A fun fitness craze has been created to allow new mums to get back in shape while bonding with their babies.
Buggy Bootcamp members swap traditional free weights for their own children, allowing them to incorporate their little ones into their post-natal fitness regime.
It gives mums without childcare no excuse to keep fit – and the fun, relaxed environment stimulates their little ones at the same time.
But instead of parents being stuck in a gym, or on their own at home, they can boogie with their babies out in the open air.
Founder Nicola Ostler started Buggy Bootcamp after the birth of her first baby and classes now take place all over the UK.
She said: “The classes focus on posture, pelvic floor health and regaining your core strength and general muscle tone that has been affected by pregnancy and childbirth.
“You work at your own level with appropriate exercises and won’t be pushed beyond your limit.
“Each session is different and revolves around lots of chatting and absolutely no burpees or tyre flipping.”
As well as being cheaper than a babysitter, the classes have been found to help avoid or alleviate symptoms of post-natal depression.
During the hour-long sessions, designed to calorie burn and muscle tone, mums carry out traditional aerobics with the addition of their child.
They can be seen squatting and lunging with their baby on their back, or doing sit-ups while balancing their little one on their legs.
Their kiddies’ prams are also transformed into a key piece of equipment, allowing mums to run with their youngsters while working on resistance exercises.
One member, who attends a class in Waterbeach, Cambs., said: “How wonderful to at last find a form of exercise that I not only enjoy immensely, but also a class to which I am able to take my two young children to.
“Whoever would have believed you could exercise with a 17-month-old and a three-year-old in tow.
“I am so pleased with the improved results in my fitness levels and the vast change in my body shape over such a short period of time.
“I am very proud to be one of the much talked about mums seen jumping around on Waterbeach Green”.
Nicola has also found that the Buggy Bootcamps give new mums the confidence to be active, without worrying about a competitive atmosphere.
She said: “You will be amazed at how entertained lively toddlers will be, just being around so much action and so many other mums and children.
“There is also time for them to get out and have a quick run around when we stop for our resistance exercises.
“During class we sing songs and interact with the children as much as possible- they are, of course, part of the class themselves.”
Even A-listers have been known to get in on the pushchair fitness trend, with Elle Macpherson. Gwyneth Paltrow and Miranda Kerr being spotted power-pushing.
Each session costs £7.50 and can be found in locations including Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and Kent.
