But don't forget your baby.

Baby Boot Camp (BBC), which combines brisk walking, stretching and strengthening exercises, utilizes outdoor equipment such as benches, poles and stairs to work on various muscle groups important for new mothers.

"A lot of people concentrate on what women do during their pregnancy, but no one thinks about how much you need to exercise afterwards," instructor Erin deNeeve Baum said.

A 75-minute session includes lunges, squats, leg lifts and arm exercises using resistance tubing. In between the exercises, the mothers power walk with their babies in strollers around a 1-mile path in Waipi'o.

It also includes mat work using pilates and yoga to improve core strength and flexibility.

"For a simple workout, this is pretty ... phew," said first-time participant Aileen Caraang, a substitute teacher.

Caraang, a mother of two, brought along her 10›-month-old daughter, Naiya. She also is considering bringing her 3-year-old, Neelia.

Ages for the children range from 6 weeks to around 2 years.

Mothers usually are restricted to activity until six weeks after childbirth. And as children get older, they tend to get fussier, according to deNeeve Baum, and the mother "won't get as good of a workout."

That is the main goal of BBC.

"It will be better for you in the long run if you are physically fit, so you can chase around your kids when you get older," said Yulynn Ellison, 34, a Hawai'i Pacific University athletic trainer.

Ellison, who brought her 2-month-old son Tyrell, said that she also likes BBC because of its convenience.

"It's a good idea because you aren't separating yourself from your baby. It means no lost time with your child," Ellison said.

DeNeeve Baum brings her 9-month-old son Alex, and said that one of the most important things for mothers to do after childbirth is to remember to stretch.

"Moms need to stretch because parts of us do things over and over, like leaning over, holding their babies and hunching over," deNeeve Baum said.

The exercises are designed especially for postpartum mothers, focusing on strength training with functional exercises.

"I need to get in shape," Caraang said. "You actually kind of hurt afterwards, so you are getting a full workout."

What is almost as important, according to the mothers, is that BBC allows you to socialize, exercise, and not worry about child care.

"I like the socialization with other people," Ellison said. "I don't work now, and I'm used to being at home with my kid. Getting out is great. It's fun comparing notes on baby stuff."

For mothers who can't make their way to BBC classes, deNeeve Baum, a certified athletic trainer, said mothers should exercise, only after consulting their physicians.

"I would think that if a bunch of moms would want to do a walking program, that would be OK. Stretching is also good," deNeeve Baum said.

"But if they want to do the exercises we do, they should consult with their physicians. Their physician will know what is safe for them. Even someone who wanted to exercise with a personal trainer should pick one who knows about postpartum mothers," she said.

Her advice for mothers is to work up to a walking pace where "you don't want to be out of breath, you want to work up to a little bit of sweat, but not have any part of your body hurting."

"If you can sing when you're walking, it's too slow. But you should be able to talk," deNeeve Baum said.

She also mentioned doing exercises with your child. One, she said, is to do push ups with your baby underneath you, and you kiss your child as you lower your body. Another exercise is to place your child on your lap when you do stomach crunches, and kiss them when you raise up.

First classes are free, and after that classes begin at $12 for one session.

Packages are available, which can lower prices to $6 per class.

BBC is a national organization, with locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Indiana, Oklahoma and Texas.

DeNeeve Baum is the only certified BBC instructor in Hawai'i, but is looking to expand next year, with more instructors and more time slots.

Classes begin in early January, with a maximum of 10 people per class.

For more information, call deNeeve Baum at 754-6169, e-mail her at erin@babybootcamp.com, or go to www.babybootcamp.com.