# Finding time and energy with a baby or toddler > Take your baby with you, let short bouts count, and do something small on tired days. A brisk pram walk or 10 minutes at a time all count, since some activity is better than none. Sometimes resting while the baby sleeps matters more. - Type: Guide - Topic: Pregnancy & Early Parenthood › Active Early Parenthood - Status: test content, not reviewed yet - URL: https://twikka.com/learn/finding-time-and-energy-with-a-baby-or-toddler - Updated: 2026-10-21 - **Exercise with your baby, not around them:** a brisk pram or buggy walk, or a class that welcomes babies, is a practical way to start [1]. - **Ten minutes at a time is fine,** and some activity is better than none [2][3]. - **Short bursts spread through the day** can improve fitness in inactive adults [4]. - **On tired days, do something small,** or rest while the baby sleeps if that is what you need more [5]. ## How do you fit exercise in with a baby or toddler? Exercise with your baby rather than around them. Walking is free, you can do it almost anywhere at any time, and your baby can come along, for example when you walk with the pram instead of taking the car on a short trip [2]. A daily walk with your baby, even just to the shops, is one of the easiest ways to start [5]. Many postnatal classes let you bring your baby, and some include the pram or buggy in the workout [1]. A few more ways to fit activity in: - **Break it into pieces.** Exercising 10 minutes at a time is fine, so you don't need to wait for a free hour [2]. - **Use the floor.** Your baby can lie next to you while you do gentle tummy exercises [2]. - **Pair exercises with things you already do.** Tummy and pelvic floor exercises can be done sitting or standing while you breastfeed or drive. Linking them to a regular task helps you remember [2]. For more ideas on fitting activity into a busy day, see [Finding time](/learn/finding-time). > **Try this:** This week, swap one short car trip for a walk with the baby in the pram, or take a 10-minute walk at the same time each day. ## Do short bouts of activity make a difference for new parents? Short bouts probably help. Health benefits begin below the recommended weekly amounts, so some activity is better than none [3]. Activity of any length counts towards your weekly total, and postnatal advice agrees that 10 minutes at a time is fine [2]. In adults generally, activity in bouts shorter than 10 minutes is linked with health benefits similar to those from longer bouts [6]. Whether very short bouts cause those benefits isn't settled, because the trial evidence covers bouts of 10 minutes or more [6]. A 10-minute walk is a solid choice, and shorter bursts still count. Brief, vigorous bursts spread through the day, often called exercise snacks, improved fitness in inactive adults. This held even at about 4.5 to 67.5 minutes of exercise a week, well below guideline amounts [4]. They did not change body weight or body fat [7]. After birth, start gently with low-impact activity and build up gradually [8]. > **Try this:** Spread a few short bouts through the day: take the stairs, do a brisk lap of the block, or march on the spot while the kettle boils. ## How do you exercise when you're short of sleep? On a tired day, do what you can rather than a full workout. Something small, such as a gentle walk with the baby, is better than skipping activity altogether. Choose low-impact activity, start low, and build up slowly. Keep an eye on your sleep, energy and mood, and drop back a step if they get worse [8]. Rest matters too. When your baby sleeps, resting can sometimes be more important than catching up on chores [5]. Regular exercise can help you feel less tired, even if it's the last thing you feel like doing [5]. In adults generally, regular exercise tends to improve sleep quality [9]. Exercise programmes for people over 60 with sleep problems are seen as a practical, safe way to improve sleep [10]. How well this works with the broken sleep of a new baby isn't clear yet, so it comes down to how you feel on the day. On days when you do nothing, that's normal. Do the best you can and pick it up again when you're ready. ## When to check with a health professional - If you're starting exercise after a long break, it's always a good idea to see your doctor first. - If you have recently given birth, ask your midwife or doctor when and how to start, especially after a complicated birth. Begin gently and build up slowly [8]. If pelvic, back or other symptoms appear or get worse, cut back, and see a doctor or physio if they persist. - For an injury or a health condition, see a health professional, such as your doctor or a physio. - A sore muscle or joint, or soreness a day or two later, is a reason to ease off. If it persists or gets worse, see a doctor or other health professional. - Feeling sick, sweaty or unwell, unexplained discomfort, or breathlessness or dizziness that doesn't settle is not something to ease off for. See a doctor if it is mild and passing, and otherwise follow the emergency advice below. - Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure (or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back, especially with sweating or feeling sick), severe breathlessness, fainting or collapse, signs of a stroke, a serious injury, or someone who isn't safe. - In pregnancy and after birth, bleeding, fluid leaking, regular painful contractions, the baby moving less, calf pain or swelling, or a bad headache or changes in vision need the midwife, doctor or maternity unit straight away. - Feeling tired all the time, being unable to sleep even when the baby sleeps, or struggling to cope isn't something to push through with exercise. Get it checked by a doctor, midwife or health visitor. - If you have thoughts of harming yourself, contact a local crisis line (findahelpline.com lists free services in every country), with your local emergency number. ## Quick answers ### What exercise can I do with a pram or buggy? A brisk walk with the pram or buggy is a good start. Keep your arms bent and your back straight, and set the handles at a height where your elbows are bent at right angles. You could also look for a postnatal class where babies come along, as some include the pram in the workout. ### How much exercise do I need if I'm short on time? Some activity is better than none, and health benefits begin below the recommended weekly amounts. Ten minutes at a time is fine, and activity of any length counts. No exact amount has been shown to be enough for busy new parents, so start with what fits your day and build up gradually. ### How do I stay motivated when plans keep falling apart? Don't be too hard on yourself when your exercise plans go awry. Do the best you can on the day. You usually get more time to yourself as your baby settles into a predictable routine, so a small walk now and then is a good place to keep a habit going. ## Sources 1. NHS. Keeping fit and healthy with a baby. https://www.nhs.uk/baby/support-and-services/keeping-fit-and-healthy-with-a-baby/ 2. Better Health Channel (2003). Postnatal exercise. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/postnatal-exercise 3. Bull FC et al. (2020). World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955 4. Rodríguez MÁ et al. (2026). Effect of exercise snacks on fitness and cardiometabolic health in physically inactive individuals: systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2025-110027 5. NHS. Sleep and tiredness after having a baby. https://www.nhs.uk/baby/support-and-services/sleep-and-tiredness-after-having-a-baby/ 6. Jakicic JM et al. (2019). Association between bout duration of physical activity and health: systematic review. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31095078/ 7. Wan K-W et al. (2025). Effects of exercise snacks on cardiometabolic health and body composition in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.70114 8. Deering RE et al. (2024). Clinical and exercise professional opinion on designing a postpartum return-to-running training programme: an international Delphi study and consensus statement. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2023-107490 9. Kredlow MA et al. (2015). The effects of physical activity on sleep: a meta-analytic review. Journal of Behavioral Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-015-9617-6 10. De Paz-Montón LP et al. (2026). Physical exercise programmes to improve insomnia or poor sleep quality in non-hospitalised elderly people: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PeerJ. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12919316/ --- Source: Twikka (https://twikka.com/learn/finding-time-and-energy-with-a-baby-or-toddler). General information about physical activity, not medical advice.