Since having a second kid, I’m not getting out for runs like I used to. These days, I’m generally stuck inside the house, bound to a baby who can’t yet sit on his own and a 3-year-old who lovingly refers to my belly as “squishy.”
That being said, lacking time and space for a restorative run takes its toll. That’s why I needed to discover some non-running workouts to do with baby to subsidize the endorphins running provides.
This article shares workouts to do with baby that can be done when you’re limited to the square footage of your house or your child’s playmat.
Table of Contents
11 workouts to do with baby
The exercises below are strength-builders you can perform throughout the day, with the shallow pockets of time your kids allow you to better yourself.
These workouts mean nothing to your fitness tracker, to be honest; but they still do your mind and body good.
Plank over baby
As much as we hate it, the plank is a full-body, strength-building powerhouse.
It works your arms, glutes, and legs and rebuilds the core strength that pregnancy destroyed.
Plus, it allows you to stare at the cute baby you created while getting your shred on.
- Lay your baby on the floor facing upright.
Frame them with your forearms on each side of their body. Make sure you are looking down at your baby, and your baby is looking up at you.
- Lift yourself off the ground.
Your body should be supported by your forearms, elbows, and toes (curled under).
- Align your body in a straight (plank) line from your neck to your heels.
Your tailbone should be tucked under, and your abs engaged.
- Hold for 1 minute.
Pass the excruciating time by making baby giggle with silly faces (of your suffering), tickling their ears, and making funny sounds.
- Repeat these throughout the day.
BONUS: Increase intensity by allowing your toddler to jump on your back while doing this (they’re going to climb on you anyway).
Squat circuit
This is simply doing squats while holding your baby. There’s no need for a medicine ball when you have a 10 to 20-pound tiny human to lift.
- Stand with your legs wide while carrying your baby.
Carry your bundle in whatever way is comfortable. Your legs should be a little wider than your shoulders, toes pointed out at a 45-degree angle.
- Bend your kness and lower yourself.
Aim to have your thighs parallel to the ground and your knees aligned with your ankles. Keep your chest lifted as you lower.
- Lift back up.
Feel those glutes and thighs burning as you move back up, giving baby a little bounce.
- Do 10 to 20 reps.
You can repeat this movement any time throughout the day.
Reverse lunges while holding baby
Like doing squats with your baby, the intensity of this exercise is increased by the added weight of your joyful bundle.
- Stand with your legs hip-width distance apart.
Carry your baby in your arms in whatever way is comfortable.
- Move your right foot back.
Step right leg back about 2 feet. Curl your toes under for more balance and stability.
- Bend both knees to lower yourself and your baby.
Your knees should each reach a 90-degree angle at their respective positions. That is, the top of your left thigh and your right shin should be parallel to the floor.
- Return to your starting position.
Push your back leg to go back to your initial standing position. Keep your core tight and your baby stable as you move.
- Repeat on the opposite leg.
For starters, do around 20 reps or 10 on each side.
Slow roll-ups with baby
This is like doing a sit-up, except with your legs stretched out instead of bent at the knees.
My son gets a kick out of the back-and-forth motion of this exercise, along with the funny faces and sounds I make.
- Lie flat on your back.
Your legs should be outstretched and your toes pointing up.
- Have baby sit on your thighs.
They should face you, while you hold each of their hands in yours to stabilize them.
- Use your abdominal muscles to curl up
As you move up, your baby should be slowly leaning back onto your kneesor shins.
- Move to sitting position.
By this point in the movement, your legs are outstretched with the baby lying back on your knees or shins.
- Do the reverse of the first half of the exercise.
Do the motion by slowly leaning back, abs engaged, while bringing the baby back up to sitting position on your thighs.
- Repeat 10 times.
Think of this action as similar to how a human seesaw works!
10-minute yoga or 10-minute arm workout while baby watches (and judges)
Ten minutes of yoga or strength training can give a surprising boost of “Yes! I got this!” without requiring more than a pair of light dumbbells and the space of a yoga mat.
- Lay your baby down.
Place them on a playmat, yoga mat, or soft carpet with a couple of their favorite toys.
- Find the right 10-minute video workout.
The best videos will not jeopardize your baby’s safety in each other’s close proximity (not Zumba).
YouTube is a treasure trove of quick workout videos. Here are my two go-tos for yoga and an arm workout:
- 10-minute Yoga by Yoga with Kassandra
- Arm workout by Rebecca-Louise
- Follow the workout!
As you follow along, interact with your baby by making eye contact, counting out loud, making silly faces, etc
Kissy push-up over baby
Thirty seconds of push-ups challenge your entire body and pack a lot of strength-building into a short amount of time.
- Get in push up position.
Your baby should be lying face up between your hands. Bring your knees to the floor.
- Lower yourself by bending your elbows.
Keep your abs engaged and your back straight. No rounding allowed! Distract yourself by getting lost in your baby’s eyes.
- Your face should be hovering close enough to your baby.
How close? You should be able to give them a little smooch on the forehead.
- Push back up into the starting position.
Exhale dramatically while doing this step. Babies love enthusiasm!
- Repeat the cycle.
You should be able to do this set of motions for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Peek-a-boo sit-ups
Peekaboo sit-ups make for an interesting twist to a classic workout. There’s also an added benefit— more engagement for your abs when you suddenly say, “Peek-a-boo!”
- Position yourself and baby lying face-up on the floor.
Your knees should be bent with feet flat on the floor aka the sit-up position. Check if the baby can see your face when you come down from your sit-up.
As for the little one, let them do whatever floppy thing they do on the ground.
- Pull your chest up to the tops of your thighs.
For this step, harness the power of your abdominal muscles.
- Lower yourself to your starting position.
Maintain engaged abs as you lower yourself with control.
- Face your baby and say “Peek-a-boo!”
Remember to do this before shooting back up for another sit-up.
- Repeat for 1 minute.
1 minute is our recommended starting point. But you should be able to go on for longer once you progress.
Leg raises with baby on belly
Target the lower belly pooch you have your kids to thank for with this leg raise modification.
Holding onto your baby’s hands while doing this exercise increases the intensity since you’re not gripping the ground for support.
- Lie flat on the floor with your legs outstretched and baby sitting on your stomach.
Hold your baby’s hands in yours to keep them from tipping over.
- Raise your legs.
Use your lower abs to lift your legs off the ground. Bring them to a 90-degree angle so your body forms an “L” shape.
- Inhale as you lower your legs.
Your lower body should be a couple of feet off the ground. A great distance would be somewhere low enough to feel your abs working, but not so low that you arch your back.
- Exhale as you bring your legs back up.
Remember the “L’ shape your body should be following. Your legs must be at a 90-degree angle.
- Repeat the entire sequence.
Keep at it for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Glute bridges with baby
The glute bridge is a prime workout to do with baby because, in addition to strengthening your abs and glutes (both of which are trashed during pregnancy), it strengthens your pelvic floor, which helps with urinary incontinence.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and baby sitting on your belly.
Hold onto their hands to stabilize their wobbly body.
Don’t let go of your baby’s hands during the entire movement.
- Tighten your ab muscles and lift your hips off the floor.
Imagine a straight line from your shoulders, hips, and knees. Hold.
BONUS: Lift your hips even higher and squeeze your glutes to intensify the move.
- Lower your hips and glutes down to the starting position.
Your baby should still be securely riding on your belly. Add sound effects, shamelessly.
- Repeat the entire set of movements.
Do 10 reps.
Walking up and down the stairs while holding baby
This one is as mundane as it sounds. But when you’re desperate to move beyond the space around your child’s playmat and feel a hint of cardio, your home’s stairs are as good as the gym’s StairMaster.
You can do this by actively carrying your medicine ball of a baby upstairs and downstairs for 5 or 10 minutes, or just carrying your baby with you every time you go upstairs.
Challenge yourself further with double-stepping (using every other step to pull yourself up).
Keep a comfortable hold on baby because the summoned strength and momentum needed to bound upstairs, two at a time, tends to trigger more wobbling.
Heart-pumping 1-minute blasts
The workouts below are phenomenal if you need to awaken from your tired, autopilot default.
You are not meant to be holding baby during these 1-minute blasts (#don’tshakethebaby).
Rather, they can be performed near your baby whenever the urge strikes.
1-minute workouts to do near baby
- Mountain climbers
- Jumping jacks
- High knees
- Ball toe taps on one of your kid’s many play balls
- Jumping lunges
- Squat jumps
You only need 1 minute of motion to feel a charge from these fast, high-intensity workouts, and each of them can leave you winded enough to feel accomplished—even if you only manage one per day.
A reminder about workouts to do with baby
The thing to remember about workouts you can do with a baby is your baby just wants to see you—not be placed in their crib while you bust out a HIIT circuit in the other room.
Finding workouts to do with baby that keep you next to them without risking their safety with rapid, thrashing movements is key to creating a collection of exercises that let you engage with baby while challenging your body.
Regardless of which workouts harmonize with your day-to-day, being mindful of your body is the foundation of postpartum fitness. Remember to:
- Maintain good posture.
- Keep a tight core while performing exercises.
- Move slowly with intention.
- Stick to a healthy diet.
- Breathe in and out. You got this!
Start your workouts to do with baby today!
I’ve found these workouts to do with baby to be effective in building strength and feeling better about my body, despite what my skinny jeans imply.
The time I’m able to devote to these exercises is short and all over the place.
You don’t need a ton of time to work these into your day. They are truly drop-and-go exercises you can do without leaving your baby’s side.
While these workouts haven’t resulted in my post-pregnancy flab being replaced by Insta-pleasing toned muscles, jamming these little bursts of activity into my child-bound months has kept me above water.
It’s especially helpful on the days when I feel most removed from my active self. And for some reason, my baby gets such joy out of it.
Keep at it, mothers!
