By Buggyfit Trainer Fiona Challier 

It might look like I just turn up at the park, push a few buggies around and tell mums to do some squats.

I absolutely do these things – the actual class is the fun bit. There are baby cuddles. There’s chatter and laughter. There’s rocking buggies whilst demonstrating an exercise with the other hand. There’s the occasional feed, nappy change or toddler meltdown thrown into the mix.

There’s fresh air, muddy trainers, British weather and a group of mums who get to move their bodies, get out of the house and spend an hour with people who just ‘get it’.

But after almost a decade as a Buggyfit trainer, I can tell you there is a whole lot more to being a Buggyfit trainer than meets the eye.

The work starts long before I arrive at the park. Every mum who joins me completes a health questionnaire so that I can understand where she is in her postnatal journey and make sure the exercise she is doing is appropriate for her individual stage of recovery.

Because no two postnatal bodies are the same, and a mum early in her recovery needs something very different from a mum who is many months further down the line. Birth experience, recovery, pelvic floor, core function, energy levels and how someone is feeling physically and emotionally all matter.

Then there are the less glamorous bits.

Insurance. Risk assessments. Venue checks. Admin. Emails. Enquiries. Website updates. Session planning. Band washing.

Only then can come class time. And without wanting to sound cliché, this is where the magic happens.

We might start with a warm-up before building into a workout that gets legs working, posture improving, cores activated. But Buggyfit is about so much more than the exercises.

It’s the mum who arrived exhausted and leaves feeling like herself again.

It’s the baby who gets a cuddle while Mum gets a few minutes to focus on herself.

It’s the conversations that start with “How old is yours?” and turn into friendships.

It’s the laughter. It’s the baby smiles. It’s the fresh air. It’s having somewhere to go when you’ve spent days in the house and desperately need to see another adult!

And sometimes, it’s the moments that remind you exactly what motherhood is all about.

I remember one particularly tired mum turning up for class and realising she’d left her buggy at home.

Cue panic.

But another mum in the park simply lent her hers, while her little one went off to play in the playground.

No fuss. No judgement. Just another mum stepping in to help another mum.

That’s motherhood.

And that’s Buggyfit.

The moments you don’t forget

After almost ten years, there are so many moments that have stayed with me.

I remember a mum arriving at class in floods of tears. She’d clearly had one of ‘those’ days.

But she did the class, moved her body and spent some time with people who understood. And when she left, she had the biggest smile.

Nothing magical had happened. Her problems hadn’t disappeared. But sometimes an hour can change the way you feel about everything.

I remember the toddler who eventually took over demonstrating the exercises because he’d been coming to Buggyfit with his mum since he was a baby and, quite frankly, had all the moves nailed.
He knew exactly what came next.

He’d grown up watching his mum prioritise her health, seeing her friends and being part of this little community.

Those are the moments you don’t necessarily plan for when you become a trainer. But they’re the ones you remember.

And then the class finishes…

When the last buggy rolls away, my job isn’t necessarily finished. I check in with mums and want to know how everyone is feeling after the session, particularly if they’re new or returning after a break.

I take photos and videos to capture the reality of Buggyfit – the energy, the smiles and the community.

I reply to enquiries from mums wondering whether Buggyfit is right for them. I update websites and social media, plan the next session.

And I think about the mums who weren’t there that week.

Because one of the things I love most about Buggyfit is that the community doesn’t have to end when the class does.

It’s so much more than a workout

When people look at a Buggyfit class from the outside, they might see a group of mums exercising with their babies.

I see something very different.

I see women rebuilding strength after birth. I see confidence growing and friendships forming.

I see mums getting out of the house on days when that alone feels like a huge achievement. I see babies becoming toddlers. And I see those toddlers growing up knowing that movement, health and looking after yourself are part of everyday life.

Mostly, I see a community that looks out for one another. After nearly ten years, I still love the workout. I love being outdoors, meeting new mums. I especially love the baby cuddles. I love the chaos. I love the laughter.

But what keeps me coming back is everything that happens around the workout.

The conversations, friendships and support. The little acts of kindness. The tears that turn into smiles.

Because Buggyfit has never just been about getting fit with your buggy.

It’s about looking after mums.

It’s about creating a safe, supportive space to move, recover, connect and feel like yourself again.

And behind every class is a trainer who cares deeply about getting it right. Because every mum deserves the very best.