercises while continually holding a baby may increase the likelihood of pelvic floor problems or a pelvic organ prolapse. Holding a baby can also make it harder to concentrate on the exercise and maintain good form.
This can contribute to fatigue and poor technique, which can further load the recovering pelvic floor.
Having said that, mums returning to exercise often understandably want to keep their babies close and enjoy bonding time while they keep active. And some mums might not have babysitting options to enable them to take an exercise class without their bub.
For these reasons, it’s important to provide exercise options that satisfy the physical and emotional needs of both mother and baby. Babies can be made welcome in a pram, on the floor or a mat, or in a rocker, so that mum can join in the program or class without needing to hold her baby throughout.
If a baby is unsettled, providing a mother with ways to continue to exercise with her child can be helpful, such as sitting on a ball while holding the baby. Allowing some extended mat-based exercises is also a good way to allow time for cuddles without overloading the pelvic floor.
For some mums, coming to a class or group training session gives them time for themselves while knowing that their baby is safely nearby. Some mums may not want the continual contact with their baby during a program, so when formatting your plans, consider variations of exercises that include baby and that can be done with baby nearby. If babies are asleep, providing an option for doing a mum and baby exercise without bub is also important.
Get in shape and continue being an awesome mom!
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