Giving birth is a workout in itself—it’s one of the most intense physical challenges a person will ever experience, which deserves more than a little rest and relaxation. But when you feel ready to get back into your fitness routine (and you get the green light from your doctor), you can jump in with these 10 free online workouts to help your post-baby body feel good. There’s something here for everybody, and every body, from gentle beginner workouts to challenging calorie burns!

 

20 Minute Postnatal Legs & Core by FIT by Larie

What it is: No equipment needed for this 20-minute workout in which you use your body weight to your advantage. Larie leads you through various sets of lunges and pulses that keep your core firm and will make you feel the burn.

Why you’ll love it: This is a great option for that very first post-birth foray into exercise because it’s quick and you can modify every move by going deeper or staying higher. Squeeze this into your day during naptime, even micro-naps! And Larie is chatty, which keeps you focused yet also somehow distracted from all that thigh-shaking.

 

12 Minute Post Natal Core Workout by BodyFit by Amy

What it is: Full of movements that focus on the midsection, this short video shows postnatal mamas how to start getting their abs back in shape by targeting the deep abdominal muscles. These aren’t your traditional ab exercises, but instead a slow reintroduction to the core muscle connections.

Why you’ll love it: The exercises are broken up by lots of restorative stretching, and if you feel like you want to challenge yourself more, do the video again.

Related: 9 Easy Ways to Squeeze In a Workout When You Have Kids

 

Mom and Baby Stretch and Workout by BrettLarkinYoga

What it is: A chance to spend 20 minutes with your baby with plenty of stretching and yoga poses for you. You may not break a sweat, but you’ll be engaging all sorts of muscles and connecting with your little one face-to-face. Great for babies who aren’t yet mobile.

Why you’ll love it: You get the effect of being in a mommy & me yoga class without having to deal with leaving the house.

 

Postnatal Yoga for Strength and Flexibility by Sara Beth Yoga

What it is: If you didn’t exercise during pregnancy and are just getting back into the swing of things after baby, you may have to work up to this 30-minute yoga instruction. It’s a basic flow routine with balance and core work.

Why you’ll love it: The voiceover instruction is calming, as is the music. And Sara Beth encourages pushing yourself through individual challenges.

 

CARiFiT: Post Natal Foundations workout by BeFIT

What it is: A 15-minute baby-wearing workout full of smooth, controlled movements. You’ll do plenty of squats, lunges, and low-impact exercises that are safe to perform with a baby strapped to your chest.

Why you’ll love it: The movement will probably put your baby right to sleep!

Related: Feel-Good Fitness Gear From Amazon

 

Post Baby Bounce Back by TiffanyRotheWorkouts

What it is: Thirteen minutes of Tiffany’s Boxer Babe series with punches, kicks, and all.

Why you’ll love it: Anyone who likes a group workout will feed off the energy of this big group video.

 

Beginner Pilates Workout by Fitness Blender

What it is: Easy, breezy exercises to shape and tone on a daily basis. You’ll spend 17 minutes doing 14 different exercises and stretches, 12 reps each, mostly lying down.

Why you’ll love it: It’s a great way to decompress and relax before sleep, especially if you’re not sleeping through the night yet.

 

Postnatal Arms and Abs by Nancy Taylor

What it is: A half hour of strength training with dumbbells and a burst of cardio to boot.

Why you’ll love it: Nancy has infectious energy and gives little pep talks throughout the routine.

 

Diastasis Reci RepairPhysio Workout for Beginners by Michelle Kenway

What it is: Some simple seated exercises to help reconnect your abdominal muscles after pregnancy.

Why you’ll love it: It couldn’t be easier to squeeze this 4-minute video into your busy day with baby.

 

Pelvic Floor Safe Core Exercises by Michelle Kenway

What it is: Michelle shows new moms how to safely and properly activate the abs without aggravating any pelvic floor issues.

Why you’ll love it: It’s not sexy, but it’s essential!

Your body has done some amazing things over the past few months, more than anything, it has created and give birth to a tiny human! As your baby grew, your body cleverly accommodated it but for many, even most women, the abdominal muscles will have accepted some degree of separation to allow for your growing bump. This is totally normal and with the right approach and the right exercises, these muscles will find their way back together. 

Let’s start with breathing! For a lot of post natal mums, the art of breathing and engaging the core muscles correctly requires some reminding and retraining. It is hugely important to restore good breathing techniques in order to form a foundation for which to grow on. There are a number of disciplines of exercise that rely on correct and proper breathing techniques and this is by no means just about fueling the body with oxygen, it is actually to make sure that you can properly connect with the core muscles as day to day movement relies on correct core engagement. By starting with a good breathing technique, you will lay the foundations for a stronger core. 

How to Breathe Correctly

  • Start by lying on your back with one hand on your tummy and the other hand on the side of your ribcage
  • Breathe deeply into your tummy and into the side of the ribcage feeling your tummy rise and your ribcage expand
  • As you breathe out, you should feel your tummy relax

Once you have mastered this and you are sure you are activating your pelvic floor muscles you can move onto movement based exercises below.

Hip Bridges: Aim to do 2 sets of 12 reps

  • Lying on your back bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the floor
  • Raise the hips off the floor squeezing your glutes (bum) and activating your pelvic floor muscles
  • Hold at the top for a few seconds then relax back down to neutral position

Squats: Aim to do 2 sets of 12 reps

  • Start with your feet hip width apart 
  • Breathe in as you sit back into the squat as if to sit onto a chair 
  • Keep a neutral back throughout with weight evenly distributed through your heels
  • Squeeze your bum to stand back upright to starting position

Half Press Ups: Aim to do 2 sets of 8 reps

  • Start on your knees with your hands under your shoulders 
  • Knees, hips and shoulders should all be aligned
  • Breathe in as you bend your elbows wide and lower the chest to the floor
  • Keep your head aligned with your spine
  • Breathe out as you push yourself back to the starting position

Remember only even do as much as you feel you can do, listen to your body and ease into it.

Checking your tummy gap (Diastasis Recti): Understanding your own tummy gap, core and pelvic floor activation levels is key to fully restoring your postpartum strength and fitness. Remember that everyone is unique and everyone’s starting point is personal. For more physiotherapist led core series including Diastasis check and scar massage check out CariFit.  

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I have been helping new moms get back into exercise for over a decade. Dubbed the "baby man" after carrying the babies for moms whilst they exercised, I saw that by merging babywearing and fitness, we could remove the barriers to exercise and I launched CARiFiT 6 years ago!

Photo: Kristin Van de Water

I can’t push four kids in a jogging stroller. It’s too hot or cold or rainy. I showered last night and don’t want to waste time showering again so soon. I don’t want strangers watching me sweat.

These excuses flooded my mind every time I tried to return to my pre-kid routine of running in Central Park. Seven years into motherhood, I have finally found a workout that silences those voices in my head.

To jumpstart my exercise plan post-kids, I had to start small, be consistent, and eliminate as many obstacles as possible. I needed a no-excuses environment.

Excuse #1: I Can’t Get to the Gym

I’m watching the kids, there’s a blizzard outside, my workout clothes are out of date, and a gym membership is too expensive.

Thankfully, in 30 seconds flat, I can transform my bedroom into workout central. I open Pandora, roll out a yoga mat, and grab some dumbbells from my nightstand. My routine mainly involves yoga, dance, and calisthenics, so the only equipment really required is my body.

My only audience is the occasional kid who peeks around the door, sizes up my Downward Dog, and proclaims, “That’s easy!” My preschooler loves to unroll a yoga mat, twist her little body around, and exclaim, “Check out this move!” Plus, at home, yesterday’s t-shirt and thread-bare yoga pants work just fine.

Excuse #2: I’m Not a Morning Person

Exercise is more likely to happen in my early hours. By the time I’ve wrestled the kids into bed, I’m ready for Netflix. Once I realized I could free up precious evening hours by exercising and showering in the morning, I became even more game for sunrise workouts.

I don’t have to be fully awake to begin my exercise routine with simple stretches on the ground, which can naturally progress into leg lifts and crunches. Then I greet the day with a Sun Salutation, flow through Warrior poses, and breathe through planks. I get my blood pumping with jumping jacks and kickboxing moves, finish with lunges, and voila! Breakfast time.

Excuse #3: I Just Don’t Feel Like It

Start with the smallest, easiest exercise routine imaginable (like 10 jumping jacks, five crunches, or balancing on one foot as you brush teeth) and build from there. Once the routine becomes second nature, add on more components.

A few months into my routine, it has become addicting. Even on my “rest” mornings, I crave movement. Snuggle-in-Mommy’s-bed time is perfect for stretching and “flying” kids in the air with my feet to work my abs and quads. Once I’m up, I dance around while getting the kids ready for school to sneak in some bonus cardio.

Excuse #4: I Don’t Have Time

Starting my day with exercise makes everything more productive. I can’t lounge around in a fog when I know I only have one hour to fit in a workout, shower and breakfast.

It’s mornings when we need to leave on a tighter schedule that I find the time and motivation to exercise. If I only have 20 minutes, I’m more likely to just unroll my mat and get moving than on days when I could afford to sweat for a solid hour. Long workouts make me fret about wasted time. But if I’m just signing up for 20 minutes every other day—yeah, that’s doable.

Excuse #5: Kids Get in the Way of a Traditional Workout

A workout doesn’t have to look “normal” to count. Waiting for your kid to use the bathroom? Try some standing push-ups against the door frame. Riding the elevator? Squeeze in a few Kegels. Folding laundry? Add some squats. Standing on the school pick-up line? Engage your core (which my OBGYN recommended to treat my diastasis—because stretched out tummy muscles don’t magically repair after twins).

My health goal is to age well by actively combatting a sedentary lifestyle. As Grandma said, “Motion is lotion!” From this perspective, a life full of kids is an advantage. Forget conserving energy to make it through an exhausting day. Rather, look for ways to make daily routines healthier and more active. Push your massive stroller up hills, carry groceries, lunge to pick up toys, scoop up your toddler and jog to make the traffic light. Give the monkey bars a solid attempt and push swings with gusto.

Kids can also inspire fun moves to add to your intentional workout time. Skip with an imaginary jump rope, move your hips hula hoop-st‌yle, use your dresser as a ballet barre, and break out your crazy dance moves.

Excuse #6: My Commitment to Exercise Doesn’t Last

To follow through on your exercise commitment, make it about more than just physical results.

For me, that meant modeling for my kids how to take care of my whole self. So, I chose to couple exercise with devotional time. Adding a soundtrack of praise songs was a peaceful and uplifting way to get in a good workout and a surefire way to start the day on a positive note. Now I look forward to exercising as a time to get re-centered while worshipping God. Good for the mind, body, and soul!

You could make exercise meaningful by using it as quality time with a friend or spouse. My friend calls her mom to chat while she runs. Perhaps you pair your workout with a tasty meal or healthy shake afterward. Or, try a money motivator. Join a gym or book a spin class. If you’ve already paid for something, you may be less likely to hit the snooze button and skip out. You could also “pay” yourself each time you exercise and use the stashed cash to splurge on a treat or donate to a favorite cause.

With my newfound motivation and efficiency, I can incorporate exercise into even the busiest of days. Sure, I give myself a free pass every now and then. But most days I kick my excuses to the curb and just get moving.

So, what’s your excuse?

Kristin Van de Water
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Kristin Van de Water is a former journalist and teacher who relies on humor, faith, and her mom crew to get her through the day. Raising four kids in a two-bedroom NYC apartment, Kristin is always on the lookout for life hacks to save time, space, money, and her sanity.