Mums with young DC when do you find time to exercise?

[username33]

Since having DD my diet is crap and I just can't find time to exercise. I just can't seem to find the time. DD still bf and because of this always wants me to put her to bed so evening classes are out the question. During the day I'm either at work or looking after DD. When she naps (about one hour now) I try to do as much housework as possible. My house is already a mess I can't cut this down
I suppose my only option is when DD is asleep at night. This however is the time I normally like to relax and spend time with DH.
When I mention this to anyone all they say is it's normal and that I don't look like I have put on weight. I have put on abit but because I'm still bf and running round after DD I haven't put on much.
I have never felt this unhealthy in my life though it's definitely having an effect on my mental health aswell.
Just wondered how others made it work? Thanks

You need a supportive DP and to prioritise exeercise. You have said yourself you just priporitise other things (relaxing with DP) which is fine, if you're happy with that.

You could:
-Get up early and go for a run before DP goes to work
-Run or do a class at lunchtimes when you are at work
-Run to/from work or a portion thereof
-Let the housework slip to be done jointly between you and DP in the evening and do an exercise video when she naps
-Do an exercise video, class, run, whatever, in the evening when she is asleep
-Any time during the weekend as DP could have the baby to give you time to exercise ,

I have a 5yo, 3yo and 1yo breastfed. I have signed up to swim 22 miles in 12 weeks so will go to the pool twice a week from 9pm-10pm. Before this I did Pilates nightly before getting into bed. Before pregnant with no.3 I used to go running. Usually when dh got on from work.
Just some ideas for you!

My mental health suffered last year as a result of a few stressful events. I have 2 kids, ages 3 and 5. I am a SAHM so appreciate I may have more time than others.

Since Xmas I've started prioritising myself and I feel like a different person. I think don't try and set out to do too much and then fail, baby steps!

I have done this:-

• make an effort to drink 2L water a day
• eat proper meals instead of waiting to be starving and eating a giant bar of chocolate!
• good quality supplements - I take vit D3, B complex, iron, magnesium, zinc, vit C and evening primrose oil.
• the biggest thing was getting an exercise bike. I aim to do 40 mins 5 times a week. I quite often give the kids (5 and 3) an iPad so I can do this. Or do it when they're in bed or before they get up.

For me having exercise accessible at any time without additional travelling to get there or back, has been a game changer. Some days maybe I'll only do 10 mins and that's it, but it's better than nothing!!

And if you can't start doing it just yet don't beat yourself up. I breastfed both my girls and it is very tiring, especially if you're up in the night too.

It's OK to wait till you feel up to it!

Lots of at home workouts on YouTube. Like pp mentioned, find 30 mins a day before kids get up or before they go to sleep and that's your exercise for the week.

I used to go out and run, couch to 5k after I put mine to bed.

It was pretty tough to motivate myself tbh, but I did it and felt tons better. 6 years down the line I need to do it again.

I get up early and do an exercise dvd before everyone else is up. Or sometimes I get up slightly later and do it before DH goes to work

I go swimming at 8pm one evening a week.

My dc are 8 and 4, I've been doing this since they were 6 and 2. I couldn't have done it before dc2 started sleeping through, at 18 months.

It's about routine for me. Treat it as an appointment, otherwise it's very easy to let something else take priority.

Same. And I spend the day and evening eating far too much rubbish out of boredom (whilst simultaneously not having the time to get anything done).

Sometimes I get a burst of motivation and put music on and dance in a terrible but energetic fashion whilst tidying the kitchen /doing the washing up etc. That's about it though. It's a drop of water in a rising tide of flabiness!

I do half an hour of Charlotte's DVD after putting dd to bed and before my tea. Still feet up by 8pm and keeping in shape :)

It's a lot harder now I'm back at work, but I load DS into the pram and we head out running together. He loves it and I get some exercise! 😀

Do you have any classes near you that are aimed at mums and allow you to bring babies/young children with you?
Off the top of my head there's pilates, yoga and also buggy fit type classes near me.

I wasn't sure at first but would highly recommend it.

I walk about a thousand miles a week with the buggy while toddler naps (this is not always fun when it's raining but he won't nap in his bed, but that's another story!)
Also I go to the gym when my partner gets home from work three times a week and he does dinner and bath time (also bedtime but I get that this would not work for you due to the bf issue). I also go at weekends when I can, it's only an hour or so for my partner to do solo parenting.
Exercise DVDs - I have requested some from the library, not sure this will work for me as would have to do with the toddler in tow but hoping he will just dance about!
I'm also logging everything I eat and drink in and app called Lose It and not buying any fun food! I would be losing weight quicker if I stopped buying wine and snacking on cheese!

I’m about to start again but as we both work FT it relies on DH being supportive (which he is). He’ll do bath and bed time so I can go to a class.

I don’t but I have like a billion flights of stairs in my house and walk a lot.

Find time to what?

Rather than trying to find some child free time, can you try exercising with her? Pop her in the buggy and go for a run/long walk? Chase her round the park? Find a fun exercise video that you can do together? Star jumps in the kitchen when you're boiling the kettle to make a cup of tea? Also, can your husband look after her for an hour or so saturday and sunday so you can get out to the gym / for a run etc?

If theres any near you, I go to bounce which has loads of child friendly classes. I prioritise one at weekends so at least I'm doing something!

First of all I want to offer some sympathy and solidarity. It's hard. Really hard. I struggled massively with it exactly the same as you. The only option was to wait until DD was asleep, but by then I was knackered and my motivation was zero.

Now DD is just a bit older, it is so much easier - she's 3.5, will happily (ish) settle at night for her Dad and play with him at the weekends too without me there. So I still go running in the evenings but I don't have to wait until she's asleep so it's earlier/easier. I can come home from work and just go, I don't give myself time to relax. I also go first thing in the morning after nursery drop off, if I'm working from home, and weekends early morning too.

You'll get there - even if it doesn't feel like it right now.