How To Keep Fit After Having Kids
After having kids, it’s understandable that most mum’s want to get back into shape quickly, but having a new-born or even a young child can make this difficult. After going through this situation myself, I always recommend buying a jogging stroller! These are strollers designed specifically for parents to be able to have the ability to go for a run or jog exercise, with your child.
These jogging strollers are designed with the thought in mind of safety first, making it safe for your child to be strapped in to the chair, and also so the stroller doesn’t go the wrong way or out of control at a fast speed. Each stroller has different features, so to find the best stroller for you, read more here.
Finding the best jogging stroller for me
Each jogging stroller has been designed with safety and ease in the forefront of the minds of the designers. With different ergonomic designs, one stroller may not be perfect for you, where another is. But all joggers have very similar features and benefits. Some of these features are:
Features of a jogging stroller when exercising at home
Front Wheel:
All jogging strollers typically only have one wheel at the front of the pram. This is due to manoeuvrability, so you have most control when running at a quicker speed than the usual walker. These wheels have the ability to swivel, however when running are locked in a straight ahead position. If the wheel isn’t locked in, it can be extremely dangerous for you and your child.
Handlebar and Grip:
This may come surprising to some, but having a handlebar that can change height is incredibly important. This allows you to have to correct posture when running, so not to hurt yourself while exercising. The grip also allows you to hold on properly to the stroller, for movement and safety. Some prams even come with a safety tether clip, which we highly recommend, in case you lose your grip, your child won’t go speeding away from you into danger.
Hand Brake:
A hand brake isn’t just a fancy feature, but a very beneficial safety point. If you are running at full speed, say down a hill, and you have to stop suddenly, your feet won’t always be enough to stop both you and the stroller. You may even trip and hurt yourself in the process. The hand operated brake allows you to have far more control as you use the jogging stroller when needing to stop.
By having the right stroller, you can now participate in more exercise safely and more often with your child.
How often should I exercise with a jogging stroller?
This is entirely up to you and how often you can go for a run. When starting out running, small jogs throughout the week are a great start, anywhere between 2-5 times a week. Once you become more advanced you can judge how often you and for how long you want to run for. But go easy on yourself, there is no rush to push yourself to going back to the size you were before pregnancy, becoming a new mom is a huge adjustment, so listen to what your body is telling you.
Health Benefits to Jogging
Running has many health benefits, not only for loosing unwanted weight, but also mentally. Running can help your cardiovascular fitness, by improving the body’s ability to deliver oxygen to your muscles. The more you exercise, the better your heart pumps oxygen to the rest of the body. There are many health benefits, such as building strong bones, strengthens muscles, burning calories and maintaining a healthy weight. This all also leads to a stronger immune system to fight off viruses and bacteria.
Mentally, jogging regularly increases your mental flexibility. It has the psychological benefits of relieving stress, helping confidence, improve mood and even help fight depression. All of these health benefits help you in all aspects of life. Jogging with your baby can help strengthen the bond with your child, but it can also give you a well-earned break, by giving you some me time, without needing to worry about where your child is.
This is just one of the many ways to keep fit after having kids. As a new mother, it is understandable that it can be hard to fit in some exercise time, but this is an opportunity to do both, exercise and look after your baby. With so many great features, having a jogging stroller handy seems to be a good idea!
Emily is a loving mum, passionate about helping other mums in any way she can, and runs the review site, https://beststrolleradvice.com. When she’s not caring for her three children, she keeps fit by going for runs and attending group fitness classes.
