Not so long ago I sat down and realized…my belly was sort of resting on my lap! A recent photo taken of me playing with my son on the floor highlighted the Pillsbury dough mound that was spilling over the waistband of my jeans, and rounding out the front of my sweater. When I am standing it doesn’t look like much, but the other day on the toilet I angled the mirrored door so I get a better look at the pudge I have collected in the middle, and I didn’t like what I saw. Pregnancy has certainly wreaked havoc on my waistline and although I am not what I would consider overweight, the stretched skin and excess flab has collected on my mid-section and seems to be staying there.

With my first child, breastfeeding helped slim out my waist line and I actually looked better after having the baby, than before. Pregnancy the section time has not been so kind and the loose stomach muscles of two C-sections have loosened the load and made the middle look a lot like a giant marshmallow.

Many women face extreme body changes after pregnancy. Loose skin, stretch marks, sagging breasts, skin pigmentation, even hair loss can alter what was once your ideal shape. If you are one of those moms who was back in her size zero jeans six weeks after pregnancy, you can stop reading now and go make some brownies…if you are one of those moms who is not exactly back in her pre-pregnancy clothes, or just not enjoying the body you would like to have, then read on.

Fashion trends, magazines and even the stores all cater to smaller sizes and bodies with little to no curves. At some point the majority of us should stand up and revolt against the fashion industry to demand better fitting garments for realistically sized bodies, but that is an argument for another day. Despite any expectations or conformities imposed by the fashion world, the most important thing is that you feel good about you, in your body.

Taking the extra time to add fitness into our busy lives can be stressful and down right impossible. I have been toying with the idea of buying a treadmill, but where to put it poses a few problems and the visions I have of my three year old positioning my one year old on the conveyor belt just to see her go flying off the end seems to stop me from actually buying one. Not to mention the goo and guck that would be all over it as both kids would want mommy’s new toy to be their new toy. Since implementing my own exercise routine into my day seems unworkable at the moment, I have had to strategize how to work out and include my kids.

I know you are probably rolling your eyes at the thought of injecting kids into a sacred arena where kids are acceptably excluded from, but since I can’t seem to work out other wise, I might as well include them and get the exercise I need at the same time.

Since I am not the only mom out there facing this problem, I am happy to say many different forms of exercise do exists, that parent and child can enjoy together and most of them are the inspiration and brainchild of moms just like you and me. They all have injected fun, fitness and children into their routines and say the more kids, the better.

In a three part series, I will share with you three great companies doing great things for mom’s health involving their kids. Hopefully each one will spark some interest in you, and possibly one idea, or one suggestion will inspire and move you closer to feeling better about your body and your health. It does not take a lot to make a difference. Since many of us can not get up at 5:00am before the kids do, or find it impossible to lift our heads off the couch once everyone has been put to bed, these tips and techniques will help you around the house and your neighborhood, doing what you already do with your children.

Standing on my soapbox,

JB

At kidsloveyoga.ca, learn the fun and benefits gained form enjoying yoga with your kids. We all know how wonderful yoga is for the mind and the body. Helen Garabedian, author and innovator of specialty yoga with kids, has been blessed to share her techniques with thousands of children between birth and age 4 through her itsy bitsy yoga program. Kidsloveyoga.ca highlights the benefits of using the program, and offers ways to get started even in your own home. There you can also find classes, see photos and check out the latest in yoga wear all for your little ones.
Parent participants, early childhood professionals, and yoga texts repeatedly report the following benefits for children involved in yoga programs.

Baby Itsy Bitsy Yoga® Benefits:
•    Deepen the parent/child bond
•    Help baby sleep longer and better
•    Improve baby’s digestion and ease tummy troubles
•    Relieve fussiness and colic
•    Discover ways to enhance your baby’s motor development
•    Strengthen the immune system
•    Encourage neuromuscular development

Toddler Itsy Bitsy Yoga® Benefits:
•    Deepen the parent/child bond
•    Improve body-awareness
•    Playfully relieve stress and frustration
•    Increase your child’s attention span
•    Provide an outlet for social interaction
•    Nurture self-esteem and creativity
•    Build a fit, healthy lifestyle

Parent/Caregiver Itsy Bitsy Yoga® Benefits:
•    Discover your child’s personality and learning style
•    Learn ways to calm your child
•    Build your confidence as a parent
•    Reduce your stress and anxiety
•    Create memorable moments with your child
•    Engage in a structured physical activity
•    Get more sleep!

Now take all of those benefits your children will have and double them for your self.  Those few minutes of calming your mind, breathing into your body, resting your spirit and nurturing your muscles will invigorate and re-energize you ten fold. Sharing those benefits with your child, while demonstrating the importance of exercise… what more could a mother ask for.

It often isn’t easy to find time to connect with our children while giving ourselves what we need in return, but we all know that when we are feeling great, it filters down to the most important ones, our kids.