If you work outside the home, do you feel guilty taking extra time to work out? Even if your LO is with you? Now that it's warmed up I've started running with LO in the stroller 3-4 days a week. Sometimes I feel badly popping her in the stroller like maybe she would rather just stay at school and play and I only bring her with me to make myself feel better because at least we are "together". But then I think, well she loves riding fast in the stroller, and it's good for her to have time outside in the fresh air (especially now that we have her on allergy meds) and it's healthy for her to see me working out. But I just don't know, I feel like I'm really taking time for myself and it may not be in her best interest. Uuuggghhh.... mommy guilt sucks.
-
I have to work out after she goes to sleep. Just started Insanity. I would love to go for a walk with R but we don't have enough time at night. By the time we get home, and she eats dinner, we have 20-25 mins before bath. I would rather play with her then go for a walk around the neighborhood.
-
I use to but not anymore.
Happy mama = Happy kids
Last night I was working out and my DD insisted on watching me rather than play with her dad!
-
@MamaMoose: I don't think you should feel guilty about that! I'm sure she loves riding in the stroller and being with you. When I do work out it's either after she goes to sleep at night or during her nap on the weekends. We don't have a jogging stroller and I hate running, so that option is out. And I wouldn't go to the gym right after work because that's my time with LO!
-
We get up early every day and switch off who goes to the gym - DH goes MWF and I go TTh. We both try to go on the weekends, when our gym has childcare (or we switch off). We also try to take long walks, hike, etc. But the early morning system is the only thing we have found that actually works.
-
@Mamaof2: I will say my LO is the best little trainer. She cries if I push the stroller too slowly!!
-
SO guilty. I don't see LOs in the mornings because they wake up after I leave, so I try to work out in the morning. But with BF/pumping, and the way my work day is, it is hard to coordinate. And in the evenings, like @Smurfette, there just isn't time by the time I get home from work (if I get to see them at all). Mommy guilt is killing me.
-
@septca: I go in to work early so that I can pick up early so mornings are just not an option for me. I don't get enough sleep as it is. But I do work out in my office gym at lunch on days where I don't have a ton of meetings. Hubs works out on his lunch break almost every day.
-
95% of the time, no. I realize that a healthy mommy (mentally and physically) is one of the best examples I can give my LO. But sometimes I feel bad b/c I feel like I am "away" so much. But then I realize, I really am not, and the time I spend with her is *good* time. Plus, i consider it baby+daddy time. It's only a short chunk of my day--an hour? 90 min, tops?. E and DH play together while I work out, then I get home and do bedtime routine with her. Or i get up super early (5am) and do it. But DH has to leave for work by 5:40am, so this is a less than ideal option for me. And then sometimes I go in the evening. I fit it in where I can about 6 days a week.
When I don't work out, my anxiety creeps up, my sleep goes to shit, my self esteem plummets, my mood drops, my attention span wanes, I fluff up....i'm just kind of crabby and have no energy and start to get unhappy.
I wish they had a gym at work. I would love to knock out my cardio then
-
@blackbird: Sometimes it's hard to remember that taking care of mommy is important too!!! Though I do think that the healthier I feel, the better I am as a mom!
-
I only wish I could work out with my kids around
It's not possible for us. If I work out, it is without them....
-
@MamaMoose: This is my problem as well, I am normally in the office or on the train at 7 am. I can't wake up any earlier to work out, and now they've closed the gym at my primary location.
So, yeah, I need to figure out a plan.
-
@mamamoose, it's definitely the case for me. When i took 2 months off of working out b/c of the herniated disc in my back, I've never felt crappier and more like a bad mom.
Plus, i want to set an example for my kids that THEIR health is important when they grow up. And i have to model that behavior for them, right? I think so
-
@Smurfette: How are you liking Insanity? DH and I used to get up early to do it but only got through 3 weeks before life happened. I really want to get back into it!
I have found that I either have to work out in the morning (5 am wake ups are rough!) or get on the treadmill after dinner.
-
@MUI831: well I just did the fit yesterday.
It made me sad to see how out of shape I am. So starting the videos for real today.
-
I dont have my LO yet but i will 100 percent be taking time for myself to work out. I need it for my mental and physical health. My plan would be to go in the morning before my husband leaves for work and then take over watching him and then bringing him to daycare.
-
Sometimes I feel this way... this weekend the weather was gorgeous so we went on a family bike ride- we did 7 miles total and J was whining the last two miles for sure. We had to keep stopping and giving him breaks to run around to keep him satisfied...
I know DH doesn't like dropping him off at the gym daycare sometimes, but he seems to enjoy it. I try not to feel badly, but mostly I do try to engage him in the activity too (like biking) so I don't feel that way. Unfortunately, he can't go as long on the bike as I would like.
-
I feel this way exactly and didn't work out for a long time after my LO was born. But I recently joined a gym that has an 8:00pm Zumba class every night. I LOVE Zumba, so it's not hard to find the motivation and my husband is usually home by that time, plus the baby is asleep, so win-win-win...I hope I can keep it up, because it feels really good to get some exercise!
-
No, because I work out after the boys have gone to bed during the week. So I don't feel like I'm missing out on time with them. On the weekends when I work out, I do NOT feel bad about taking an hour or two for myself. Mama needs time too!
-
yup! i used to work out every morning, and now it's hard because LO doesn't usually sleep during the time i would need to go. so i either don't go, or DH wakes up and plays with her while i go, in which case i am missing out on play time
not to mention it's too hard to coordinate with breastfeeding/pumping. so basically i don't go. i can't go in the evenings because DH gets home too late and by that time it's bedtime! makes me sad not going, but i also hate missing out on LO time!
-
Nope. I'm a better mama because I take time for myself. I'm lucky to have a gym at work so it's easy to fit in my day.
-
@blackbird: "When I don't work out, my anxiety creeps up, my sleep goes to shit, my self esteem plummets, my mood drops, my attention span wanes, I fluff up....i'm just kind of crabby and have no energy and start to get unhappy." This totally describes me . . . and where I am right now . . . stressed to the max at work, battling a two-week migraine, and feeling pretty meh about mahselfs. I just need to do it to it . . . !
-
ummm yeah I have the guilt too. I think the stroller is a much better option than taking her to the gym daycare after being in daycare all day. Setting a good example for my child is important but if only I could get up early and do it while she sleeps! ha,ha...
-
@MsLipGloss: I'm sorry your headache has been going on for so long!! You know I think you look great, always!
-
@MamaMoose: Thanks friend.
But back to you . . . you have absolutely nothing to feel guilty about! Working out is good for both you and your little lady. I think so many moms guilt away little pieces of their lives/identities for their families, and don't notice until the day they realize that nothing is ever just about them/themselves any more.
-
"I think so many moms guilt away little pieces of their lives/identities for their families, and don't notice until the day they realize that nothing is ever just about them/themselves any more. "
YES THIS. This is unhealthy. So unhealthy and so martyr-ish. Nobody benefits!
-
@MsLipGloss: very true my friend, very true!!
It's not possible for us. If I work out, it is without them....
It made me sad to see how out of shape I am. So starting the videos for real today.
But back to you . . . you have absolutely nothing to feel guilty about! Working out is good for both you and your little lady. I think so many moms guilt away little pieces of their lives/identities for their families, and don't notice until the day they realize that nothing is ever just about them/themselves any more.
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite0
26 comments