Are you a new mom struggling to find time to fit exercise into your daily routine?  Here is a quick exercise program that you can do with your baby from new mom and trainer, Sara Haley (http://www.sarahaley.com).

NOTE:  All of these exercises are progressive.  Please make sure you can execute “A” before you go to “B.”  Also, please try ALL of these exercises withOUT your baby first.  Make sure you feel confident in your technique and execution before performing them with your baby.  Feel free to adjust your “hold” on your baby, depending on what he/she needs.  Depending on the weight, age, and/or development of your child, he/she may need more support.

Warm Up: Find your favorite upbeat tune (Sara’s current favorite: Usher’s “DJ Got Us Falling in Love.”). Put it on for 3-5 minutes and dance around with your baby.  Find a song you can sing to - it will put your baby in a good mood!  Make sure you are moving big enough and quick enough to get your heart rate up a little.  You want your body to be warm before beginning these exercises.  HINT:  ** If at any time during your workout your baby gets upset, do some cardio by dancing around with your baby until he/she is happy again.

1)         A) Mama Squat: Begin with your feet shoulder width apart. Holding baby comfortably and safely in your arms, sit back into your heels.  Keep your chest lifted and squeeze your shoulder blades together.  You should feel like you are about to fall back into a chair.  Come all the way back up and stand tall.  Work on holding the squat at the bottom - talk to baby while you’re down there! Repeat 12-15 times.  *Targets quads, hamstrings, & glutes.

http://www.youtube.com/sarahaleyfit#p/u/2/sFAUMWY1_H8

B) So Big!: Hold your baby underneath his/her arms.  Begin with your Mama Squat. As you stand up tall, extend your hips and reach your baby straight up to the sky.  This should bring a big smile to his/her face (and to yours).  Repeat 12-15 times.  ** Targets shoulders, quads, hamstrings, & glutes.

http://www.youtube.com/sarahaleyfit#p/u/6/HVSsJVAJhFk

2)         A) Mama Reverse Lunges: Just like the Mama Squat, hold your baby comfortably and safely in your arms.  Step back with one leg into a deep lunge (back heel stays lifted).  Push off both feet to bring feet together.  This will probably be more of a balance challenge than anything else (which means you have to use your core!).  Keep your shoulders lined up with your hips throughout.  If you find this to be easy, challenge your core even more by picking up one leg when you come back in.  Repeat 12-15 times on each side. ** Targets quads, hamstrings, & glutes.

http://www.youtube.com/sarahaleyfit#p/u/0/w5UCaFsdV9E

B)  Share the Baby: Begin with your feet together. Hold your baby underneath his/her arms.  Pull him to you in a row position, so your shoulder blades are engaged and your neck is long.  Reaching back with the right leg, repeat your Mama Reverse Lunge. Simultaneously, reach your arms out in front of you as if you were giving your baby to a friend to hold. The less bend you have to your arms, the harder it will be. It will help if you activate your core by squeezing your shoulder blades together and squeezing your abs (make sure to breath while you multitask!).  Repeat 8-10 times on each side.  **Targets shoulders, quads, hamstrings, & glutes.

http://www.youtube.com/sarahaleyfit#p/u/1/X8CmN9Zgfjg

3)         A)  I Love You Plank: (MAKE SURE YOU CAN EASILY HOLD AT LEAST 30 SECONDS OF PLANK ON YOUR OWN BEFORE TRYING THIS OVER YOUR BABY.)  Lay your baby on his back.  Come up to all fours, on your knees and hands, so you are smiling down at your baby. Raise your knees off the floor.  As you hold your plank (You should look like you are in the top of a pushup.), keep your core engaged as to not allow any sinking in your lower back.  Repeat “I love you, Baby (insert baby’s name), followed by the number “1.”  Say it again, followed by the number “2,” etc.  See how many times you can say this without having to come down. As you get stronger, the number of “I love you”s should increase. If you aren’t ready for a full plank (think the top of a push up), then walk your knees back on an angle, and hold there.  **Targets core.

http://www.youtube.com/sarahaleyfit#p/u/5/9p2CDfCcTkc

B)  Triceps Kisses: Maintain the same position as you did in your I Love You Plank.  Staying on either your knees or toes, keep your back engaged, and lower down to give your baby a big kiss!  Make sure to keep your elbows tight to your sides to allow those triceps to do a lot of the work!  Work up to repeating 10 times without a break.  **Targets core, triceps, & chest.

http://www.youtube.com/sarahaleyfit#p/u/4/YsDT_B0iMug