Moms, Kids & Exercise

In another era, moms-to-be, moms immediately postpartum and young children were all discouraged from participating in exercise. At these times in life, women and children were considered "delicate" and exertion was thought to be too much for them. Today's heath professionals have an altogether different take on moms, kids and exercise. It's now clear, that exercising through pregnancy, after birth, and in the first years of life has terrific benefits.

"We have a lot of moms that come even when they're trying to conceive, because prior to conceiving is actually the most important time to exercise," says Mary Beth Winstead, owner of Healthy Moms of the Triangle. Winstead, a certified prenatal fitness instructor, is careful not to push expecting moms too hard. "Especially in the first trimester, if moms are tired, we tell them to rest and listen to their bodies," she says. Winstead says the end result is often easier labors, quicker postpartum recovery and a more fit body. The Healthy Moms program offers prenatal yoga and water exercise and more for expecting moms.

Thanks to Healthy Moms, Triangle moms are back to exercise within weeks of giving birth. "Once a new mom has clearance from her doctor, she can participate in one of our mom/baby classes. Brand-new moms aren't ready to be separated from their infants, but they don't have to be. Exercise class can even be a time when mom and baby can bond," says Mary Beth. These classes help mom recover from delivery, tone and strengthen her body, and strengthen the parent-child bond through touching and infant massage.

Moms that bring baby along to exercise class are beginning to create a family culture of exercise. Children model the behavior they see in their parents and other adults, and when they see you exercising it becomes a natural, normal part of their lives. Since, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the average child is watching about 3 hours of television a day, it's important to encourage your children to get up and get active. According to the USDA, all children two and older should get 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity every day of the week. Also, keep in mind that preschoolers shouldn't be sedentary for more than an hour, unless they are sleeping, and school age children shouldn't be inactive for more than two hours.

There are a host of offerings in the Triangle designed to help get your child moving. Check out the variety of play and fitness classes available at Gymboree locations in Cary, Raleigh and Durham. Or let your child bounce through the drop in play hours at Pump it Up. Encourage your child to get outside and get active buy purchasing outdoor toys, having other children over for outdoor play dates, and getting outside with them yourself.

On rainy or extremely hot days, you can still be active indoors. Celebrated fitness instructor Mindy Mylrea has released a set of videos just for kids. The fitness routines in "Fun Fit Blasts & Rainy Day Classroom Games" and "The Best Games for Fun & Fitness" don't require much space and they encourage kids from kindergarten through grade six to get active.