‘EXERCISE IS MY SANITY’
Westering mom of two Sumayyah Ally has a daughter Eemaan who turns four in August and a baby boy Ebraheem who turns one on June 4. The IT lecturer admits it is not always easy to keep in shape but she gives it her best shot. Until a week or so before Ebraheem was born, for example, Sumayyah was still hitting the gym “I do try and keep fit and now I’ve started the older one on swimming lessons, I can fit in a bit of gym while she swims,” Sumayyah says. If you are breastfeeding your baby, however, she admits this makes it more complicated, particularly if you are a working mom. Then you need to factor in the logistics of how and when to express milk to leave behind a bottle while you are at the office. “I have to be up at 4am or 5am to pump [for him] while I am away at work.” Sumayyah has used several gyms but with two very small children does find it difficult to be a regular, particularly as she lives in Westering and now works in Summerstrand at NMU South Campus. Often she will have to settle for “home gym” exercises. “While you are at home, you can Google for YouTube videos, they are helpful. Exercise is my sanity!” Squeeze in a routine or two while the tots are otherwise occupied, she suggests. “While baby is happily playing around, I can do my squats.” She has also found that a baby jogger pram has been invaluable when she wants to go for a run but as Ebrhaheem has grown larger she has recently sold hers. “Now I just do my own jog around my suburb and the parkrun whenever I can. “You’ve got to do it when they are in a good mood and you have to work around them. It’s a big no-no to go before nap time! “I try, I really do, but some days are better than others. The biggest challenge is getting started.” What about the moms who have difficult children? “I think all children are tricky! “There is a not a trip which goes without hiccups – it’s going to happen and you just have to deal with that.”