Stroller Class with Mom

While I was expecting Alex, I participated in an awesome program through our Mayo Clinic healthy living center called Mission Motherhood.  We met 2 nights per week for 10 weeks.  One night was an educational topic such as Nutrition, Exercise Guidelines, Post-Partum Depression, Returning to Exercise Post Deliver, etc... And the other night was a workout such as yoga, the pool, strength training, etc...  The exercise guidelines are the same for pregnant women as for any other healthy person - you should engage in moderate activity at least 30 minutes per day most days of the week.  But there are some adjustments to the type of activity.  There is a lot of conflicting information out on the web about what is okay or not okay during pregnancy.  The class was designed by Jamie one of the Wellness Coordinators with a background in physiology who has 2 small children herself and another colleague Tiffany.  She guided us through appropriate activities.  I learned a lot (way more than in the 6 week prenatal class).  I met a whole bunch of other moms with similar due dates.  Stayed active - in fact Jamie made us work really hard!  And I had a ton of fun.

Jamie and Tiffany also created a Stroller Fitness class designed for moms with babies/toddlers.  We meet on Saturday mornings in a park near our house to work out.  We start out with our little ones in the stroller and do lunges, squats, high knees, walking/jogging.  Then we move to the grass and get the kids out of the strollers and work on more strength and cardio.  We do push-ups, planks, mountain climbers, rows, sit ups - all while incorporating the little ones into the workout.

Here is Alex at home doing leg lifts like Mommy does at Stroller Class.

Alex has been coming with me.  He and I both enjoy it.  Last time he "helped" me with my sit-ups and leg lifts.  Mostly he drooled on me.  He finds it entertaining to see the mommies doing jumping jacks.

I don't have many pictures of the class as I am usually too busy working out!  But here are a couple of him in the stroller.  The first one is from early May when it was cooler.  Alex is wearing a warm up pants and matching jacket.  They are navy and yellow.  Jill and Caroline are also in the class.  Jill loved this outfit because it was Michigan colors.   The second picture is from June 9th.