Today I went to my first ever Buggy Mums session. I’ve been looking forward to it ever since I learnt about its existence in November. It’s run by ParkLives, which is an initiative by CocaCola to bring free sports activities to city parks across the UK. It fantastic that I can exercise with M (instead of leaving her at home with Stu as that’s only an option outside of his working hours) and even better that it costs nothing!
I was a little nervous about attending the group – not because I thought it would be too strenuous, but because I find it difficult meeting groups of people that I don’t know.
I arrived a minute or two before the class started, so I was able to hear the instructor’s introduction. Our warm up was a brisk walk (or jog) to another area of The Common, followed by some side steps and more walking.
We made use of a gravel path on The Common and were asked to line up opposite a partner. Quite a few of the others seemed to know each other, but I just lined up opposite someone else who seemed on her own. We parked the babies and were asked to run up and down weaving through the buggies, which is harder and more tiring than it sounds. It was then onto a circuits session. The instructor was fun and friendly and very good at giving variations of exercises for people who needed gentler or more challenging versions.
It was breezy on The Common, so some of the babies woke up and started crying, but M was quite cosy in her snowsuit. She woke up and looked around for me, but after I pushed her buggy backwards and forwards a bit she fell asleep again.
After 40 minutes of circuits, we headed back towards the paddling pool where we initially met.
Stretching at the end of Buggy Mums © Christine Saunders
When we got there we did some stretching and I had the chance to talk to the mother who had been opposite me. I had hoped that people might stop for a drink at The Cowherds of The Hawthorns, but everyone seemed to rush off very quickly.
I’ve signed up for another Buggy Mums class in a different location tomorrow, but as stormy weather (including snow) has been forecast, I might not attend. Previously, it wouldn’t have bothered me too much, but I don’t want M to be cold and miserable. I’ve also signed up for both classes until the end of February as I enjoyed it so much.
I also want to say ‘thank you’ to Stephanie Nicoll who shared one of my old blogposts on the Women for Tri Facebook group. As a consequence, my blog has had more hits in a single day than ever before!
Fat Girl to Ironman 
What a cool workout class! We have a free “mums n bubs” yoga class in my city but I wish there were more workout options for mums with babies. Very neat 😊
That’s exactly the kind of class I’ve been looking for. I think there are some locally, but they’re very expensive :’-(
It’s quite tough when you’re a new mum trying to meet other mothers. I felt like an outsider for ages until I went to a mother and baby group. Soon I’d made lots of new friends and it helped talking to people with babies of similar ages and comparing notes. Some have remained friends to this day. Oddly, some of the other babies are now parkrunners I consider as friends too. How time flies.
We’re going to a ‘Sing and Sign’ class next week, which will give me more of a chance to talk to other mums… and hopefully, by the time she’s 6 months old, M will be able to give me a clue what she wants!