You do not have to give up exercise/fitness just because you have a baby... maybe I am old fashioned, but when I had my kids, the time for me was planned right into my schedule. I don't understand how you can just sit around in your robe all day! Although I probably would not commit to a racing schedule, because you never know if your kid will be sick, etc, having appropriate time to get back into shape and improve your fitness level is important for both your mental health and keeping your stamina up for being a parent. Schedule riding time when you can count on your husband or someone else to watch the baby for an hour. I didn't ride when i had my kids, but I was serious gym rat and did a fair amount of power walking. With baby #1, I was walking within 4 days and doing aerobics in 3 weeks. I went back to work in 6 weeks and kept him at the sitter's an extra hour twice a week, so I could work out. Or, I went at 5:30 AM, since my husband had the AM parent duty (I have to be at work at 7:30). With #2, I pretty much had the same schedule, although I did feel more tired, mostly from meeting the demands of my oldest. Truthfully, I think I had some post partum depression with #1. If I hadn't been able to get out of the house and exercise, I don't like to think what could have happened. Both of my kids were nasty infants, until about 3 months, longer for the second. But, they are normal adults now and I don't think anyone would say they are screwed up because their mother left them to exercise.