gym childcare/mom guilt

littledaisies · January 2014

I've been trying for months to work out at home and it's just not happening. I have too many distractions and it's so easy for me to make an excuse. I still have a gym membership and my H keeps nagging me to go with him but that means we would have to put our DS in childcare at the gym. It wouldn't be a big deal if he wasn't already in daycare during the week. I feel terrible sending him to daycare again after spending 8 hours in daycare already. It would be nice for us to go together, this way we can motivate each other to go and we both get it over at the same time. I feel like a crappy mom sticking him in daycare again so I can work out. I know I need to get my body moving because I've been feeling terrible. It's more than just the way I look. I have zero energy and feel unhealthy.

I don't know I guess there isn't a point to this post but more of my venting my guilt.

emmy236 · January 2014

Does your gym have anything you can do with LO? Ours has baby swimming that we're going to start R in and then a baby gym. DH and I decided that one of us will do swimming with him while the other works out. Then we'll switch and one will take him to the baby gym and play with him while the other works out.

Edit: also even if they just have a track, once he's walking you could always just let him run up there and wear him out.

smg2302 · January 2014

I can relate. Weather has been decent here, so I have been able to put DD in the jogger and do C25K outside. There is also a group in our area called stroller strides that does a workout incorporating baby and they have sessions scheduled for both SAHMs and WMs. They basically go to the mall and do interval training. I don't do that because I don't want to pay lol. My last resort has been babywearing and doing Zumba on a DVD at home. It's harder, but slightly doable. All that said, I still only am able to workout 2-3 times a week.

Maybe if you go together, even though it would take longer, you could take turns doing your sets and holding baby?

fancefpp · January 2014

I belong to a gym with child care but it's always so busy and I feel terrible leaving him there. I even feel bad leaving his 2.5 yo brother there. It's a total zoo and there aren't enough people helping, IMO. If your gym daycare isn't that busy, I probably wouldn't feel that guilty. How long do you workout? Maybe start with just 30 mins?

littledaisies · January 2014

I wish my gym had a pool or something I can do with my LO but it only has activities for older children. It's been very cold and snowing here a lot so that limits our outdoor activity.

I can start off slow like @5953fpp suggested. See how we both are after 30 minutes. I don't plan on being at the gym longer than an hour. I'd like to go there and take a class.

AimeeSue02 · January 2014

How many days a week do you want to go? I know you mentioned you'd like to go with your husband, but what if you rotated days? Like he went 2 or 3 times during the work week and you went 2 or 3 times? So that way someone is at home with the baby. My H doesn't work out (naturally skinny ass-turd) so he just stays with LO. Or what if a couple of times you went on your lunch break? (I have never managed to be coordinated enough to do the lunch workouts, but I know a lot of people do!)

If you did a combination of things, maybe you'd only have to put LO in the gym daycare once or twice a week and the rest fill in your workouts other ways? KWIM?

MOMama987 · January 2014

I second the rotation - or could you go after LO is in bed? I just started going back to the Y, and while they have a really awesome daycare, I didn't want to put LO in the Y daycare on a weekday after being in regular daycare all day. My goal (and so far, it's working) is to go one morning before work (I get up before LO is up and am home around when he wakes up) and twice in the evenings, after LO is in bed. I may start going one night right after work... but for now, this is what's working. We try to get there as a family on the weekend to use the pool.

My H works out during the day since he's a freelancer and has a flexible schedule... and the Y is literally five minutes from my house. I know not everyone has this flexibility, but you have to work with what you have

It might be nice to go workout with your husband, but if its more important not to put your LO back in daycare, I'd say take turns.

Shelenec · January 2014

I am the same way. I find it difficult to go workout unless my husband can watch him. Even then I still struggle because I haven't seen my LO all day. I finally decided to start off going one night a week. Maybe start off going for a short amount of time and see how comfortable you feel. If you still feel some guilt, go back to home workouts for the time being.

Schell2013 · January 2014

I ordered the T25 DVDs for this reason. I don't have the time nor the trust to take LO to gym day care. This workout is over in 25 mins, I do it when I put her to bed.

TheyCalledHerKate · January 2014

I haven't started to work out again yet but I would just go after the baby is asleep. No guilt and you still get your workout in.

ZeeSunflowery1 · January 2014

Get out of my lyfe!!!! This is me exactly except I have major mom guilt about bringing her home and leaving her with DH. I'd rather play with her and help get chores done, but I feel like a beast. Thankfully, DH has been really supportive.

littledaisies · January 2014

We can try doing a rotation again. We tried that awhile ago but we both ended up making excuses not to go. Maybe one day a week I will try the gym daycare and the other days we can rotate. This way I won't feel as guilty.

I would love to work out after he goes to bed but he doesn't sleep well throughout the night. I go to bed shortly after he does so I can get some sleep in otherwise I'm a zombie.

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