Reviews (50)

a good stretch, an easy workout and some inspiration
I'm currently in my 19th week and have been using this video for about 6 weeks. I alternate this video with Rocki's Prenatal Yoga. This is the one I pick when I'm feeling less motivated and want a good stretch, an easy workout and some inspiration. I feel good afterwards, both in body and attitude. I'm VERY inspired by the different body types and love seeing the bare bellies on so many of the moms-to-be. I prefer Sue's personality and style to Rocki's, but I feel more "worked out" from Rocki's video.
I only wish this workout was available on DVD: I suffer from insomnia as part of my pregnancy symptoms and I have found the 2nd half or so to be exactly what I need (at 2am) to tune out my stress and relax my body. Also, I am a work at home mom with a toddler and sometimes 15 minutes is all the time I can make (the full workout is 45 minutes but I find I can break it into 3 segments when I need to). DVDs make it so easy to skip ahead and there's no need to rewind!

An excellent prenatal yoga practice
Although I wouldn't call this the perfect prenatal yoga practice, it has some distinct strengths over other prenatal yoga videos I've seen. Visibly pregnant Sue Elkind leads a class of about a dozen women of in all stages of pregnancy through a well-chosen series of yoga poses. One woman demonstrates modifications for the less flexible, but most of the women do the program without modification, even in late pregnancy. The instructor talks through each pose, giving special attention to the balance and posture changes of pregnancy and emphasizing the connections between body and mind and mother and baby-to-be. This constant commentary makes the poses easy to follow even when not watching the screen, but may distract from the meditative quality of yoga practice.

Yoga Mama is most appropriate for women with no or limited yoga experience and no exercise constraints. It may also be helpful for intermediate level women in late stages of pregnancy, for tired days, or as the easy part of a rotation of practices. Advanced yoga students, however might find this video frustratingly basic and prefer to develop a personalized yoga practice using books (try Preparing for Birth With Yoga by Janet Balaskas). Women who need greater modification might want to try the Shiva Rea Prenatal Yoga program instead. Props: sticky mat (or carpet), folded blanket, folded towel (for wrist pain), chair (for modifications)

Personal Experience: I used prenatal yoga videos several times a week in addition to prenatal classes in a yoga studio once or twice a week. Although no video can equal a live class, this one captures some of the spirit of practicing yoga in a room full of pregnant women of all shapes and sizes. For home practice, I could choose between Yoga Mama and Shiva Rea's Prenatal Yoga video. Although Shiva Rea's video is longer and has better production values, I plunked this video in the VCR more than twice as often. I preferred the selection of poses in Yoga Mama (though I wish each pose lasted longer) and I preferred following Yoga Mama's visibly pregnant instructor (skinny Shiva Rea demonstrates first trimester poses with no hint of a belly). In addition, I found it much more motivating to see the whole class perform without modifications in contrast to the extreme modifications in Shiva Rea's program (the third trimester woman does most of the poses seated on a chair). To my surprise, I was able to comfortably and safely perform Yoga Mama without modification up until a few days before delivery. Practicing prenatal yoga helped minimize back pain, leg cramps, and other pregnancy discomforts.

My favorite prenatal yoga workout
This is a great tape! I have been doing it for almost my entire pregnancy (I'm in my 8th month) and I love it. It isn't the longest workout (about 40 minutes) and it isn't the most challenging, it is just the most fun and gives you the best feeling. Sue Elkin is awesome and the tape is just great! Get it, you'll love it!

horrible video, poor quality, poor instruction
Crunch is a neat brand, but they missed it with this prego video. The instruction is poor, the set is dull, and the workout is below average.

Relaxing and fun
I really like this video. It gives you a gentle workout, not too difficult, but still worthwhile. The instructor and all the other women in the video are pregant and they give you modifications on all the harder stuff. Overall, if you want a 1/2 hour - 45 minutes of gentle yoga with some stretching and a little strength work, this is a great tape for you. It is my favorite. ... Read more

Description

A regular prenatal yoga practice as taught in Yoga for Your Pregnancy can give you the energy to enjoy your pregnancy, the serenity to build a deeper intimacy with your body, and the ability to be present for the miracle of birth. Prenatal yoga can ease the discomforts of pregnancy, such as moodiness, shortness of breath, swollen ankles, nausea, indigestion and insomnia; and help you prepare for the rigors and mysteries of labor.On each video:

PART 1: ENERGIZING & STRENGTHENING (30 minutes) Gentle flowing practice to build strength and stamina for the demands of labor-and alleviate the discomforts caused by your ever-changing body.

PART 2: RELAXING & REJUVENATING (15 minutes) Learn breathing exercises to help you manage contractions-plus meditation techniques to help you relax and concentrate during delivery.Lamaze Interview-with expert Carol Penn Erskine

Exclusively on DVD:
Pranayama for Pregnancy: 3 simple breathing techniques to calm your nervous system
Meditation for Pregnancy: Guided meditation to help foster inner focus and awareness
Birthing Room Yoga: Simple yoga techniques to encourage a peaceful mind and body during delivery
Postnatal Yoga Practice: Gentle practice to help you regain strength and flexibility 6 weeks after delivery
Articles from Yoga Journal and Lamaze Parents magazine on yoga and pregnancy on a special DVD-Rom section

This video show you how to modify some poses using yoga props. Depending on your flexibility or stage of pregnancy, you may need a chair, two large pillows, a blanket, or sofa cushions. The use of a yoga mat is recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Great workout and so much fun!
I really enjoy this video and my baby girl does too! Having her next to me, smiling and gurgling makes exercising fun. This video allows me to spend time with my little one while doing something positive for myself. If you are used to Hatha yoga, be advised... this is a video of Kundalini yoga, which is completely different but equally as stimulating. Another reviewer stated that there were no calm holding poses, that is because Kundalini yoga has a different concept than Hatha yoga. In Kundalini, you are trying to wake up your chakras (which are energy centers throughout the body). Therefore, there is a different mentality to the poses; they are often movement based.
I think this video is fabulous for anyone who is interested in toning up after having a baby. As long as you go in with an open mind, knowing that it is different than your typical yoga classes, you can benefit from it. I love the video and only wish I could find a post-natal class near me so my baby could meet other little yoga babies!

Abs workout in disguise
I love yoga, and I love my baby, and this video has allowed me to introduce the two. The video wastes a little time in set-up and even in the middle - I don't see the point to the baby dance when you are in your living room and there are no other babies to meet - and other than resenting that the video tries to take up too much of my precious, carefully timed good-mood moments with the baby... I just fast-forward and do what works. There are so many different abs exercises that you really will start feeling better and stronger in your center - even if you can only do this video once a week. Many of the baby-centered exercises are towards the end (there is some marginal participation before that) so it's actually easy to split it up: if baby is in a napping mood, do the beginning part, and finish the end later when baby wants more interaction. I think this is workable, even with a fussy little one. I don't mind the new ageyness mentioned in other reviews, because the video reminds me of all those yoga classes I used to go to in San Francisco... I must be desensitized....

Buy with caution
This series by Ms G Khalsa has its place. While the production is well presented I would not recommend it for anyone who had not been doing yoga for a long time, in otherwords a seasoned yogi. There is a lot of chanting, visualisation and a really new age/ esoteric feel to this DVD. While I have done yoga in various styles and with various teachers, I found this DVD patronising and over the top. I feel I wasted my money buying this product. What I would recommend is Lisa Hart's Fit Mamma. Now there is a routine that you want to get up for and Ms Hart is 8mths pregnant while she presents it and is a breath of fresh air. I use Ms Hart's DVD three times a week

Great workout!
I almost didn't buy this video because of the negative reviews. I thought that it was going to be very difficult from what others were saying. I think that it depends on a person to person basis. I didn't really have time to work out when I was pregnant, but had prevoiusly gone to the gym regularly, so I was really feeling out of shape. I got this video three weeks ago and have been doing it with my now 7 week old. I tend to like more upbeat music when I work out because it keeps me going, so I watch the video but turn the sound down and play the radio or a cd. I like how at the end of the video it is all bout baby, this way you both get something out of it. My son loves the attention and it has become part of our morning routine. I am so glad that I bought this video, I can already feel and see a difference.

relaxing yet challenging
I got this and the pre-natal video together. I guess she went easy on us while we were pregnant, because I was surprized by how difficult some of the moves in this post natal video were for me. I didn't get around to working out until 3 months after I gave birth and I still couldn't do some of the things like roll backwards on my back and hold my legs straight up in the air. It took 7 more months before I was able to do that, but I still can't roll back and forth while holding on to my feet. Aside from those two things, I had a great time doing these exercises and my daughter enjoyed it too. Now that she's cruising around she doesn't like to lay still but the stretches that give her a chance to move and be lifted up and down are still exciting for her. She also likes to look at the other babies and their mommies on the video. The whole mood is very relaxing and peaceful, yet I still wake up the next day feeling like my abs have had a great work-out. ... Read more

Reviews (146)

Fantastic! Tones, stretches, and relaxes the body!
I loved this video during my pregnancy. There is a couple minutes of repetitive relaxation phrases (some call it "chanting") at the beginning. Although I definitely do yoga for the fitness, not spiritual, aspects; I found the phrases to be relaxing during the workout, helpful during labor, and calming to a crying newborn baby!! She also asks you to do a short "free dance" and imagine yourself giving birth in the forest - pretty silly, but it did help me feel less shy about childbirth. There is also some easy, but intense arm exercises - she helps you learn how to focus on other things and work through pain (obviously helpful for labor!). I was very active during my entire pregnancy. The video was both challenging and relaxing. It is doable for all phases of pregnancy - I didn't buy this video until my last month! The stretching feels great!

Great Preparation for Delivery!!
This is a great workout to prepare a pregnant mom for delivery and to relieve some of the aches and pains of pregnancy. I am *really* enjoying doing it every day, and I could tell a difference in my flexibility within a few days. I also feel GREAT after I do this workout - it helps relieve some of the exhaustion I get with my pregnancies, as well as the backache. I really wish I'd had this video with my first pregnancy - I used another prenatal yoga video which was pretty good, but this one is much better. [I am also a Lamaze Instructor and I would whole-heartedly recommend this to my students to get the ready for labor and delivery].

One warning though - the Instructor is very "new-agey". This could be annoying, depending on the kind of person you are. I pretty much fast forward through the parts that aren't working for me though, and the workout itself is awesome! The Instructor does say some things that I found very motivating [such as "women were giving birth thousands of years before anyone wrote a book on giving birth"]. I highly recommend this video - just be prepared to skip the parts you don't like!

The New Method: Baby & Mom - Prenatal Yoga
I loved this yoga workout! It was a little weird at first, but once I got used to it, I did it 2-3x/week for 5 months. This is my fourth and best pregnancy and I feel I owe it all to this yoga workout.

Excrutiatingly earnest and unpleasant
Gurmukh takes her yoga VERY seriously. Indeed, her intense relaxation is made even less relaxing by her grating voice. She seems to be pleading and whining for your admiration (but in a very "relaxed" way, of course.) If you're looking for a California guru, she might be just what the Maharishi ordered (she's got a turban to prove it) but if you're looking to bond with your baby, take private, mindful breathes, and find a "yoga-mind" for your pregnancy then look elsewhere. We sent it right back and got YogaMama, the Crunch DVD. Surprisingly, although Crunch has a rep as a powerhouse NY workout, YogaMama has all the true reverence, mindfullness, and spirit that this one lacks.

Don't let the turban fool you, underneath it is a California New Age girl. It's not suprising that they don't show the star of this video on the cover.

This video is a disservice to all those who are serious about yoga.

I enjoy this workout
I too have been doing yoga for years. All different forms of it. This DVD is based on Kundalini Yoga. For some who are looking for typical asanas found in Hatha or Ashtanga this is not that. It is more focused on the 3rd eye and the Chakras. Opening certain areas of the body to release energy, to relax and feel centered. It is also focused on the breath. It is arguably the oldest form of yoga there is. It is rather primal. Some may find it a bit silly. But in my experience it is not the yoga that is silly but the person doing it. Childbirth is a primal thing. If you can get over yourself you will enjoy it and it WILL be helpful in the delivery room. And that is, after all the point. ... Read more

Description

The yoga in this video is suitable for pregnant women from the 14th week until the end of pregnancy.The clearly described yoga is demonstrated by pregnant women and is easy to follow if you are new to yoga.The presenters are ERYL HOLT from the BBC’s Fast Show, and MARION SYMES who was a midwife for 12 years and now teaches yoga and birth preparation.Both are qualified yoga teachers and therapists who studied under pregnancy expert, Francoise Barbira Freedman. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Get back in shape after pregnancy with a gentle yet effective and challenging, specially designed Pilates workout. Instructor and new mom Susan Moran-Perich has adapted classic Pilates mat exercises for the special needs of post-partum exercisers. She explains each exercise clearly as her demonstrators show both the ideal form and modifications. Your session can last from 15 to 47 minutes, depending on the components you choose.Pilates is especially effective for new mothers because it strengthens the core abdominal and back muscles, helping you regain strength, control, shape, and comfort. Bonus features: Exercises using the ring ("magic circle") and a 15-minute back safety program. A brief "private instruction" section gives additional technique instructions but is limited to voiceover still photos, not moving demonstrations. --Joan Price ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Pilates For Pregnancy
I think this is a great prenatal pilates dvd. I normally do pilates, so I found the moves to be consistent with some of what I would normally do. The workout is good, not difficult & very relaxing. Yes, there are floor exercises, but modifications are shown & you can always use a pillow- I would definitely recommend this to any pregnant women who loves pilates!

Waste of money and time for now
Like another reviewer, I had to double check to make sure that this is for pregnancy and not postpartum. I got tired of waiting for me to get to exercises that I could do--ones that weren't lying on your back. She gave modifications, but those, too, were lying flat, and she kept saying that only in your 3rd trimester you shouldn't do something, when you shouldn't be flat on your back from the 2nd trimester on. She even had a special exercise for women in the 3 trimester to do--LYING ON THEIR BACKS! I am very disappointed, and will have to hold on to this until after the baby is born--it is basically useless until then.

similar to other pilates videos
Regarding the instructor's having you lie on your back for most of the video: You will NOT like this workout if you feel strongly that this is dangerous (I don't, since all of our mothers and ancestors did that before the blood flow issues were "known")... However, even if you don't mind that, you may feel you've wasted your money since it is almost identical to NON-prenancy pilates DVDs. If you already own some, you might just alter the workouts on your doctor's advice to make sense for you and your belly (which she doesn't even really do). One of my biggest complaints about this video (besides the waste of money) is that she sometimes has you sit up just to lie back down again. A pet peeve to be sure, but gets me riled up every time! Bottom line: if you don't have any other pilates videos, and you aren't a perfectionist about her style, voice, mistakes, etc., AND you use common sense to adjust her moves to your body, you will probably tone your core (tummy and back) with this video.

Unsafe and Awful!
This is one of the worst exercise videos/dvd's I have ever used. The instructor is completely flat in personality. They show her advanced in pregnancy, so you think you could do the video the entire pregnancy, but in reality, she is very early in her pregnancy and barely showing. All of the moves should only be done in the first trimester. Practically all of the moves are done flat on the back, which is unsafe!

Save your money!

Not all that bad
I had the opposite experience from a number of other reviewers - the Method's Prenatal Yoga made me nauseated every time I tried it (and I haven't had all that much trouble with morning sickness in general). This one, on the other hand, energized and strengthened me. There are a number of back exercises, true. I didn't have trouble with them, but I can see how others might. I am nearly 8 months and have combined this with a brisk waddle a few times a week to keep fit. Of course, always follow the advice of your doctors. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

disappointing
I have been practicing yoga for about a year and I have tried a number of different yoga videos. I have enjoyed most of them and and am still learning. My sister is pregnant and I wanted her to be able to enjoy some of the benefits I have received from practicing yoga, especially since she is have a difficult pregnancy. I bought this video for her after reading many of the reviews and thinking that it might help her attain some focus and a sense of peace. After giving her the video, I waitied for her to call and tell me how much she was enjoying the video. The call never came. So upon my next visit to her house, I watched the video. While the husband explained the poses and the purpose of them very clearly, and the wife demonstrated them, overall I was extremely disappointed. The man NEVER stopped talking, there is NO soothing music and the background is very boring. (Looks like their house or something). Instead of relaxing me, it aggravated me and made me shut it off in the middle of the video. So, I asked my sister what she thought and she felt the same way. I have Kathy Smith's New Yoga video, Yoga Journal's AM/PM yoga, Yoga Journals - Yoga Practice (set of 3) and Yoga Journal's Practice for Beginners. I enjoy all of these videos. I am going to continue try to find another video, one for pregant women for my sister.

Not recommended
I saw good reviews for this video on another site, so I purchased it for my own pregnancy. I was very unsettled by what was contained on the tape. While Finger's descriptions are pretty clear and he does give a good introductory speech about the problems women can encounter with breathing during the later stages of their pregnancy, he includes a number of postures that are contraindicated past the fourth or fifth month. Downward Dog, Standing Forward Bends and Standing Forward Folds are all inversions (which bring your head beneath your waist). Most ob-gyns are adamant that these postures should not be performed once the pregnancy gets too heavy. So I find Finger's claim that this is a routine that can be safely done at all stages of pregnancy hard to swallow. Clearly, his wife Greta, the model here, was able to perform those postures in her seventh month of pregnancy without any visible side effects. That doesn't mean, however, that the same will hold true for all women.

If you have your heart set on this routine, I advise discussing it with your doctor before you begin.

I could only stand to watch it once
I found the dvd to be very boring. A man does most of the speaking throughout. He was very monotone and not motivating. I was annoyed having some who would never go through pregnancy explain the benefits. He obviously will never have experience. The woman doing the exercises was pregnant.

Different but it works
My fiancee and I bought this DVD and we are pleased with it. It is different then what she or I am use too, but it does work.

So Annoying I Could Only Handle Doing This Once
I wish I would have known about all the different prenatal Yoga videos out there! There has definately got to be something better than this. As it is, this was the only one my local video store had. I was six months pregnant when I watched it. I kept waiting for the instructor to stop talking so I could enjoy the poses and have a relaxing workout. Oh no, he talks constantly the whole 50 minutes of the video, explaining in excrutiating detail all the poses. He spends so much time explaining the poses...and then they're only held for seconds before moving on to the next one. So most of the time I was not doing anything because I was waiting for him to finish explaining the next pose, and I just wanted him to show it already so I could do it! Don't waste your time or money. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Post-natal Pilates
I liked this dvd a lot. I think it is a good dvd for getting back into the swing of things with pilates. It is not for months down the road when you have your strength & energy back & need something longer. I did her prenatal pilates during my pregnancy, so many of the moves were familiar. If this is your first time with this program I would suggest watching & practicing the moves first & then do the workout since it is slightly fast-paced, but once you know the moves it is easy to follow

Seems just right to me
Unlike the reviewer from Oak Park, I found this DVD to be just the right length and intensity. I have done yoga and Pilates before, so perhaps that makes a difference. However, I am not in very good shape at all. I didn't follow any kind of exercise program while I was pregnant--not even walking! I am now nine weeks postpartum and started using this DVD a week ago.

I was afraid when the DVD started that it would move too fast, since the instructor said that people who had used her pregnancy video would be familiar with the moves. I didn't have any trouble following the exercises, though. Some of them are challenging, but I can do them all. I get a nice workout without feeling sore the next day. Best of all, the workout relieves the stiffness I get in my back, arms, and shoulders from carrying my baby all day.

All in all, I'm really pleased with this.

Too hard. Too fast. Too short.
The exercise portion of this DVD is 18 minutes long, which could actually be just right if you are taking care of a baby AND trying to exercise. Except that the exercises are so hard that all you really do is strain your muscles and back. Because the workout is so hard, I tend to not want to do it, and I am in fairly good shape to start with. I still cannot do the "hip circles" and was advised not to by the teacher of a post-natal exercise class I am taking. This is the first exercise or yoga DVD I have purchased that I do not like! ... Read more

Description

International fitness consultant and choreographer Gloria Quinlanpresents a complete exercise program to help you stay in peek physical condition duringpregnancy. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

HILARIOUS
I kept laughing throughout this workout. The models' clothes were so outdated - 1980s - yet it was filmed in 2003. They all wore so much makeup they looked like clowns. Gloria Quinlin is darling, though. The exercises were not very effective. The dance aerobic section was good for getting the heart rate up, but the camera work was poor and made it sometimes hard to follow. The graphics of babies, etc. that floated across the screen at intervals were terrible. Worst of all, and most hilarious, was the very end, when the camera focused on Gloria's pretty face, and you are supposed to be "resting." Gradually you watch Gloria's eyes fill with tears and they spill down on her cheeks, and that is the end of the video. BARF precious barf!

What I was looking for
I really enjoy the intensity of this workout. I think it's completely possible to keep up with. The warm-up and cool down section are about 7 minutes each. The cardio section is 20 minutes not the 30 minutes in stated in another review. I also have Leisa Hart's pregnancy workout in which I love the dance moves, but it gets really repetitive. Gloria Quinlan puts a lot of variety in the moves so that you don't get bored. I was also pleased that it had a weights section. The weight-lifting segment is intense enough to help you maintain muscle tone without being unsafe for you and your baby.

Just What I Needed
I've been using this workout video since my sixth month of pregnancy. I found that it was just what I needed to add a little variety to my work out. She starts with a segment of warming up, then follows with three segments of aerobics and dance moves, and a great cool down. There's also a couple segments that focus on toning arms, legs, and abdominals (all of which are completly safe for you and the baby). The first couple times I used it I was having trouble staying with her dance moves, but by the third time, it was a no brainer. I'm very pleased with the video and would recommend it to anyone that wants to add some variety and excitment to their personal workout routine.

AWFUL!
I bought this video because I wanted to add some variety to my other pregnancy workouts. I have the Leisa Hart Pregnancy workout and The Crunch Yoga Mama both of which I love. This was fairly new and I have a Crunch workout led by Gloria Quinlan called "Latin Blaster" which I have always enjoyed.

First off the speed of aerobics in this workout paralells the intensity of my regular videos which means I was not able to do the whole thing. It left me dizzy, out of breath and miserable. The description on the back of the tape states there is a warmup (15 minutes), aerobic section (20 minutes), and cool down (15 minutes) that is a lie. The warmup is about 7 minutes long, aerobics is 30 minutes long, PLUS an additional 10 minutes weight lifting section (which you dont know is coming and are unprepared for) and the cool down is about 5 minutes. The cool down is completely insufficient it doesnt stretch your muscles at all nearly what they need. Plus the aerobics section is very hard. I used to workout 2-3 hours a day before pregnancy now I am able to do an hour. This tape still left me unable to do it because the intensity is too much for anyone but an athlete in their pregnancy.

All I have to say is the production is poor, its unsafe and misleading to read the back. Dont waste your money, dont waste your time and either get the other two I reccomended or just take a nice walk! ... Read more

Description

The Essential Pilates Pre-Natal 2-DVD Program includes exercises for those who wish to gain or maintain healthy fitness levels during pregnancy. These instructional DVD’s are taught by Allan Menezes, Australia’s foremost Pilates practitioner who introduced the Pilates Method to his country in 1986. He has created a series of videos with a unique approach based on his bestselling book The Complete Guide to the Pilates Method and the original teachings of the renowned Josephe H. Pilates. Set includes Pilates Principles DVD. ... Read more

Description

The gentle yoga in this program is suitable for postnatal women who have had a satisfactory 6-8 week postnatal check-up. Previous Yoga experience is not necessary. Enhance the most reflective time in a woman's life with Simple Postnatal Yoga. Yoga Biomedical Trust Yoga therapists Eryl Holt, from the BBC’s Fast Show, and Marion Symes who was a midwife for 12 years and now teaches yoga and birth preparation, guide the new Mom through an exceptional 60-minute series of stretches and meditation exercises that help increase energy and develop focus. Simple Postnatal Yoga guides you through common Yoga techniques including: Centering, Lying Stretches & Toning, All Fours, Standing, Seated Stretches, Relaxation ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great workout for Mom and Baby!
I just bought this and used this, and boy do I wish I had bought this DVD earlier. It is a great, brief workout for you and your baby. The early postpartum stuff at the beginning of the excersize dvd is really good, it consists of very gentle abdominal and kegel excersizes, I wish I had had this part of the DVD sooner after my son was born in June of this year. The aerobic excersize segment is suprisingly tough, even with very simple moves, probably due to the baby being used by your body for resistance. I really liked the end of the dvd, which is upper and lower body resistance training again using your baby as a weight. My only complaint is aesthetic-the room the women use for excersize is pretty boring looking. But other than that it is a great workout!

My Baby Julio & I Loooooove this!
I didn't realize what a production number driving from home to wherever can be with a 2 month old baby in tow! Going to my ballet classes has become a most dreaded drive even if everyone in class is sweet about Julio staying in his carrier watching me dance. Now I can work my postnatal weight away whenever Julio is good and ready. It's so much simpler to adjust to my baby than to make Julio adjust to everything. No more stressing about the time and putting him in a good mood before driving to ballet. I just wait for him to get into his good mood and start exercising. Moving with me as I workout even rocks him to sleep! And if he fusses in the middle of the workout, I just pause the disc and get back to the exercise when Julio's ready again---it's totally doable! This workout is surprisingly harder than it looks because although the steps are easier than what you'd do in a regular aerobic class, the weight of the baby makes you work harder. I'm sweating after the cardio workout! But because I'm used to working my body to the point of exhaustion (I used to dance a max. of 4 classes a day while pregnant.), I wish the exercises were harder. I still take ballet (but less now -6 times a week), and exercise to another DVD everyday. I would've given this DVD 5 stars if it were more challenging. Inspite of that, it's still worth mine & Julio's time every other day. ... Read more