Play groups can be lifesavers. Not only can they help preserve your sanity by allowing you to socialize with other parents, but they can help promote fitness – both for you and your baby.

"Every new mother I know wants to get her body back as quickly as possible and to have the energy to keep up with Baby," says John Sinclair, personal trainer and fitness director of My ePHIT. Sinclair encourages moms to look beyond large goals, as small steps can add up to big results. And there's no need to do it alone. "Moms are now joining forces for physical and emotional health improvement," says Sinclair. Does joining forces with other moms sound like a good start on your road to fitness and fun? Some activities to consider for your group are:

• Team up to walk kids to school or daycare.
• Invite your fellow moms to dig, plant, rake and get each other's garden up and growing.
• The tour de mom – strap the baby buggy to your bike, and hit the road!
• Hike the neighborhood, local park trails or other scenic areas in your town. Or head inside for mall walking!
• Get wet! Getting in a pool is great for mothers and babies and can add some resistance for better calorie expenditure. Some neighborhood community centers have indoor swimming pools so the fun can go on all year long.
• Look into businesses offering fitness options for moms, such as StrollerFit. As described by President Curt Conrad, it's a national franchise program involving a workout that turns your stroller into a portable fitness machine and takes Baby along for the ride. Doing yoga with Baby is another idea that's growing in popularity. Places such as Itsy Bitsy Yoga International offer classes moms, babies and toddlers enjoy.

Emphasizing fitness is integral to a baby's growth. Babies are meant to move and play, says Rae Pica, a New Hampshire children's movement specialist and author of Your Active Child: How to Boost Physical, Emotional and Cognitive Development Through Age-Appropriate Activity (McGraw-Hill, 2003). "Babies spend nearly 40 percent of their waking time doing things like kicking, bouncing and waving their arms," says Pica. "And while it may appear all this activity is just for the sake of moving, it's important to realize that a baby is never 'just moving' or 'just playing.' Every action impacts the child's development in some way."

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