Juggling tasks is one of the things mothers do best, yet fitting exercise into our day often fails. Between meal preparation, laundry, diapering, grocery shopping and the like, we usually put our personal time at the end of our to-do list.

Since having my second child this past spring, I found myself doing just that. I was surprised that days passed without getting to the gym or working out at home. Here I was telling moms how to squeeze it in, when I wasn’t always doing it myself.

I enjoy “floor time” with my 4 year old. He chooses a game, and we play together. My infant usually lies nearby or in my lap. She enjoys watching the movement of the toys and hearing our banter following a story line. This time is generally 30 minutes, and sometimes I would get stiff from sitting in one position so long. One day I experimented with stretches and change of positions. Then I eventually worked some exercises into our playtime, either before we got started or afterwards (make sure you give your child their uninterrupted time always). Both children are used to this routine, and it is very simple and effective. I attest to this, as I am sore as I type this article.

Here’s what has worked for our family. These exercises work for 1 or more than 1 child at a time:

London Bridge – While lying on your back, bend your knees leaving shoulders and upper back on the floor. As you raise your hips off the floor, press heels into floor, press hips to ceiling (stretching the hip flexors) and squeeze your gluteal muscles in the buttocks. Ask your child to crawl under your hips and you raise and lower them. I place my infant across my pelvis or prop her on top of my thighs. She loves to hear her brother squeal as I try to “drop the bridge” down on him. To increase the effectiveness, alternate lifting one leg out straight at a time. Keep your toes lifted for extra intensity.

Moving Bridge* – Lie on your back with hands under your head or by your side palms pressed into floor. With legs straight out in front, lift your legs squeezing inner thighs until legs are at a 90 degree angle to your torso on the floor. If this is too challenging, perform with one leg. These exercises are called the Single Leg Lift and the Double Leg Lift in Pilates. They work the rectus abdominus (the 6-pack) as well as the inner and outer obliques. Ask your child to crawl or run under your legs as you lift and lower. Don’t be surprised, if at first, you can only perform a few at the time. For rest position, hug knees to chest. Repeat with infant on torso or lying by your side. For more fun and intensity, place a ball between your knees and squeeze, or between your ankles. Ask child to try to grab the ball. Baby will love up and down movement.

*If this is uncomfortable for your back, press spine into floor and keep it in contact to relieve pressure. If this still is too uncomfortable, perform just the single leg.

Repeat both of these exercises until fatigue (can’t perform one more repetition) or children lose interest. I try to do them every day, most days several times during the day.

In addition to these exercises, stretching is important:

Sit in a straddle position while floor playing. If you’re too tight and uncomfortable, boost your bottom with a pillow, or use a “baby boppy”. It works great.

Try the pike. Legs together out in front. Place baby along thighs while playing with other child. Bend down often to kiss baby and stretch.

Sit in butterfly position, soles of feet together pulled into groin. Place baby in middle, press on your knees.

For the above three stretches, ask your older child to press on your lower back to push you further down. They love to hear mommy howl and shriek at how strong they are.

Finish with a hug and kiss and a great big “Thank you for helping with my exercises”. “I couldn’t have done it without you”.

Keep exercise fun and part of your day. Soon your child will start reminding you, as mine does, that “It’s exercise time mommy”.

Lynne Leary-Khater lives in North Andover with her husband George, almost 4 year old Colin, and infant daughter Erika.  You can contact her for baby sling information, private and group Pilates lessons or more health and fitness tips at onlinecoach@optimomfitness.com