When your little one is born, your priorities change and that can include your training. Pole is a huge part of who I am. If I haven’t trained for a while it really shows in my mood. I know it’s time to train when my husband casually says… “Why don’t you book a class?” Despite pole being very important to me, my family is more important which is why I had chosen to train with Alfie during the day so we can all be together when his dad finished work. Now I’m back at work it’s all proving a little trickier but we are slowly finding our flow as a family.
Training with your little one can be a challenge but it can be such a special time when you have the right mindset.
First of all don’t expect your training sessions to be the same as pre-baby. Praise yourself for making the time for movement even if it’s just for 15 minutes before having to deal with a dirty nappy. Lower your expectations of how much you want to achieve. This is something I’ve really had to work on, in and out of the studio. I have a habit of being too tough on myself if I squander time.
This brings me to working on your mindset. I have definitely left the studio feeling frustrated that I barely touched the pole. That’s okay. I’m allowed to feel that way. I vent to my husband and I move on. Not every session is going to be productive or enjoyable. The important thing is I return to the studio with a positive mindset and I focus on enjoying this chunk of time however it may look.
Speaking of being productive. Go in with an idea of what you would like to achieve. You don’t have time to scroll through insta looking for inspiration. That being said, be okay with not getting through everything or anything on the list.
Make sure you also prepare for your little one. Bring their favourite toys. My training time looks like a baby sensory class! When Alfie was learning to sit up, I would bring in a cushioned car for him. He enjoyed being propped up in it and surveying the room.
There’s no reason why this time can’t be play time for the both of you! Include them in your warm up. Pull all the funny faces, talk to them, use them as weights if you want to.
You can make your own mind up about screen time. If my little one is stressed on a long car journey and all my singing has worn thin, then the dancing fruit is going on. Screen time was a great tool when I was trying to do competition run throughs. I would love Alfie to be bilingual so I put on spanish videos for kids, enjoy my uninterrupted run through and hope he’s absorbing some knowledge.
Think about the time of day that you are choosing to train. Does this work with nap time? Are you giving yourself and your baby the best chance at a joyful session? As I figured out Alfie’s
routine, I realised he was much happier in the morning. I don’t usually start functioning fully until late afternoon so this wouldn’t have been my first choice but what would be the point in going in later and dealing with his witching hour.
Remember nothing lasts forever. This is true in so many ways. Make note of the things you love about each stage of your little ones development and cherish them. Think newborn scrunch, milk drunk snoozes and gummy smiles. From a training point of view, when they are teeny tiny they sleep so much so training is easier but view this as good rehab time and listen to your body. If you don’t want to train, don’t. Do what is right for your body and mind. As their wake windows get longer, training can become a little trickier. There’s that awkward stage where they are awake more but have no way of entertaining themselves. I spent a lot of time on the sofa during this stage. Take a breath, enjoy the cuddles and remember it won’t last forever. My happy little boy is in an incredible stage. He can sit up, he enjoys toys and can entertain himself as well as get joy from watching me. I’m enjoying my little boy in and out of the studio and making the most of this time in my training. Soon he’ll be crawling and I’ll adapt to that too.
Being Alfie’s mum is my favourite thing in the world but it can be so difficult. I can’t remember the last time I had a full night’s sleep, I can’t be as spontaneous or flexible as I used to be and just as I think I’ve got something sussed, he goes through a developmental milestone and it all changes. It’s okay to want a break, in or out of your training. This could be a bath, an evening with friends or a child free training session. Communicate with your partner, you both deserve a break. My husband encourages me to go to a class each week and he plays golf on the weekend. We always plan a wholesome family day too. Alfie never took a bottle so it’s been a journey to get to this point. I can now go to the studio once a week for some pure me time.
Kelly
