5 Benefits of Walking with Your Baby in the Morning – Newborn Baby

There’s no doubt that being a new mum is a physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding job. Rewarding, life-changing, and beautiful, yes…but really (really!) hard for most of us.

It can be difficult, or even feel downright impossible, to find time for yourself, can’t it? With the addition of a baby in your life, there just don’t seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything done.

However, making time for yourself and your baby is absolutely essential for the mental and physical health of both of you. One great way to do this is by getting outdoors in the morning with your little one at any age, as often as possible.

Let’s look at five amazing benefits of going for a morning walk (beyond the obvious one of exercise) with your baby, even if it’s just a quick five-minute stroll around the block. We know you’re time-poor and exhausted, you have other commitments, and you’re perhaps still recovering from the birth, but we promise it will be worth it!

The following 5 benefits are essential to helping you get through those long days taking care of an infant:

1. Lifts mood and energy levels

Fresh air and sunshine are associated with feelings of wellbeing, relaxation, and happiness due to the release of serotonin in the brain. Being surrounded by nature helps to reduce anxiety levels while boosting mood-enhancing chemicals like endorphins to give you an overall sense of calmness. Sunshine also provides Vitamin D which can help improve your moods as it’s essential for proper functioning of many hormones in the body.

2. Improves sleep quality

Exposure to natural light within the first hour after waking impacts the neurotransmitters that are responsible for regulating melatonin production, which can help improve sleep quality at night for both of you – something every new parent needs! This will help to improve alertness in the day and help you both feel sleepy at night and fall asleep easier.

3. Sensory stimulation for brain development

The sounds, sights, and smells that come from being outside are also great stimuli for young babies’ senses as they learn more about their surroundings each day. You might notice them turning their head towards birds singing or watching the leaves blow in the breeze – all while learning valuable skills such as observation and awareness to nurture their brain development.

4. Opportunity to bond and be present

Outdoor walks offer some alone time away from distractions like TV screens or phones, so you can be present, focus on your own thoughts and on bonding with your little one without any interference – something often overlooked when life becomes busy, but incredibly important, nonetheless.

5. Resets and recharges 

Taking regular breaks from the routine away from the same four walls at home will give you a chance to hit the ‘reset button’ after a broken night’s sleep, or stressful bout of separation anxiety, teething, or illness. You’ll return home feeling refreshed and recharged afterwards (and hopefully ready for whatever parenting hurdle comes your way). A wonderful bonus addition to your walk would be to do it with another mum and bub for that extra opportunity for social connection (and a good vent with someone who is going through similar!).

Conclusion

Taking care of yourself as a parent isn’t always easy but your little one deserves you at your best – a happy, rested, relaxed mumma who has taken adequate breaks from parenting duties every once in a while.

With just this one little simple daily habit, you can learn how to prioritise yourself over everything else occasionally. On the days that you’re not up for facing the world or exerting yourself physically, you could instead eat breakfast in your yard while your baby has playtime on the ground.

So, if you’re looking for ways to make time in your day as well as provide healthy stimulation opportunities for both you AND baby – why not try going out on an early morning walk together? It could be just what both of you need!