Caring for a newborn takes up a lot of time, not to mention energy. Many new moms want to shed some of their pregnancy pounds after having a baby but find that they just don’t have the time to get to the gym anymore.

Luckily, there are some simple exercises to do at home. That way, all of you new moms can fit some exercise in at any time of day, even if it means 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there.

We will discuss post-pregnancy workouts at home that you can do to tone your arms, legs and abs, as well as some cardio exercises. To get the best fat and calorie burning workout, you need strength training and cardio exercise.

*Important Note: Make sure you have your doctor’s permission to begin any kind of exercise routine beforehand. Also, make sure you warm up before your workouts and cool down afterwards to prevent injury.

Legs and Buttocks

Squats: Have your legs shoulder-width apart and slowly sit back like you’re about to sit in a chair (do not let your knees come forward over your toes). Slowly, come back up to standing straight. Repeat.

Calf Raises: This makes our list of post-pregnancy workouts at home because you can do it pretty much anywhere (for example, while doing the dishes).

Stand with feet about hip-width apart, raise up on the balls of your feet, lower heels back down again. Repeat.

Hip Lifts: Lie on the floor on your back, arms at your sides, knees bent, feet planted flat on the floor. Slowly, use your ab and leg muscles to lift your buttocks and hips off of the floor, raising them as high as you can. Slowly, lower them back down to the floor, back to your starting position. Repeat.

Arms

Bicep Curls: Bicep curls are simple post-pregnancy workouts to do at home because you can do them with objects that you have around the house. You can use soup/vegetable cans, bottles of water, etc. Alternatively, you can use an inexpensive pair of hand weights.

Stand up straight with feet shoulder-width apart, arms in close to your sides with weights in hands, inner arms facing forwards. Slowly, pull your hands up towards your shoulders, keeping arms close by your sides; hold for a few seconds. Slowly lower back down. Repeat.

Push-Ups: These are great, not only for working your arms, but also your chest, back, shoulders and abdominals.

Go into the push-up position (hands on floor, elbows straight, on the balls of your feet, body in one straight line all the way to your toes). Slowly bend your elbows, lowering yourself until you are hovering just above the floor, push yourself back up to straight arms. Repeat.

If regular push-ups are too difficult, you can modify them by having your knees on the floor while doing them, or an easier way is to do them standing up, pushing against a wall.

Baby Bench Presses: This is one of those post-pregnancy workouts at home where you can include baby! Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, bring baby to sit on your tummy (holding baby securely). Contract your abdominals, lift baby up in the air as you also contract your chest muscles. Slowly lower baby back down to you. Repeat.

Abdominals

Crunches: Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, hands behind your head. Pull your abdominal muscles in towards your spine as much as you can, contracting them. Look straight up towards the ceiling, keeping your chin up (not curling it in towards your chest), and using, your ab muscles, pull yourself up so that your shoulder blades come off of the floor. Lower back to start position. Repeat.

Note: Make sure you are letting your ab muscles do all the work, don’t pull on your neck.

If you don’t like the idea of doing crunches, check out these ab exercises that don’t involve any crunches.

Plank: The plank makes the list of post-pregnancy workouts at home because it not only works the core, but also works the glutes and shoulders.

To do a plank, start off on your elbows with your knees on the floor. When you’re ready, lift your knees up so that you are in one straight line on the balls of your feet. Make sure your hips aren’t sticking up in the air and no part of your body is sagging. You want to be in one straight line from head to toe. Hold (for as long as you can), as you contract your stomach muscles. Repeat 2-3 times.

Crunch Oblique Twists: Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, hands behind your head (as if to do a crunch). Contract your abs, pulling them towards the floor, lift up getting your shoulder blades off the floor, and twist so that your right shoulder goes towards your left knee. Next, twist so that your left shoulder goes towards your right knee. Repeat.

Cardio

Some easy cardio post-pregnancy workouts at home are things like jumping jacks, jumping rope, stair climbing, jogging on the spot, side jumps (jump from side to side as if you are jumping over an object), or taking baby for a walk.

There are also many different types of exercise DVDs you can purchase if you prefer. There are even several post-pregnancy workout DVDs available out there.

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Get up, get moving, whether you exercise when baby is sleeping or just whenever you can squeeze it in. It all counts.

If none of these interest you, there are many more post-pregnancy workouts at home that you can do. Get creative! Just remember, the best thing to do postpartum, is to take it slow at first. Gradually raise your intensity as you get stronger.