Baby, Work It Out

photo credit: Robert Mecea/NYDN

Who needs exercise equipment when you’ve got a baby?

The Daily News launches a hard-hitting investigation of Mommy and Me Pilates classes, where new moms get fit and toned using their “15- and 16-pound bundles of joy.” Says one mother in question:

You still get a workout, but you can also bond with your baby, so it’s the best of both worlds.

In fact, calorie-wise, it’s better to work out with a baby than without one: a Mommy and Me Pilates session burns 300+ calories, while a regular Pilates session (Mommy Without Me?) burns around 250.

And it should go more or less without saying that Park Slope is at the center of the trend:

The Park Slope Armory YMCA launched a Baby Boot Camp after baby yoga and baby Pilates classes started filling up.

During the class, moms lift little ones in an overhead press called the “Superbaby” to build Michelle Obama biceps, or do pushups by lowering themselves to kiss their baby’s belly.

“I never did a pushup in my life until there was a baby beneath me. Now I do them all the time!” marvels Park Slope parent Adria Hasha, 32, with 5-month-old son Henry.

Which isn’t to say that babies are always on board. While they tend to be into their role as Adorable Dumbbell, often “napping and giggling during the workout,” even the cutest living shake weight has a bad day:

Parents also need to be realistic. “Although you might go into a class and say, ‘We’re going to do 20 of these exercises,’ your child may cry after 10,” says Evans. “You may have to compromise.”

So parents, be warned: your baby is still a baby.

Want in? The aforementioned Baby Boot Camp meets at the Park Slope Armory YMCA, Mondays 10-11 a.m. & Thursdays 11 a.m.-noon; $14 per class, or memberships beginning at $45 a month (financial aid available). 361 15th St., at Seventh Ave. See www.ymcanyc.org/parkslopearmory for details.