DD wakes up super early (5:30) so am workouts are out for me. It took me a long time to get comfortable with this, but now I leave her at daycare for an extra half hour a couple of days a week and workout right after work. I'm lucky though - gym, home and daycare are all within five min of each other. Maybe your DH can do pickups a couple of times a week?

Pre-baby, I worked out after work. Tried it starting at 3 mos, and schedule-wise it was making everyone miserable (me, DH, baby).
So I switched to AM workouts. I was still nursing/pumping... some of the time details are a little fuzzy two years later but this was me-then:

dream feed 3am or 4am, something like that.
Wake up 4am or 5am, feed dogs, go to gym.
(DH is home with baby + 1 bottle, he has always done AM wakeup and daycare dropoff).

Bc DH was already doing AM duty, I didn't feel like I was missing anything.

Once I could cut out the dream feed (and again when DD could start the day with cereal or fruit), I adjusted the timing. I now wake up at 4am (GAH) to either get in a really good workout, or (1-2x/week) get to work REALLY early and get stuff done.

I make time for exercise b/c when I don't, I am super crabby and short. Happy mom is better for everyone

Anonymous wrote:I've been trying to figure this out while still nursing, I don't really feel like I can do a morning workout before DD gets up because I need to nurse...should I just wait until we are done nursing? I don't want to pump in the AM, and I can't "dream feed" her at that hour.

I would pump in the AM while I was drinking a cup of coffee before my run. And leave the bottle for DH in case the baby woke up early. Not a huge pump - just enough to be able to run comfortably. And not every morning - just 1-2 mornings a week.

I started going earlier, 5am. But not until my son was fully sleeping through the night. Around 6 months. Other than that I went during naptime on weekends or after he was in bed.

I'm starting T25, which is only 25 minutes, but an intense workout. I am already dreading getting up 30 minutes earlier to do it. But I have 3 kids, and I'm not sure I'll have the energy to do it after work, or want to workout instead of spending the evening with them

I also do cardio during lunch at the gym where I work.

I think if I see results, I'll be more motivated to keep it going. If I don't end up getting in better shape, losing weight and inches, I probably won't be inclined to keep getting up early.

I work out at lunch. It forces me to be super efficient with my work. Then I eat at my desk. On weekends, I take her to the gym or running with me first thing in the morning, then we go about our day.

I started an exercise class that meets on Wed/Friday at the community center. It starts at 6:15, so I get up at 5:15 to walk the dog and make sure backpacks are finished. I didn't start this until my youngest was 2.5 though even though at one time, I was a gym rat too.

I've been trying to figure this out while still nursing, I don't really feel like I can do a morning workout before DD gets up because I need to nurse...should I just wait until we are done nursing? I don't want to pump in the AM, and I can't "dream feed" her at that hour.

I wake up before kids are up (5 am) and workout, only now it's a much shorter HIIT workout (DVD), and I do it in my basement (I used to go to a morning bootcamp). Before my youngest DC dropped her last middle-of-the-night nurse, this system was much harder. For a very short period of time, I just decided to get up and work out after she woke for that feed, so sometimes that meant I was up starting at 4 am, but I think that only lasted a few weeks.

I'm not a gym rat by any definition, but I have started getting up at 5am for a quick workout before baby wakes. The hour sucks, but the workout makes me feel a little more human. Baby girl is 11 months and I went back to work at 4 months. Started this workout routine just in the last month or so.

I work an early day (8-4) so I just make it even earlier: I leave home at 6 or so, drive to the gym, and continue on to work. My DH has the morning shift with the kids anyway so I'm only losing 15 mins of togetherness time, max. But my kids are a little older. I started this schedule when they were 3 and 5.

Work out during lunch. Can't justify missing any time I could be with my kid.

I head to the gym after the kids are in bed.

I switched to working out during lunch (my building has a gym).

This is a question for Mom's who worked out in the morning before they had kids. I've just returned to work after having DS this summer. Pre-baby I worked out every day before work and got ready at the gym. Post baby I love having the extra hour to snuggle with DS and also I need it to rest from the sleepless nights. But I'm curious how and when did you all return to your gym rat days? I do miss my workouts and runs and would like to establish a routine again soon.