Recently, I chatted with a friend who had her first child a couple of months ago. She divulged that though initially dropping roughly 20 pounds in the first few weeks after having her baby, further weight loss proved difficult.
According to Clare Schexnyder, the founder of Oh Baby! Fitness, this is a common issue among new mothers for a multitude of reasons, including lack of time due to caring for a newborn, not eating regularly or drinking enough water, a hectic schedule, or all of the above. “Lots of mothers expect the weight to dissolve away magically in the first few weeks after pregnancy like they see new-mom celebrities do,” explained Schexnyder. “In real life, it’s a slower process.”
To help new mothers who don’t have the metabolism of Gisele Bündchen or Heidi Klum, Schexnyder founded Oh Baby! Fitness in 2005. Oh Baby! Fitness works with clubs to give them the ability to offer a wide variety of pregnancy and “mom and baby” exercise classes. Members and non-members can take these classes for a fee, and Oh Baby! Fitness pays rent to the club.
To further its reach across the U.S., Oh Baby! Fitness recently began offering its own licensing program. During a licensing class, instructors are trained to teach a wide variety of pregnancy and “mom and baby” exercise classes created by Oh Baby! Fitness. “We offer Pilates, yoga, toning and water aerobics,” said Schexnyder. “Our pre/postnatal training is [also] recognized by ACE and AFAA for CECs.”
According to Schexnyder, it’s paramount that new mothers are given the opportunity to exercise with and without their babies, and health club settings can be ideal. “Most moms love the opportunity to work out with their baby in the first few months, but soon want to get back to exercise on their own,” said Schexnyder. “If they’ve had the chance to exercise in a health club that welcomed them with their baby, they’re more likely to become a member. A positive experience during pregnancy or in a ‘mom and baby’ class will go a long way with moms. Also, every mother usually has a partner at home. Our program brings in new members who may be spouses of clients.”
When I asked my friend, whom I mentioned earlier, if she’d be more apt to workout if she could workout with her baby, she wholeheartedly agreed. Considering this, if you offer pre-natal, post-natal or “mom and baby” classes, market them! By doing so, you could attract new clientele with the potential for high retention.
Today at 8 p.m. EST, Oh Baby! Fitness will host a webinar for Group X instructors on how to become a licensed Oh Baby! Fitness instructor and run their own Oh Baby! Fitness classes. To learn more, click here.
Rachel Zabonick is the assistant editor for Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@clubsolutionsmagazine.com. Reach out to her about exciting events or programs your club has implemented, or to share the amazing accomplishments of a member.
