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Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Sweatin' with the baby

I received a the Parents (magazine) Mom and Baby Fitness DVD as a shower gift about a month before Emma was born. Now, I usually pick up a workout DVD, do it once, and then turn it into a lovely paperweight. I just don't have the motivation to do workouts at home by myself. I mean, staying at home, staring at a super fit woman in spandex telling me to lift my leg above my head in a physically impossible way makes me want to strangle her just as much as looking at the same woman at the gym. The only difference is that there's no one else to commiserate with!
So two weeks ago, while feeling incredibly out of shape and fat, I dusted off the Mom and Baby workout and popped it into the DVD player. For the first time, I have actually found a workout that I can stay motivated to do at home! Through the mom and baby workouts and baby massage, I can bond with Emma and get back into shape. The DVD also has mini workouts for moms on the go! And I don't have to satre a a hairy eighties icon in booty shorts- always a plus.
One of the aspects of this DVD that I like is the focus on baby's health and flexibility as well as mom's. The baby massage will increase with Emma's flexibility and aid in digestion, helping her be a happier baby. Baby massage is great for infants with colic or digestion issues by helping gas move through the digestion system. Massaging the jaw helps release the muscles she uses when chomping on her pacifier (and during all that talking she'll do in a few years..... uh-oh, I may end up regretting this!). Massage also increases blood flow to the limbs, strengthens the immune system and stimulates nerves, allowing her to become aware of her fingers and feet earlier. This awareness will allow Emma to learn how these body parts sooner- because I can't wait to wrestle hair out of her hands! Baby yoga will help her develop muscle control sooner, enabling her to roll, sit up and crawl earlier! Time for mommy to invest in some new runnign shoes!
For me, it doesn't matter how healthy a workout is. If I'm not having fun, then I have a better chance of making out with Richard Simmons than doing another abdominal crunch. I guess I'm going to have to invest in a new paperweight, because my workout dvd has assumed its rightful place in my cd tower!

Links:
http://www.parenthood.com/article-topics/the_joys_and_benefits_of_infant_massage.html
http://www.babycenter.com/slideshow-baby-massage
http://www.amazon.com/Mom-and-Baby-Fitness-DVD/dp/B000W42OTO

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