Baby Bootcamp Moms Stroll Into Fitness

Writer & Photographer / Lynda Hedberg Thies For many new moms learning to multitask on less sleep with their highly anticipated bundle of joy means that normal exercise routines drift into the “once upon a time” story they wish had a different ending. Then add the hectic pace of the holidays with a new baby and the goal of getting into shape starts to look like a fairy tale. But thanks to one local Fishers mom, the idea for moms to workout with their baby can make 2015 the year to reclaim their pre-pregnancy shape, improve their energy and sense of well being. Owner and Instructor Kara Babcock explains the next series of exercises to Mom's and their infants during class. Shortly after returning to the Indianapolis area, Kara Babcock was expecting her first child and was searching online for a prenatal yoga class in the area. That was when she stumbled onto the Baby Boot Camp website. Babcock, a former sales and marketing executive, never considered that she would have anything to do with the program. But she loved the concept and “wished someone would open the program in Indianapolis.” Nothing would happen until after the birth of her son. It wasn’t until she drove to Sarasota, Florida, to visit with her parents, months after the birth of her son, that she met with Baby Boot Camp CEO Kristen Horler. Babcock went on to say, “Once I met with her and learned more about Baby Boot Camp and all about prenatal/postnatal fitness, StrollerFriends playdates and building a community with the moms, that I fell in love with the program." It was then that Babcock decided, “I should be the one to bring it to Indianapolis.” She officially purchased the Indianapolis franchise in April of 2014 and began offering classes Sept. 29, 2014. The class is comprised of moms from the Indianapolis area, but the majority of moms have moved from Seattle, Chicago and St. Louis and are looking for a way to stay active while meeting other moms. While the name, Baby Boot Camp invokes images of superhuman infants doing push-ups or a set of seated squats, the fitness program is for moms to exercise with, over and around their infants. Babcock said the program offers a great opportunity for moms to exercise, socialize and their babies benefit in many ways. Baby Boot Camp Moms using resistance bands in the mall while their babies wait it out. Currently, classes are offered at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Fishers and the Fashion Mall at Keystone Crossing and have primarily been targeted to the stay-at-home mom. Starting this month, Babcock is expanding to offer a Saturday class to reach more working moms. As for the future of the franchise, she plans to continue offering new classes and locations for both working and stay-at-home moms. She is hiring enough teachers to allow for the growth. Eventually, Babcock says, “I’d also like to grow big enough to have classes for moms and babies all over Indy!” For more information on class times, locations or for more information, please go to babybootcamp.com/in-carmel.aspx.