Babies at the Barre™: Abs with Baby

A few months ago, I gave you a few Pilates moves with baby. But since starting Babies at the Barre, I realized how much fun it is to incorporate baby into exercise and how much moms love to have ideas for playing with baby while getting fit. So I’ve got a second installment of Babies at the Barre: Abs with Baby.

C Curve Baby Lift

1. Sit tall on mat with feet flat and knees bent. Hold baby on knees with both hands.

2. Roll back onto sit bones tucking abs to spine and exhale.

3. Inhale. Exhale lift baby up just overhead keeping arms mostly straight. Wait for giggles and return to knees.

4. Inhale sit up straight.

5. Repeat 8 times.

Rolling Like a Ball with Baby

This is Coops’ all time favorite. He giggles insanely when I do this!

1. Sit tall with knees bent and toes pointed. Place baby on tummy across shins holding baby under armpits.

2. Inhale and lift toes off the floor. Exhale and roll back keeping legs tucked so you are in a ball position. As you roll back, baby stays in shins and rolls with you.

3. Inhale and roll up to start position balancing on sit bones, keeping toes off the floor.

4. Repeat 8 times or until baby stops laughing! 🙂

Double Leg Stretch

1. Lie in the supine position holding baby on belly. Point toes to ceiling keeping bottom on ground.

2. Inhale and lift head, neck and shoulders off mat.

3. Exhale and lower both legs towards the floor without letting spine arch. Make a funny face at baby.

4. Inhale and lift legs back up to start.

5. Repeat 6 to 8 times.

Single Leg Stretch

1. Lie supine with baby on belly, holding on firmly.

2. Draw legs into tabletop position with toes pointed. Inhale and lift head, neck and shoulders.

3. Exhale and draw right knee towards chest while extending left leg straight keeping it off the floor. Inhale, exhale and switch legs.

4. Repeat alternating legs making faces at baby for 16 reps.

Single Leg C Curve Extension

1. Sit up tall on May with feet flat and baby on knees. Lift right foot off the mat into tabletop with toe pointed ensuring baby is firmly on left knee.

2. Exhale and lower into C Curve while extending right leg straight.

3. Inhale drawing right leg back in and sitting up straight.

4. Repeat 8 times and switch sides and repeat.

The Saw

1. Sit straight on mat with legs extended wide in front of you about mat’s distance apart. Flex feet and place baby in between legs.

2. Extend arms straight out to sides. Inhale and turn torso to the right. Exhale and reach left arm towards right foot, extending right arm straight behind.

3. Inhale and lift up. Exhale and return to center. Repeat to the opposite side.

4. Perform 8 reps alternating.

Bridge Lift

1. Lie supine with baby on belly and feet flat on mat, knees bent.

2. Hold onto baby, exhale and lift hips and seat off mat to bridge position.

3. Inhale and roll down one vertebrae at a time.

4. Repeat 8 times. On the eighth one, hold at the top and pulse 8 times.

Crunch

1. Lie supine with baby on belly and feet flat on mat, knees bent.

2. Exhale and lift head, neck and shoulders off the mat looking at baby.

3. Inhale and release head, neck and shoulders down.

4. Repeat 12 times.

Reverse Crunch

1. Lie in the supine position with feet pointed to the ceiling and toes pointed.

2. Place baby on belly.

3. Engage lower abs and lift toes to the ceiling drawing lower seat off the mat.

4. Inhale and lower back down. Exhale and repeat 8 times.

Plank

1. Place baby on mat and come into plank position. Legs are straight with toes tucked. Hands are on mat with fingers pointing forward. Plug shoulders into back and draw abs into spine.

2. Hold plank for 30 seconds. Repeat 1 time.

Readers, do you involve your children in your workout? How do you feel about short-term daycare? What is one thing you accomplished this week?

For more Babies at the Barre™, check out this post!