One thing to be careful of is making sure that you start it slow with working out after having a baby. 5 months is still pretty young, so best thing to do, that worked for me, was roll out of bed and do strengthening exercises on the floor in my nightsuit. Sounds weird but it was the fastest/easiest thing to do.

Buy a Peakeep alarm, because its analog, you won't waste time on your phone, and the alarm isn't loud enough to wake kids.

Beachbody on demand. It is the only way DH and I are both able to work out and some of the programs are excellent (try 21 day fix for post baby). We squeeze workouts in during the kids' naps, or after they go to bed. We work out more consistently now than we ever did when we belonged to a gym.

Also, go easy on yourself - I am also up several times a night with our 7 month old, and some days I just feel like my body needs rest more than a workout. Don't feel bad.

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I’m trying to figure out this as well. For those who workout in there evening, I assume you do this right after dinner? I’ve never been one to work out on a full stomach which is why I have trouble working out at night even tho my child is in bed by 7:30. I’ll probably stick with mornings as painful as it is to get up so early but just curious.

DH is an evening only exerciser. We eat dinner around 6:30. DS goes to bed around 8 and DH gets on the exercise machine around 9 or 9:30 or sometimes later in the evening after working or watching TV. I can’t do that - by 9pm I’m exhausted and working out would amp me up right before bed I think.

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I’m trying to figure out this as well. For those who workout in there evening, I assume you do this right after dinner? I’ve never been one to work out on a full stomach which is why I have trouble working out at night even tho my child is in bed by 7:30. I’ll probably stick with mornings as painful as it is to get up so early but just curious.

I SAH so I work out during nap time usually, but on the rare occasion that plan did not pan out and I decided I would work out once DH got home, I will eat dinner on the earlier side (and nothing heavy) and then I feel okay working out about an hour or so later (I'm one of the PP peloton posters). DH will either do bedtime that night, or I'll get on the bike after bedtime (7/7:30).

NP here. I’m trying to figure out this as well. For those who workout in there evening, I assume you do this right after dinner? I’ve never been one to work out on a full stomach which is why I have trouble working out at night even tho my child is in bed by 7:30. I’ll probably stick with mornings as painful as it is to get up so early but just curious.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly I would hold off on starting any kind of formal exercise program until your 5 month old is STTN. You need sleep, and already aren't getting enough. Just take some walks for now and be really active with the kids. When you are getting at least 5 hours of consecutive sleep, revisit the situation. A Peloton can be great, but I've also had great luck with streaming home workout videos online (I use Daily Burn but there are a bunch of services).

Seriously the worst advice ever. Start a routine immediately - just manage personal expectations! You may have a day or 5 go by where you don't work out, but a little each day builds up.

No, it’s not the worst advice ever. I think it’s kind and encouraging. Perhaps you forget what it’s like the early days when you work full time, have a toddler and a new baby who is not STTN. You barely have enough sleep and energy to function and you just want to get through the day.

Well- I hope it’s helpful to remember that motherhood is constant change. I did it differently as a married mom to one or two, and now have adjusted to three and single life yet still get it in daily. I’ve done marathons, 5 am classes, 8 pm classes, had peloton, yoga online etc. play with it till you find what works for your fitness and your phase. Along the way try not to be an asshole or get angry about how other people answer questions on a massage board. You’ll go far!

I'm the poster with the original advice to hold off on a formal exercise program. I never said to never start a program or your workout days are over as a new mom. Just that it's ok to not stick to a rigid routine before your baby is STTN. I know this because I tried to start getting back into my old routine way too early, when I still was only getting 2-3 hours of consecutive sleep per night, while also working full time and pumping. It really only made me miserable and deprived me of some much-needed sleep. Once my baby started STTN at around 7 months, I got back into it and now work out 4 days a week and am in better shape than ever. You might have had a different experience, which is fine, but in my experience it's ok to be forgiving to yourself when you are maxed out on everything else.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly I would hold off on starting any kind of formal exercise program until your 5 month old is STTN. You need sleep, and already aren't getting enough. Just take some walks for now and be really active with the kids. When you are getting at least 5 hours of consecutive sleep, revisit the situation. A Peloton can be great, but I've also had great luck with streaming home workout videos online (I use Daily Burn but there are a bunch of services).

Seriously the worst advice ever. Start a routine immediately - just manage personal expectations! You may have a day or 5 go by where you don't work out, but a little each day builds up.

No, it’s not the worst advice ever. I think it’s kind and encouraging. Perhaps you forget what it’s like the early days when you work full time, have a toddler and a new baby who is not STTN. You barely have enough sleep and energy to function and you just want to get through the day.

Well- I hope it’s helpful to remember that motherhood is constant change. I did it differently as a married mom to one or two, and now have adjusted to three and single life yet still get it in daily. I’ve done marathons, 5 am classes, 8 pm classes, had peloton, yoga online etc. play with it till you find what works for your fitness and your phase. Along the way try not to be an asshole or get angry about how other people answer questions on a massage board. You’ll go far!

Anonymous wrote:

It's really important to figure out how to work out at home. I've been doing this since maternity leave (before kids, I was a gym rat). I have three now (8, 6, and 3) and work out every day. Youtube and fitness apps are your friends! Here's my suggestion: get Popsugar Fitness and flip through the various options. Start with a 10 minute cardio workout that you can do in your living room (or kids play room - I use my Ipad). Start getting your kids used to the idea of Mommy's workout time, and let them join in. You have to accept that things will get interrupted, or kids will get on top of you while you're doing planks, but keep going! Keep adding on workouts - there are 5 minute arm workouts (you just need to buy a few weights - I use 3 and 5 lbs), 5 minute abs, etc. You can do this!

Strong agreement on getting kids used to it. I'm working on getting my 3 yo used to one of two strategies: 1. she sits on the basement couch and watches a show while i go on the treadmill; this can be dangerous if she decides to approach, so we have strict rules that she has to STAY on the couch unless she has to pee, and i set up a barrier (i move the coffee table) so there is a visual reminder that she can't approach. 2. she sits on the couch in the basement with a tablet while i do a workout video right in front of her. this one is sort of annoying bc she doesn't like to wear headphones so the tablet noise + workout video noise drives me a little nutty, but i can handle it if it's my only option!

Another +1 for kids realizing that your workout is a priority. During the week we work out in the morning, but on Saturdays the kids come with us to the gym and color or read books while we work out. When we're done we do a workout for them. We make it clear that it's important for us and our health and we like working out together so it's something we all do. They actually enjoy it for now, and that may change but we'll keep making sure it gets done.

I didn’t start working out again until my kids slept through the night. Now I workout right when they go down, at 7pm. I put them to bed, come downstairs and workout in the living room. I miss my gym membership, I like taking classes but it just doesn’t work right now.

During the week: I walk or jog around the neighborhood in almost any weather for 30 minutes at 5am. Then I do weights in front of my bedroom or bathroom mirror for 15 minutes. There is no time for messing with going to a gym. By the time i got ready and got there I could have worked out already at home/around the neighborhood.

On both Saturday and Sunday I go to yoga classes.

I am in bed at 8:30pm, up at 4"50am. I feel gross if I do not work out, and I end up eating junk food. It's worth it every single day. I feel and look great.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Single mom of three kids. I work from home so go to hot yoga (corepower) 5 days a week - they have flexible classes between 10:30 and 1:30 so I I am always find something I can fit around my work.

On weekends I go before my kids wake up(6:30 am classes), and if I’m traveling for work I go for a run.

How old are your kids and who is watching them when you go to the gym?

They’re at school it’s my workday. In summer when middle and Es buses aren’t an issue I go at 5:45 and I’m home before anyone wakes up.

Ummm we are wondering about your weekends. You mean, you leave all 3 of your kids at home sleeping while you go to your class?

Who is we? Yes, I feel totally comfortable leaving a middle school and some upper ES kids sleeping alone in their beds on a weekend.

I do appreciate your “concern”.

How is this advice helpful to a mom with a 5 month old at home?

DP, but it sounds like the OP has a husband or partner. Assuming s/he doesn't work on the weekends, 6:30am classes are an option.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Single mom of three kids. I work from home so go to hot yoga (corepower) 5 days a week - they have flexible classes between 10:30 and 1:30 so I I am always find something I can fit around my work.

On weekends I go before my kids wake up(6:30 am classes), and if I’m traveling for work I go for a run.

How old are your kids and who is watching them when you go to the gym?

They’re at school it’s my workday. In summer when middle and Es buses aren’t an issue I go at 5:45 and I’m home before anyone wakes up.

Ummm we are wondering about your weekends. You mean, you leave all 3 of your kids at home sleeping while you go to your class?

Who is we? Yes, I feel totally comfortable leaving a middle school and some upper ES kids sleeping alone in their beds on a weekend.

I do appreciate your “concern”.

How is this advice helpful to a mom with a 5 month old at home?

I did know a French woman who told me that I should leave my infant at home alone so I could go for a run.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Single mom of three kids. I work from home so go to hot yoga (corepower) 5 days a week - they have flexible classes between 10:30 and 1:30 so I I am always find something I can fit around my work.

On weekends I go before my kids wake up(6:30 am classes), and if I’m traveling for work I go for a run.

How old are your kids and who is watching them when you go to the gym?

They’re at school it’s my workday. In summer when middle and Es buses aren’t an issue I go at 5:45 and I’m home before anyone wakes up.

Ummm we are wondering about your weekends. You mean, you leave all 3 of your kids at home sleeping while you go to your class?

Who is we? Yes, I feel totally comfortable leaving a middle school and some upper ES kids sleeping alone in their beds on a weekend.

I do appreciate your “concern”.

How is this advice helpful to a mom with a 5 month old at home?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Single mom of three kids. I work from home so go to hot yoga (corepower) 5 days a week - they have flexible classes between 10:30 and 1:30 so I I am always find something I can fit around my work.

On weekends I go before my kids wake up(6:30 am classes), and if I’m traveling for work I go for a run.

How old are your kids and who is watching them when you go to the gym?

They’re at school it’s my workday. In summer when middle and Es buses aren’t an issue I go at 5:45 and I’m home before anyone wakes up.

Ummm we are wondering about your weekends. You mean, you leave all 3 of your kids at home sleeping while you go to your class?

Who is we? Yes, I feel totally comfortable leaving a middle school and some upper ES kids sleeping alone in their beds on a weekend.

I do appreciate your “concern”.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly I would hold off on starting any kind of formal exercise program until your 5 month old is STTN. You need sleep, and already aren't getting enough. Just take some walks for now and be really active with the kids. When you are getting at least 5 hours of consecutive sleep, revisit the situation. A Peloton can be great, but I've also had great luck with streaming home workout videos online (I use Daily Burn but there are a bunch of services).

Seriously the worst advice ever. Start a routine immediately - just manage personal expectations! You may have a day or 5 go by where you don't work out, but a little each day builds up.

No, it’s not the worst advice ever. I think it’s kind and encouraging. Perhaps you forget what it’s like the early days when you work full time, have a toddler and a new baby who is not STTN. You barely have enough sleep and energy to function and you just want to get through the day.