Do physical activity after giving birth with a targeted program and being able to bring your baby with you? Two sporty moms thought about it, giving birth to MammaFit to get back in shape after giving birth
Mammafit to get back in shape after giving birth
After childbirth there is always a few extra pounds left to dispose of. And instead of undergoing exhausting and often boring sessions in the gym, you could choose to do gymnastics outdoors, together with your child and in the company of other new mothers.
It is gymnastics with the stroller , very common in the United States and for some years it has also landed in Italy thanks to the resourcefulness and passion of two sports instructors, Monica Taranto and Elaine Barbosa, two fitness professionals and sports enthusiasts who, once become mothers, they realized that in Italy there was no adequate response to the request for postpartum courses with which you can get back in shape, combining the new needs of the baby.
Having said that, Monica and Elaine have created MammaFit, an amateur sports association whose mission is to help and support mothers in the delicate postpartum period, creating spaces and recreational-sports activities for mothers and children, especially in the area 0-3 years.
In practice, MammaFit Baby Stroller offers a training program designed specifically for new mothers who want to exercise, without however separating from their child.
How gymnastics works with the stroller?
MammaFit organizes a large number of initiatives. First of all, exercise classes, organized all ‘ open, usually in city parks and green spaces, consist of a series of exercises for legs, arms, abs and stretching when the stroller is an integral part of training.
In short, you go to the park with overalls and shoes and while the baby sleeps on the stroller or takes some air, the mother can do some physical training together with other mothers.
A unique opportunity to make new friends, get back in shape after childbirth and pamper the newborn, without being forced to leave it to nannies and grandparents.
The training program has as its objective muscle toning and the mental and physical well-being of the mother and pays particular attention to the progressive recovery of the abdominal and pelvic muscles.
MammaFit is dedicated to mothers who have given birth for at least six weeks, to mothers who want to get back in shape, to mothers who want to meet other mothers.
The benefits are manifold:
- improved blood circulation,
- increased body consciousness,
- decrease in stress,
- help with weight control.
- The lesson generally lasts one hour and is offered two or three times a week.
Our collaborator Alice Zampa wanted to learn more by interviewing Monica Taranto to whom she asked some questions.
Monica, can you tell us how MammaFit was born?
It all started in 2010. My partner Elaine and I were two sports moms who taught in the gym and when we had the kids, we realized that doing gymnastics had become very difficult. Then we came up with this idea, which has actually existed in the United States for a long time, and we set up a project under the patronage of the Municipality of Milan. We immediately had a lot of luck with the media too, because it was a novelty and because it affects different areas: motherhood, physical fitness, family …
MammaFit, gymnastics for new mothers
Now how are you structured?
There are numerous centers associated with MammaFit throughout Italy and we organize training courses that allow you to become a MammaFit instructor.
I know you are leaving for a holiday in perfect MammaFit style …
Yes, it is the MammaFit Village, a week in Riccione in a family friendly structure, which therefore thinks of everything for mothers. We have an entertainment and physical activity program.
So, is it just for moms and babies?
No, dads can come too, and someone takes their grandparents for an extra hand …
In winter what do you do as an alternative to the park?
Until October the courses are outside, then winter they are done indoors, then in gyms or other structures. In this case, we replace the baby carrier or the band with the BabyTrendStroller.
Have you ever had a PapàFit?
Never. Dads go to work! (laughs editor’s note). The speech is that we do exercises on the pelvic floor and targeted things on the woman …
How much does a ten-week course like this cost?
110 euros full price, discounted to 90 euros if you register by a certain date. Then there is the membership fee of 40 euros which is valid for the whole year and also includes the MammaFit shirt, the elastic for the exercises and the insurance.
Are there any other projects you are following?
In 2020 we wrote a book called “MammaFit. In shape after childbirth” (Giunti-Demetra) and now we are working on a DVD that we hope to release soon.
What to put in the stroller bag?
What to put in the stroller bag to be ready for any eventuality? Let’s find out with the help of Paola Torrie of the blog Mamma Modell Base!
What to put in the stroller bag?
It will certainly not be as demanding as the delivery bag, of course, but also the stroller bag does its best: taking our baby for a walk, in fact, means being ready for any eventuality, such as an unscheduled meal or a change sudden. From the mattress on which to rest the baby in case of a lack of changing table to simple tissues, from the nasal cleaning system to the spare pacifier: in this video Paola Torrie from the blog Mamma Modell Base, she will talk about what to put in the stroller bag. Let’s follow his (invaluable) advice!
Stroller gymnastics: 3 exercises to tone your thighs and buttocks
The unexpected stroller can be a very useful tool for gymnastics. Elaine Barbosa, a teacher at Mamma Fit, explains everything
GYMNASTICS WITH THE STROLLER EXERCISES – Did you know that the stroller that you use every day to take your baby for a walk can turn into a very useful tool for exercising and getting back into shape? In this video, Elaine Barbosa, co-founder and teacher of Mamma Fit, will show you how to perform 3 simple exercises with the stroller to train and tone your thighs and buttocks; specifically, you will learn how to do front squats, side squats and backward thrusts. Small note: while performing these exercises, you can also leave the baby in the stroller: in fact, going back and forth is very likely to make him fall asleep.
