CORNWALL, Ontario – For eight years now Jenny Irvine has been running classes to help new mothers get active with their babies.
The Stroller Babes Fitness for Moms and Babies fitness class takes place at the Benson Centre on Wednesday mornings and focuses on cardiovascular training and muscle toning.
Irvine, a fitness instructor with 20 years of experience, but after she became new a mom, she found there was not much of a outlet for her segment of the population.
“When you have kids, there isn’t the niche locally for moms,” she said. “It is important physically, but also mentally for moms to connect with others.”
She explained that moms want and need physical activity for the sake of their own health, but it is not always easy when you have a baby with you.
“You want to get back to exercise and being healthy, but you can’t always bring your baby with you,” she said. “Your body changes a lot through this process and we work on getting back to what you had before.”
Irvine runs the program continuously so that mothers can join at any point. She explained that new moms need at least six weeks postpartum and should consult with their doctor first before engaging in physical activity.
In the winters, Irvine runs her courses out of the Benson Centre, which she explained has been very supportive of her classes. In the summer, she holds her classes outside in the Lamoureux Park area.
One mom, Sydney Walsh was at Irvine’s class on Wednesday, Jan. 22 with her eight-month-old son George and had been taking part in the course for a few weeks.
“It is a great way to get out and do stuff with a baby,” she said.
Irvine’s winter session runs until Feb. 26 and her spring session begins on March 2. For more information about the Stroller Babes Program, please contact Irvine at jenny@achievefitnesscornwall.com or Lorne Taillon at the Benson Centre at ltaillon@cornwall.ca
