Seven ways you can use your baby weight to lose your baby weight

It’s a common desire, albeit after you’ve given birth and spent a few months adjusting to what it means to be responsible for a small crying baby 24 hours a day, to want to do something about your appearance. There are some lucky people who seem to effortlessly be back in their pre-pregnancy Jeans six weeks after having a baby, but for most of us, it’s hard work shedding the few extra pounds. It is, however, effort that pays off, whether you are planning on having more children or are all done with the procreation phase of your life.

As this is my Better year, I am keen to get in better shape, particularly as I don’t plan to have any more children. Because I have yet to fully recover from the SPD that plagued both my pregnancies, I am taking it slowly, no bad thing since it’s not always easy to get a designated chunk of exercise time when you respond to the whims of the Threeva and her Dimpled Sidekick. No doubt in the Perfect-Housewife-World of the 1950’s I’d fit in Calisthenics before the sun had risen then whip up a batch of wholesome pancakes and bacon before sending my husband off to work with a kiss and the promise of a lamb chop on his return. At DG Manor, it’s a case of grabbing five minutes whilst the Dimpled One is otherwise amused.

As she has not been easily amused of late, a combination of teething and constipation, I’ve had to adapt and thus offer you seven exercises that you can do easily at home, whilst simultaneously entertaining your small child and using their weight to your advantage. Hence using your baby’s weight to lose your baby weight:

1. Squats: stand with your feet just more than shoulder width apart and facing forwards, holding your baby in front of you. Squat slowly down until your legs are at 90 degrees, then stand up again, raising your arms, and baby above your head until fully extended. Depending on the age of the infant and your fitness levels, you can either hold the baby to your chest or at arms length. A good one for arms and legs.
2. Sit-stand: sit on a dining chair, or firm arm chair, ideally at a height so that your legs are roughly bent at 90 degrees. Holding your baby to your chest, simply stand up and sit down. it doesn’t sound that hard, but this will tone your bum and thighs very well.
3. Step-twist: holding the baby in your hands, lunge to the left, bringing baby across your chest and out to the left, then step back to centre. Repeat in the other direction. The twist will work your waist and tummy, as well as your legs.
4. Aeroplane: lying down, with your knees bent so that your back is firmly flat against the floor, hold the baby in the air above your chest then lift them up and over your head as if they were flying, then bring them back to your chest. Dimples finds this hilarious. Ensure that this is a slow controlled move and that your back is pressed firmly to the floor whilst you move  the baby. Don’t stretch further than you feel comfortable.
5. Press a: lie the baby on the floor then, on your hands and knees, place your hands either side of the baby’s head, slowly dipping forward to touch your nose to the baby’s. This is essentially a push-up but a short one, so that your weight is supported on your knees rather than your toes. Or Press b: lay on the floor on your back, knees bent and feet firmly on the floor and, holding the baby in front of you, raise and lower your arms in a bench press.
6. Steps:  Holding the baby in your arms (or a sling if you have one) and march up and down your bottom step for two minutes. This will tone your legs and get your heart rate going so if you are doing a concerted ‘routine’ this is the best one to start with.
7. Extend:  Lying once more on the floor, bring your legs up in the air and bend so that your thighs are at 90 degrees to your body and your shins are parallel. Lay the baby on their tummy on your shins and, holding their hands, slowly extend your legs directly out as far as they can go then bring them back in. This is known as flying in our house, and is done with The Threeva as well as Dimples.

You can do one of these exercises at a time when you have five minutes in front of the television or with a non-sleeping child, or all of them together in a designated work-out. Start with ten repetitions of each and build the numbers up. when they start to feel a bit easy. They are all designed to tone the bits of your body that tend to bulk out during pregnancy and feeding.

And no, I’m not a professional, but these exercises were given to me by the trainer who is working with me to conquer my SPD. If you are in any doubt about your fitness post-baby, check with your GP before commencing any strenuous form of exercise.