Health: Baby + Pilates = One Hot Mama

Lose that post-pregnancy belly without losing your mind

Sleep, sanity and a slim figure — three things every new mom seems to have lost by the time her screaming bundle of joy arrives. It’s enough to keep any woman from finding time to work out, especially when it involves more than a few frantic phone calls to nail down a sitter.

Thankfully, for your mind and your body, Urbanfront Pilates and Baby Boot Camp are pairing up to offer Philly mommies an effective workout that—believe it or not—actually incorporates your little one.

FitPilates for Mommies, taught by Urbanfront instructor Jenna Componovo and registered nurse Ann Liotino, combines the core-strengthening benefits of Pilates with do-at-home exercises that allow moms to mind the baby while getting a workout. You’ll learn to do Pilates exercises with your baby next to you on the mat, kiss-the-baby pushups and traveling lunges that you do while holding that adorable extra weight—all while working your core.

"Everybody’s concerned about their bellies after they give birth," Liotino says. But jumping into a hard-core aerobics class isn’t always the best idea. The muscles from your shoulders to your hips have been under stress for the past nine months, cautions Liotino, who moves her class at a slower pace and teaches the safe way to perform the basic mat movements.

"A lot of new moms will say it’s hard to find extra time in the day to focus on themselves," says Componovo, who has a 14-month-old baby girl. "So we try to teach them moves they can do on the go." You’ll learn how to take everyday activities — pushing the stroller, standing on line at Whole Foods, carrying your 14-pound (and growing!) bundle of joy — and turn them into moves that tone, sculpt and help you overcome post-natal aches and pains.

Every Friday at 3:45 p.m. from March 7 until the summer; 55 minute class; $17 drop in; $90 for six classes; $168 for 12