A former teacher from Bolton has been combatting ‘mum guilt’ with innovative fitness classes in Bury.
Alice Burnham, from Harwood, set up F.I.T (family inclusive training) almost four years ago as a way of helping mums keep fit without having to find childcare or sacrifice time away from their babies.
Her Tottington-based classes allow parents to involve their children in workouts, for no extra charge or give them space to play and socialise while they exercise.
There are now plans for the business to become a franchise.
Alice said: “I used to be a teacher and after my second child in 2019, I stopped because I wanted a job that could fit around my children who were at school and nursery.
“I was always into fitness, and I had the idea for a baby group or class that fit around my life as a mum.
“I trained as a personal trainer on my maternity leave and when a garage-type space became available in Tottington, I took the risk”.
The space is split in two with a gym and a soft grass area with toys to cater to mum's and baby’s needs.
Alice said: “The idea came from not being able to take my kids to the gym and the mum guilt of dropping them off somewhere or having to arrange childcare just for an hour in the gym.
“I just thought, something was missing, there should be a place you can take your baby with you”.
Participants pay for themselves, not their children so that siblings can come along at no extra cost.
Classes can also be moved each week, so members do not have to commit to one specific day.
Alice added: “I did not expect it to be so popular, but things have been going well for us.
“I have had to start a waiting list and often have people wanting to travel quite far because there is nothing like this near them”.
As a result, Alice will be turning the business into a franchise.
Following her training with Alice, Laura will open F.I.T in Darwen and at Feniscowles community hall in Blackburn, in the new year.
She said: “One of the women interested in franchising with us, Laura, has just finished the training course and she's opening in Darwen starting around January 8.
“We get a lot of interest so it would be nice to branch out.
“I think it has been so popular because a lot of women do worry about going back to the gym after having a baby because they're not in the shape that they were.
“Lots of mums who come in haven't had a lot of sleep and they've been up in the night but when they realise they're in a room with like-minded people that are all going through motherhood together it becomes a nice relaxed atmosphere.
“It gives people the chance to think, you know what I can get fit again and we're all in the same boat”.
F.I.T is based on Springvale Street in Tottington and there are three post-natal classes: F.I.T Around My Baby & Toddler, Mummy Bootcamp, and a Group PT session.
Alice also runs a one-to-one personal training that you can bring babies to, family training with kids and an evening boot camp without babies.
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