Read this blog to find out how you can use swimming to still manage exercise with your bubba in the heat of Summer.

How can one 16kg almost 4 year old eat so much?! When she was a baby she was on the 5th percentile and I worried how to fatten her up. Now she has those full of collagen, pudgy cheeks, hands and thighs that I love to squeeze. When she was two with few words, her most used was “more” and now it is a more expressive “I am still hungry”. She is a machine but still a normal weight (with a slightly rotund stomach).

“They are constantly growing, running around and using their brain to learn... this burns so many calories and increases metabolism.”

Why do children eat so much?

I am sure you can all answer this for me, but they eat so much because they are constantly growing, running around and using their brain to learn, such as constantly asking “why this, why that”. This burns so many calories as well as increasing metabolism. Their stomachs are also small so they need to eat small snacks regularly. Eating regularly is much better for future weight control rather than creating bad eating habits of forcing them to finish a big meal, thus eating when they are not hungry. Children apparently have an innate way of knowing how much food their body needs. Someone suggested boredom or attention seeking may increase the eating but I noticed she ate very little after she was sick with gastro so I don’t believe this is true in children this young.

“Eating regularly is much better for future weight control rather than creating bad eating habits of forcing them to finish a big meal, thus eating when they are not hungry.”

Mummy metabolism

I am going to learn the saxophone this year to try and preserve (reinvigorate) my Mummy brain but I unfortunately don’t think this will be enough to burn the calories. I am sure my metabolism is slowing too, with impending menopause, which is sure to hit in the next decade. So I need a better calorie burning plan. I was happy with my modest exercise progress last year bush walking three times a week but that is harder on the 40 degree Summer days.

“My slowing metabolism is slowing too, with my impending menopause, which is sure to hit in the next decade, so I need a better calorie burning plan.”

Swimming alone

Thankfully we have a pool so I have started swimming a few laps. I had forgotten what a great workout swimming is! I can feel my arms and legs getting that lactic acid burn I have missed and my core switching on constantly throughout the swim. Bliss! To intensify the workout on an 11 m pool, I do either the arms or the legs. I do the traditional freestyle/ backstroke kick to target the lat dorsi (back fat), quads and glutes, breaststroke for the triceps, inner thighs and love handles and a ‘scuba diving’ type kick to get more hamstrings.

“I had forgotten what a great workout swimming is!”

Swimming with a toddler

When I don’t have the luxury of swimming alone, with said 3 year old with me, I can still get a great workout:

treading water while she is in the deep end with her floaties, or
kicking holding on to the side of the pool when she is playing on the steps.
I also get my water aerobics on too with scissor kicks or jumping jacks floating on my back.
To work my core I hold on to edge and bring my knees to my chest.

Swimming with a baby

When your baby is younger and less water confident you can have them in a baby water float and push them while kicking, treading water etc. Play peek a boo while you lower your face in the water to blow bubbles. Keeping your neck up constantly while kicking may well hurt your neck so put your head in the water regularly while horizontal (swimming laps) to avoid this.

Exercise whilst increasing your babies water confidence

You can also be exercising whilst increasing your baby’s water confidence.

You can be working your arm, shoulder, neck and core muscles as you lift them off the side of the pool into the water with the “humpty dumpty” game, or
lifting them up into the air and back into the water.
Depending on you and your babies confidence (and attendance at professional swimming lessons) you may want to practice some of their exercises such as submerging their head under water. The sideways movement required for submersion is a good core work out for you.
Likewise, twisting your baby left and right in or out of the water which my husband has coined “the washing machine” needs great core control so don’t do this if your pelvis or back is unstable and make sure you don’t twist your knees.

“Make the most of this precious, precious time to yourself and get in to the pool to cool down, reduce the swelling, keep strong and take the load off your body. ”

Hydrotherapy whilst pregnant

If you are pregnant with your first this Summer, make the most of this precious, precious time to yourself and get in to the pool to cool down, reduce the swelling, keep strong and take the load off your body. Read my blog Hydrotherapy while pregnant for exercise ideas in the pool. These can be used if not pregnant too!

“Increasing the speed of your exercises increases the resistance.”

General hydrotherapy advice

The options are endless using water as your resistance. Remember increasing the speed of your exercises increases the resistance so build the up speed as you would the weights in the gym.

Summary

Hot weather and babies are no excuse not to exercise.
Find a pool/ beach and try some of the swimming or hydrotherapy exercises above, whilst enjoying quality time with your babies.
Find exercise that gives you pleasure so that you stick to it.

Melli Tilbrook is a Physiotherapist based at Adelaide Physiotherapy and Pilates Studio, Beulah Park

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Swimming for fitness with your baby