Workouts You Can Do With a Baby (Gentle Ideas)

Babysitter? Not happening. Gym creche? Not round here. Nap times? Unpredictable at best. If you are looking for workouts you can do with a baby, you probably need something that works in the gaps of your day, with your little one right next to you. Good news: there is plenty you can do.

I am Artem, a personal trainer in Archway. I am not a midwife, GP or physio, so before you start anything, check you have been cleared. The NHS says that after a straightforward birth, gentle exercise like walking, stretches and pelvic floor exercises can start when you feel up to it, but you should get advice at your 6-week postnatal check before high-impact exercise. After a caesarean or a complicated birth, speak to your midwife, health visitor or GP first. You can read the full guidance on the NHS keeping fit and healthy with a baby page.

Workouts you can do with a baby: the buggy walk

This is the foundation, and the NHS recommends it. A brisk walk pushing the pram or buggy gets your heart rate up and gets you both outside. The NHS tips:

• Keep your arms bent and your back straight
• Set the handles so your elbows are at roughly a right angle

Ideas to make it more of a workout:

• Pick a route with a gentle hill and walk up it at a pace where you can talk but not sing
• Do “lamppost intervals”: walk briskly for two lampposts, easy for one
• Head for a park. Around Archway and Highgate there are plenty of paths with benches for a feed stop

If you want the bigger picture on timing and what to watch for, read my guide to returning to exercise after a baby.

Floor time workout

While your baby has tummy time or kicks on a play mat, you can get on the floor too. Keep it gentle, and stop anything that hurts:

• Pelvic floor exercises. The NHS post-pregnancy body page explains how. You can do them anywhere, any time.
• Glute bridges. Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat, and gently lift your hips. Breathe out as you lift.
• Side-lying leg lifts while you face your baby and chat to them.
• Cat-cow on all fours for a gentle back stretch, staying within a comfortable range. The NHS notes your joints and ligaments can stay more flexible for a few months after birth, so avoid pushing deep stretches or twists.

If you have a tummy gap, the NHS advises avoiding sit-ups, planks and high-impact exercise at first. My post on tummy gap after pregnancy exercise explains more.

Standing moves while baby watches

Pop your baby in a bouncer or on a mat where they can see you:

• Sit-to-stand from a chair, slowly
• Wall push-ups
• Calf raises while you hold the kitchen counter
• Marching on the spot to a favourite song

Try 8 to 12 easy reps of each, rest, and repeat once or twice if you feel good. Babies often love watching, and you can count out loud, which counts as baby talk.

Everyday lifting is training too

The NHS lists lifting and carrying children as a strengthening activity in its adult activity guidelines. Make those lifts count by doing them well: bend your knees rather than your waist, keep your baby close to your body, and avoid twisting while you lift. That habit protects your back now and as your baby gets heavier.

A few safety rules

• Do not use your baby as a weight or exercise while holding them. Keep the workout and the cuddles separate.
• Keep your baby out of the way of feet and falling objects.
• Stop if you feel pain, leak urine, feel heaviness in your pelvis or notice heavier bleeding, and speak to your GP or health visitor.
• If you use a sling or carrier, follow the manufacturer’s guidance and keep walks gentle.

Where a small-group bootcamp fits

Home workouts are perfect for the early months. When you are cleared and ready for a bit more, and can hand your baby over to a partner, grandparent or friend for an hour, a class gives you something to look forward to. At SYP Bootcamp in Archway, groups are capped at 10 people, sessions are 45 minutes, £15, and every exercise has a lower-impact version. You can see this week’s class times on the booking page.

FAQs

What exercise can I do at home with a newborn?

After a straightforward birth and when you feel up to it, the NHS suggests gentle exercise like walking, gentle stretches and pelvic floor exercises. Brisk buggy walks are a great start. Check with your GP before high-impact exercise.

Is pushing a pram good exercise?

Yes. The NHS recommends brisk pram or buggy pushing, with your arms bent, back straight and the handles set so your elbows are at right angles.

When can I do exercise with my baby in a class?

The NHS says many postnatal classes let you bring your baby. Wait until you have had your 6-week postnatal check and been cleared, and longer if you had a caesarean or complicated birth.

Start where you are

A walk today, a few floor exercises tomorrow, and you are already building. When you can grab an hour to yourself, book my £15 class or message me on WhatsApp on 07301 512215. And if you want a plan you can follow at home around naps and feeds, take a look at the free fitness tools from SYP Fitness.

About the author

Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.