1. Oh Baby! Fitness
Oh Baby! Fitness offers a variety of programs and is a partner of Texas Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. Liza ter Kuile, Fitness Operator and instructor for Oh Baby! Fitness in Dallas, has always had a passion for health.
After experiencing postpartum depression with all three of her children, Liza was inspired to help other mothers both physically and emotionally with Oh Baby! Fitness.
“Having a child is a life-changing, amazing experience, but it’s really hard. You feel sleep deprived and isolated. Oh Baby! Fitness helps give mothers a sense of community and friendship while at the same time helping mothers get their bodies back to normal, ”Liza says.
All Oh Baby! Fitness classes are based around the prenatal and postpartum guidelines set by OBGYNs and are taught by instructors who are nationally recognized for pre-postnatal fitness certifications to offer safe and fun classes for everyone.
Classes start 6 weeks after delivery and include everything from mom and baby cardio, strength training, yoga, stroller workouts and even H2O baby fitness, which involves exercising in the water while your baby is having fun floating next to you. Click here for classes and registration.
2. Baby Boot Camp
Melanie Fox has owned Baby Boot Camp North Dallas/Richardson for 7 years and enjoys being able to offer a place for moms to get physically stronger, have a social outlet with others in their same life stage, and be a great role model for their families in living a healthy life style.
“One of the key takeaways for moms in our classes is to love their new mom body. They are ‘mom strong’ and no matter what fitness level they are at, they are getting stronger each day,” Melanie says.
All of the Baby Boot Camp classes are led by nationally certified fitness professionals who can modify each class for pre- and postnatal moms to incorporate strength, cardio and core training every day.
“Because every mom’s body is different during and after pregnancy, we encourage moms not to compete with each other and focus on their own fitness journey. We also make sure to offer exercises to help heal Diastasis Recti, which is the separation between the left and right side of the muscle that covers the front surface of the belly area.”
Other classes include the Core9 Birth Recovery program, which helps moms during the first 9 weeks after giving birth by offering social support and helping with the transition to a fitness class. Click here for classes and registration.
3. Breathe Yoga- Mommy and Me Postnatal Yoga
Mimi Mears has been teaching yoga for the last 19 years. She started teaching her Mommy and Me postnatal yoga classes in 2002 and has since been helping mothers transition back into a fitness routine after pregnancy.
“My classes include classic yoga poses that focus on rehabilitating weak pelvic floor and stomach muscles from pregnancy. Yoga is recommended by most doctors and OBGYNs to help mothers transition their bodies gradually into their normal fitness routines.”
Mimi’s Mommy and Me yoga classes focus on moms but also include the newborns by singing songs, giving calming massages and holding them for weight in specific poses. After class, she encourages mothers to have social time and share experiences with other moms.
“I like to help create an environment where moms can socialize after class. They are welcome to stay as long as they like.”
Mimi holds Mommy and Me postnatal classes twice a week on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. Click here for schedule and registration.
4. Fit4Mom: Dallas/Park Cities
Kat Rehwinkel is the owner of the Fit4Mom group in the Park Cities area of Dallas. Kat has been teaching fitness in various forms for quite a few years. She is nationally certified by AFAA (NASM) with a specialization in Perinatal Fitness and Pilates.
“Motherhood can be scary and isolating and Fit4Mom provides an incredible support system. As they say, ‘it takes a village to raise a child,’ and we are committed to creating a safe and supportive village for our moms with weekly play dates, Moms’ Night Out once a month and lots of community focused activities.
“Our Stroller Strides activity is an opportunity to do something for YOU without sacrificing time with your baby. Kids can have fun as well. Sometimes our classes will be themed and we will practice letters, numbers, colors, etc. as we engage the kiddos and incorporate it into the workout.
“I always leave class feeling empowered, because I took the time to do something for me and it just happens to benefit my daughter as well. That is truly something special.
“We work hard to stay current with the best practices from experts in pre and post-natal fitness and provide our clients with resources to help them in this new stage of life. We know that some days just making it to class is an accomplishment and we foster an encouraging environment where we help moms accomplish their short- and long-term fitness goals.”
Classes at the Park Cities location begin May 25. Click here for classes and registration.
5. Mamaste Yoga Postnatal Yoga – Mama & Baby Classes
Karen Prior, the creator of Mamaste Yoga, has been working with pregnant women since 1995 and is a registered yoga instructor, childbirth educator and breastfeeding counselor. Mamaste instructors around the world are all certified in prenatal or both pre- and postnatal Mamaste practices. Mimi Mears, featured earlier in the article for Breathe Yoga, is also Mamaste certified and teaches the MamasteTM program at Move studio in Dallas.
Karen shares the true meaning behind Mamaste Yoga, “It means, ‘The mama in me salutes the mama in you,’ and what makes our classes different from all other postnatal classes is that we really focus on the mother. The best thing we can do for a mother is teach her to be present with her baby when they are together. Yoga is all about being present in the moment, so we like to incorporate songs and baby leg movements to keep both the babies and the moms present in that moment.”
During classes, some mothers become role models for others. This is especially true for the new moms that are just coming to class. During and after classes, moms are able to teach and share experiences with each other, creating a helpful community.
Mamaste classes help with postpartum recovery, strengthening abdominals, correcting posture and getting organs back to their pre-baby stage. All classes begin 6 weeks postpartum after clearance from your doctor. Click here for schedule and registration.
For more information about postpartum best practices, call Walnut Hill OBGYN to set up an appointment with one of doctors today!
