10 Exercises You Can Do While Holding Your Baby

One of the biggest barriers to training as a parent isn't time — it's the logistical nightmare of leaving your child with someone else. You want to train. Your child wants you. And your workout sits in the middle of that tension.

What if you didn't have to choose?

The truth is, your baby's weight is actually perfect for training. A newborn is 7-8 pounds. A 1-year-old is around 20-25 pounds. By 2-3 years, you're looking at 30-35 pounds. That's legitimate resistance. And the best part? It comes with your child already attached.

These 10 exercises are designed for parents holding their babies. They're safe, effective, and you won't need anything but your child and your own body. We've tested every one of these with real babies in different positions — front carrier, back carrier, and held in arms. Let's go through each one.

The Squat

Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, baby held in front of you at chest height or in a front carrier. Keep your chest upright, core engaged. Lower your hips back and down as if you're sitting into a chair, keeping your knees tracking over your toes. Your baby's weight will naturally push you deeper into the squat. Lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground, then drive through your heels to stand back up.

The squat works your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. It's the foundation of parent training. The extra weight of your baby makes it significantly harder than a bodyweight squat alone. This exercise works great with a front carrier (best for babies 0-12 months) or held in your arms (good for any age, though harder on your arms as they get heavier).

Safety notes: Keep your baby high on your chest, not resting on your stomach. This protects their posture and keeps your centre of gravity stable. Watch your knee position — they should never cave inward. Stop if you feel pain (distinct from working muscles). Safe from birth onwards in a carrier; from around 6 months held in arms if your strength allows.

The Lunge

Stand upright with your baby in front carrier or held at chest height. Step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until your front knee is at 90 degrees and your back knee nearly touches the ground. Your front knee should stay over your ankle. Push through your front heel to return to standing, then repeat on the other side.

Lunges target your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and balance. The added weight of your baby significantly increases the challenge compared to a standard bodyweight lunge. The stability work is also valuable — holding a baby while lunging engages your core in ways static lunges don't.

Safety notes: This is one where we recommend a front carrier over holding in arms, as the alternating leg positions can make it harder to keep a held baby balanced. A front carrier distributes weight evenly and keeps your hands free for balance. Safe from around 4 months in a carrier once your baby has good neck control. Not recommended held in arms until your baby is older and can help stabilize themselves (12+ months).

The Calf Raise

Stand upright with your baby held in a front carrier or in your arms. Keep your legs straight and raise up onto the balls of your feet, lifting your heels off the ground. Hold for a moment at the top, then lower back down. You can do these continuously or with a pause at the top.

Calf raises target your calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus), which are often overlooked in training but crucial for functional strength. Your baby's weight provides exactly the resistance you need. This is one of the safer exercises to do held in your arms because your body position is stable.

Safety notes: Keep your core engaged and don't arch your lower back. This is safe in any position — front carrier, back carrier, or held in arms — from around 4 months onwards. A great exercise to include regularly as it's low-complexity and high-benefit.

The Glute Bridge

Lie on your back on a mat or soft floor. Bend your knees with feet flat on the ground, positioned close to your hips. Place your baby on your hips/lower abdomen area. Press through your heels to drive your hips upward, squeezing your glutes at the top. Lower back down and repeat. Your baby becomes your additional weight across your hip area.

The glute bridge targets your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. This is one of the most effective exercises for postpartum parents, as it reactivates the glutes and helps rebuild core stability. The added weight of your baby increases the difficulty and results.

Safety notes: This is one where your baby is on the ground (being supported by your hips), not held in a carrier. Make sure your baby is on a safe surface and being supervised constantly. Keep your neck neutral — don't crane your head to look at your baby. This is safe from around 4-6 months once your baby can sit with support. Avoid this in the first few weeks postpartum; wait until you've got medical clearance to exercise.

The Standing Shoulder Press

Stand upright and hold your baby at shoulder height, as if they're sitting on your shoulders but with you supporting them in your hands. Press your baby upward, extending your arms above your head. Lower back down to shoulder height. Your baby is the weight here — exactly what you need for a shoulder press.

The shoulder press works your shoulders, triceps, and upper chest. It's one of the best upper body exercises for parents and scales perfectly as your child grows heavier. A newborn is light enough that the movement is still challenging; by age 3, it becomes a serious strength-builder.

Safety notes: Only do this held in your arms (not in a carrier). Keep your core tight and don't arch your lower back. Your baby needs to be old enough to have good head and neck control — wait until around 6 months. Make sure you have control of your baby at all times. If you feel unstable at any point, stop immediately. Stop doing heavy presses as they get older if it starts to feel unsafe.

The Standing Side Bend

Stand upright holding your baby on one side of your body, against your hip. Keep your legs straight. Lean sideways away from your baby, feeling the stretch down the side of your body, then return to upright. Switch sides and repeat. Your baby's weight creates asymmetrical load that really challenges your obliques.

The standing side bend targets your obliques, serratus anterior, and stabiliser muscles along your side body. This is valuable work for postpartum core reconstruction, as it addresses the transverse abdominis and lateral stabilisers. The asymmetrical load makes it more functional than traditional crunches.

Safety notes: Keep your movement controlled and don't force the range of motion. This is safe held in one arm from around 6 months onwards. Keep your core engaged throughout — don't let your lower back hyperextend. This is a great mobility and stability exercise, not a high-intensity one.

The Romanian Deadlift

Stand upright with your baby in a front carrier or held at your chest. Keep a slight bend in your knees and hinge forward at the hips, sending your hips backward. Lower your torso forward, letting your baby move away from your body as you hinge. Feel the stretch in your hamstrings. Keep your back straight throughout. Drive your hips forward to return to standing.

The Romanian deadlift targets your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. This is one of the most important exercises for postpartum recovery, as it rebuilds posterior chain strength safely. The hinging pattern is functional and transfers to everyday movements like picking up toys and bending to pick up your baby (who's already your weight!).

Safety notes: Use a front carrier for this one — it's harder to maintain balance held in arms due to the forward hinge. Keep your back neutral throughout; don't round your spine. The stretch you feel should be in your hamstrings, not your lower back. If you feel lower back pain, reduce your range of motion. Safe from around 4-6 months in a carrier. Skip this if you have any lower back issues; consult a physio first.

The Step-Up

Find a sturdy step, bench, or stairs. Hold your baby in a front carrier or in your arms. Step up onto the step with one leg, driving through your heel to stand up on the step. Step down with the other leg. Alternate legs. Your baby's weight adds significant resistance to this leg-focused movement.

Step-ups target your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and also challenge your balance and coordination. This exercise is particularly good because it mimics functional movement — climbing stairs, getting in and out of the car, stepping up onto things. Adding your baby's weight makes it significantly harder.

Safety notes: Use a step that's safe and stable. A standard step or stair is fine; a bench works too. A front carrier is better for balance than holding in arms. Only go as high as you can control safely — the step doesn't need to be very tall. This is safe from around 4-6 months onwards once your baby has good head and neck control.

The Wall Sit

Find a wall. Lean your back against it and slide down until your knees are at roughly 90 degrees, as if you're sitting in an invisible chair. Your baby in a front carrier adds weight to this isometric hold. Stay in position for time (start with 20-30 seconds and build up), then slide back up the wall.

The wall sit is an isometric hold that targets your quads intensely. It's simple but effective, and your baby's weight makes it significantly harder. This exercise builds endurance strength in the legs and is safe for most fitness levels.

Safety notes: Keep your back flat against the wall. Don't let your knees cave inward. A front carrier is best for this to keep weight distributed evenly. This is safe from around 4 months onwards. Start with shorter holds (20-30 seconds) and build up as your strength improves. Stop immediately if you feel pain in your knees.

The Plank with Baby Nearby

This one's slightly different. Get into a plank position on your mat with your baby on the floor in front of you or beside you where you can see them. Maintain a strong plank — shoulders over wrists, body in a straight line, core engaged. Your baby becomes an interactive element; they might crawl, play with toys, or just be present. Hold your plank for time.

The plank targets your core, shoulders, and stabiliser muscles. It's foundational for postpartum core rebuild and transfers to nearly everything you do. The psychological benefit of doing this while your baby plays nearby can't be overstated — you're training while staying connected.

Safety notes: Your baby is on the ground, not in a carrier, so you need to be on a soft surface. Keep your body in perfect alignment — hips shouldn't sag or pike upward. Engage your glutes and core throughout. If your shoulders start rounding, stop and rest. Safe from around 4 months once your baby can safely be on the floor. This is one of the best exercises to do daily or most days.

Safety Tips for Training With Your Baby

This Changes Everything

The moment you realise your baby isn't an obstacle to training — they're actually the perfect resistance — everything shifts. You stop feeling guilty about wanting to exercise. You stop needing to arrange childcare. You get stronger while they watch you move, play nearby, and occasionally make things harder by growing.

These 10 exercises are the foundation. Master them, progress them, and you'll find that training with your child isn't a compromise at all. It's actually better than the alternative.