Struggling to find time to work out with your baby and toddler? Get the best exercise tips and advice from physical therapist mom of 4.
Are you having a difficult time finding time to work out with a baby and a toddler at home? I have been there. I have 4 kids, and at one time I had 4 kids under the age of 6. With lots of toddlers and babies all around me – working out was difficult for sure!
But I knew it was important to keep fitness in my life. I’m a physical therapist, and I want to help you find the time to work out with your baby and toddler with these 7 tips for busy moms.
1. Make working out a priority
I recently heard on a podcast that the word priorities does not even exist because priority actually means there is a thing (not two things, not three things, just A THING) that is regarded as more important than another.
It’s not having things as more important, but just one thing as being most important.
Let’s make working out the priority, the one thing, in your life right now.
When you set a priority to work out every day, let’s make it happen by putting all other little things aside.
Yeah, I know you have to feed your baby and teach your toddler how to go potty, that is part of of your day no doubt, but let’s put working out on top of the list when it comes to other less important tasks, like dusting! 😆
Once you officially make this mindset shift, then you are one step closer to making your workouts actually happen.
2. Get your baby and toddler on the same nap schedule
This is a game changer. I know this can be challenging, but if you can devote 2 weeks to getting your baby and toddler to nap at the same time, this opens up a huge chunk of time every day to get things accomplished, like your workout.
Imagine if you had 2 hours every day to yourself, versus 30 minutes every day to yourself because your 2 kids were sleeping at opposite times.
In a month that would be 60 hours of alone time for mommy if your kids napped for 2 hours every day, versus 15 hours of alone time if your kids only napped for 30 minutes at the same time.
That’s a no brainer for me.
3. Put baby and toddler down for bedtime at the same time
Take nighttime bedtime seriously at your house and make a bedtime routine that you stick to every night for a month or two to get the kids in a good habit.
Your bedtime routine should start at least 30 minutes before you put your baby and toddler to bed. Keep both of them together doing the same things, whether that’s bathtime, brushing teeth (or gums for baby), combing hair, reading a bedtime story, dimming the lights, singing a bedtime song, prayers and getting tucked in.
These routines help your child to know it’s time to go to sleep. And come 8pm, your kids are down and mommy and daddy can go to bed at a decent hour, get good sleep and wake up early for a great morning workout.
It can happen, and it can feel so good to say goodnight to your kids at a decent hour of night.
“Exercise leads to the secretion of neurotransmitters that promote mental clarity and an improved attention span,” she says. “You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment, as well as rejuvenated and recharged.” –Piedmont
4. Wake up early before baby and toddler wake up
Since you are able to go to bed early right after putting the kids to bed early, you will have more energy to work out in the morning.
Morning workouts are proven to be the most beneficial to our bodies.
Why I like morning workouts so much is because there are less distractions piling up from the day.
Come noon, so much has happened that has put a kink in our busy mom schedule, and it’s unlikely I will be able to fit the time in to work out, especially after many blow outs, spit ups and loads of laundry I didn’t plan on doing that day.
5. Feed baby and toddler at the same time - multitasking
If you are nursing or bottle feeding, make sure you feed baby and toddler at the same time. That takes a bit of multitasking skill, but it can be done.
Get your toddler’s plate prepared ahead of time, and when it comes time to serve him the meal, be ready to nurse or bottle feed your baby too.
When baby is done feeding, it’s time for mommy to eat.
Keeping this routine on schedule helps for a more consistent feeding pattern for your family, thus allowing you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time in the workout room.
6. Incorporate toddler into your workout while baby does tummy time
When all else fails and you can’t get the kids to sleep well and meal time is all out of whack, it’s time to incorporate baby and toddler into your workouts.
I consider this play time for the kids. Baby needs tummy time and toddler can join in on the fun with mommy as you do your squats and push-ups.
Hey, even if baby doesn’t want to be on her tummy, strap her into a carrier and do your workout with her as your added weight.
She’ll giggle with every movement you do. It’s time for the kids to understand that mommy needs to work out to stay healthy, and they can have fun too while you do it.
7. Stick to a routine
All in all, a routine is the glue to all of this working. If you want to be a mom who works out, stays fit and remains healthy for the rest of your life, you need to have a routine in place now.
Later on in life, it will be harder to create these healthy habits as your kids grow up.
It’s best to start while they are young so they can learn from your example. They will reap the benefits from your diligence and commitment to living a healthy lifestyle. So make a routine of it.
And stick with it because you know your whole family will benefit from your hard work and healthy habits.
Do you have a workout routine but struggle to maintain it because you are so busy with the kids? The continue reading 10 simple habits that will help you keep a consistent workout routine.
*It is important to always consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program and get medical clearance. Always warm up thoroughly and stretch after all workouts. LiveCoreStrong.com and Jena Bradley will be not be responsible or liable for any injury sustained while exercising at home, gym or elsewhere. Perform exercises at your own risk.
