10+ Simple Exercises to Do With Your Kid to Make the Postpartum Period Easier

There’s a lot of pressure new moms are facing, from the postpartum body to sleepless nights, and a simple workout is a great way to help yourself during this time. The best part is you won’t need any equipment, plus you can use it as a great way to bond and have a good time with your little one.

We at Bright Side know how tough it is to find some time for yourself when a baby is around. We applaud all busy mothers out there and hope that these 11 exercises will help you and your baby to have fun together.

1. Airplane

Babies love to play flying games, so it’s a win-win for a mother and a baby to incorporate “airplane games” in the exercise. Lie on your back and place the baby on your legs below your knees, then raise them up and down. Make sure to hold your little pilot with both arms, so his flight will be safe.

2. Lunge

To work on your legs and bottom, place one leg in front and the other one behind you. Your shoulder, back, belly button, and knee of the leg that’s behind need to be in one straight line. Then lower straight down and back up. As with all exercises, be gentle with yourself and don’t repeat this too many times. To incorporate your little one, place them in a baby carrier while doing this exercise.

3. Tricep dip

Sit on a bed or a chair with your hands by your sides on the edge and your feet flat on the floor. Now move your hips away from the bed and lower down slowly, you have to bend your elbows back along your sides. Then raise up to the position where you started. Since your hands are busy, we would suggest using a baby carrier so your baby won’t fall off your hips.

4. Leg raise

For this one, place your baby next to you on the floor and get on all fours. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart. Lift one leg behind you and hold it for a few seconds, repeat several times, and then switch legs. If you feel comfortable, you can also try straightening one arm directly in front of you while lifting the opposite leg behind you.

5. Rocket ship

It’s a great time-saving lifehack to try to incorporate exercise into your daily activities. So when you’re playing with your little one, lift them up, like they’re in a rocket, flying to the moon. Apart from cute giggles and smiles from your child, you’ll also get a chance to train your arms.

6. Downward facing dog

Again, place your little one on the mat, strengthen your arms, and stretch your legs with this yoga pose. To do it, kneel on your hands and knees. Lift your hips, stretching the backs of your legs. Let your head hang heavy and look in the direction of your belly. Your feet should parallel or be on your tiptoes. You can also make it easier by bending your knees a bit.

7. Bicep curls

Biceps muscles are very necessary when we have to carry our child, and we can incorporate them to help you train. Place your baby in your arms, holding him below the neck and at his diaper, and curl your arms up to your face. You can kiss his cheeks or his belly to make your angel enjoy working out with you even more.

8. The bridge

Lie on your back and bend your knees by sliding your feet up toward your bottom. Now place your baby on your hips, and hold them with both arms. The next step is to lift your bottom up in the air and hold this position for a few seconds. We’re sure your little one will love going up and down, giving you some time to take care of your tummy, bottom, and thigh muscles.

9. Wide squat

With feet turned out, make sure that you suck your belly button in and if you feel your pelvic floor then rock on your heels to go a little lower. Finally, push through your heels and lift back up. Keep your knees wide and make sure they don’t go over your toes. Don’t forget to tell your little fitness partner what are you doing, so in the meantime, they can develop their verbal skills too.

10. Baby bench press

Lie on the floor and hold your baby behind you, so they are facing you. Gently lift your little one up in the air by stretching your elbows. Then slowly lower your little one to the starting position. As we said before, almost no baby can resist “flying” games, so we hope you both will have a great time.

11. Peek-a-boo crunches

Experts suggest starting sit-ups only after your baby has turned one. When you’re ready for this type of core workout, just place your baby on your hips and play peekaboo with them. While lying on the floor, cover your face with your palms, and when lifting your shoulders off the floor, reveal your face and say “peek-a-boo.” Almost no baby can resist this game.

Bonus: Give yourself enough time to recover.

Make sure to see the doctor, get their approval for you to start working out. Mothers who’ve had a Cesarean have to wait for at least 6 weeks, in other cases, usually, it’s okay to begin a few days after giving birth.

Be very gentle and kind to yourself. You’ve been carrying a whole human around and your body has gone through major changes. And it might look different now, but there’s nothing more beautiful than a woman who just gave a start to a new life.

How do you take care of yourself with kids around? What are other activities parents and babies can do together?