Safe Exercises You Can Do With Your Baby
Finding time to exercise as a new mom is a challenge. Between feedings, naps, and diaper changes, it can feel like your body is last on the priority list. But what if your baby didn’t have to be a barrier to fitness, but a part of it?
Enter the mom and baby workout: a series of baby-inclusive exercises that support postpartum fitness while helping you bond with your little one. These aren’t just cutesy movements for Instagram, they’re grounded in science, designed to rebuild your core, reduce postpartum aches and pains, and restore functional strength.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through:
- Why traditional workouts aren’t enough postpartum
- How Ab Rehab-based movement restores strength from the inside out
- Five safe, effective mom and baby exercises you can start today
- How to get even better results with our expert-designed Ab Rehab program
Why Postpartum Fitness Needs a New Approach
After pregnancy, your body is different. Your abs have stretched. Your pelvic floor has worked overtime. Your core stability has taken a hit. Jumping back into traditional workouts without addressing these issues can make symptoms worse, not better.
Common issues include:
- Lower back pain
- Pelvic floor dysfunction (leaking, heaviness)
- Diastasis recti (ab separation)
- Neck and shoulder tightness from nursing and holding baby
That’s why we always say: Postpartum fitness has to start with rehab, not reps.
The good news? You don’t need to wait for gym time to begin rebuilding strength. With the right approach, you can integrate healing and strengthening into your daily routine, even with your baby in tow.
What Makes a Workout “Baby-Inclusive”?
Baby-inclusive exercises are movements you can do:
- While wearing or holding your baby
- With your baby in a carrier or stroller
- During baby’s awake window (think: playful and bonding)
- While meeting your own body’s needs for recovery
But here’s the key: These exercises also need to be safe and restorative for your postpartum core.
That’s why every movement we share below is inspired by Ab Rehab, our expert informed, step-by-step core recovery program designed to:
- Rebuild transverse abdominis (TVA) and total core control
- Coordinate pelvic floor and breath
- Improve posture and alignment
- Strengthen from the inside out
5 Safe, Functional Mom and Baby Exercises
Each of these movements can be done with your baby nearby, in a stroller, or baby-wearing (when appropriate). They integrate Ab Rehab techniques that promote healing, connection, and real strength.
1. Stroller Walk with Ab Rehab Diaphragmic Breathing
Category: Walking breathwork
Equipment: Stroller
Best for: All stages postpartum
This isn’t your average stroller walk. It’s a rehab-based core workout disguised as cardio.
How to do it:
- Stand tall with your ribcage stacked over your pelvis. Avoid leaning into the stroller.
- Inhale through your nose and expand your ribcage in 360 degrees: sides, back, and down into the pelvic floor.
- As you exhale, gently lift through your pelvic floor and draw in your deep core from the bottom up.
- Keep walking while maintaining this breath pattern.
- Alternate between 360 breaths, TVA holds, and TVA minis for 10 to 15 minutes.
Why it works:
This walking series retrains your body to manage intra-abdominal pressure while moving. It builds core endurance and pelvic floor coordination, essential for lifting, carrying, and real-life mom tasks.
Want to follow along?
Our Ab Rehab Walking Series includes a full audio-coached version of this routine, perfect for stroller walks.
2. Seated TVA Activation with Baby on Lap
Category: Core connection
Equipment: None
Best for: Early postpartum or seated playtime
How to do it:
- Sit in a chair with back support with your baby facing you on your lap.
- Inhale through your nose, expanding your ribs and back and releasing your core and pelvic floor.
- Exhale and engage your pelvic floor and deep core, imagining you’re zipping up from your pubic bone to your belly button.
- Hold for 3 to 5 seconds, keeping tension light and steady (about 30 to 40 percent effort).
- Release fully and repeat for 8 to 10 breaths.
Why it works:
This is a foundational Ab Rehab move. It re-establishes core control and builds awareness of deep abdominal muscles, without needing to lie down or carve out time away from baby.
3. Baby Bench Glute Bridge
Category: Core and glutes
Equipment: Floor or yoga mat
Best for: All stages postpartum
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with knees bent, feet hip-width apart.
- Place your baby on your lower abdomen or hips (use hands to stabilize them if needed).
- Inhale, then exhale to engage your core and press through your heels to lift your hips.
- Hold at the top for 2 seconds, then slowly lower down.
- Repeat for 10 to 12 reps.
Why it works:
This builds glute strength and pelvic stability while lightly loading your core. The added baby weight challenges control but keeps it gentle enough for postpartum healing.
*Ab Rehab Tip: Be sure to keep ribs down and avoid over-arching at the top. Exhale fully as you lift.
4. Wall-Assisted Squat with Breath
Category: Functional lower body
Equipment: Wall
Best for: Baby-wearing or holding baby
How to do it:
- Stand with your back against a wall, feet about a foot in front of you
- Hold your baby securely in a front carrier or cradle hold
- Inhale to prepare
- Exhale, engage your core and slowly slide down the wall into a squat
- Hold for 2 to 3 breaths, then push through your heels to rise
- Repeat for 8 to 10 reps
Why it works:
Wall squats help reinforce good alignment while loading the legs and glutes. With baby in front, you’ll need to stay upright, which encourages neutral spine and core control.
5. Side-Lying Clamshell with Baby Beside You
Category: Glutes and lateral stability
Equipment: Resistance band optional
Best for: Floor play or tummy time moments
How to do it:
- Lie on your side with knees bent and baby lying or playing next to you
- Keep your hips stacked and feet together
- Exhale and lift your top knee while keeping feet in contact
- Engage your glute, hold for 2 seconds, and lower with control
- Perform 10 reps per side
Why it works:
This targets the glute medius, a muscle that supports pelvic alignment and reduces low back and hip pain. Often weak postpartum, it needs focused reactivation—just like we program into Ab Rehab Phase 2.
What Makes These Movements Safe for Postpartum Bodies?
Every one of these mom and baby workouts shares key characteristics:
- Low impact
- Progressive loading
- Core-focused with breath and alignment
- Designed to manage pressure and prevent doming
- Avoid excessive intra-abdominal strain or pelvic floor overload
These are not random “mommy-and-me” routines. They’re evidence-informed, physical therapy-rooted exercises based on what postpartum bodies actually need to recover.
How to Know If an Exercise Is Too Much
Watch out for these signs that your core or pelvic floor may not be ready:
- Bulging or doming in your midline during exertion
- Leaking, heaviness, or pressure in the pelvic floor
- Back or hip pain after the workout
- Inability to breathe or maintain form
This is exactly why programs like Ab Rehab matter. They show you not just what to do, but how to do it safely and effectively.
Why Ab Rehab Is the Foundation for Postpartum Fitness
Ab Rehab isn’t a one-size-fits-all program. It’s a 4-phase recovery system designed specifically for postpartum bodies. Whether you’re newly postpartum or still struggling years later, this method meets you where you are and helps you move forward.
What you’ll find inside Ab Rehab:
- Daily routines that include core breathing, TVA work, and postural resets
- Walking versions of each phase that you can do with your baby
- Video demos and coaching tips from pre/postnatal specialists
- Education to understand why each movement matters
- A proven roadmap for flattening your belly, closing your gap, and relieving pain
Tens of thousands of women have used Ab Rehab to reconnect with their core and feel strong again!
“I started doing the walking version of Ab Rehab with my stroller, and it changed everything. I felt stronger within two weeks and my back pain started fading.”
— Verified Review from the Natal App
“I used to dread holding my baby for long periods because of the pain. Ab Rehab helped me finally build the strength I needed to enjoy motherhood again.”
— App Store Review
Tips for Making Baby-Inclusive Workouts Easier
- Time it with baby’s awake windows:
Avoid trying to squeeze in these workouts during nap time. Let baby be part of the experience—watching you move, bonding, or playing beside you. - Use music or toys:
Keep baby engaged with a play mat, musical toy, or mirror. Some moms even narrate the exercises as they go. - Start short and build consistency:
Even 10 minutes of focused movement per day will add up. The Ab Rehab system is designed with this in mind, short, powerful, structured sessions that fit into real mom life.
Conclusion: You and Your Baby Can Do This Together!
Postpartum fitness doesn’t have to mean leaving your baby behind. You can move, heal, and rebuild strength with your baby by your side, if you’re doing the right kind of movement.
With the Ab Rehab program, you’ll not only heal your core, you’ll strengthen it in a way that supports motherhood. From stroller walks to floor play, your fitness can become part of your everyday life as a mom.
These exercises are your first step. The full program is your roadmap.
Ready to reconnect with your core and feel strong again with your baby by your side?
Join Ab Rehab inside the Natal app and start rebuilding from the inside out!
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