My partner doesn’t want me to work out because of the kids

I recently became a mom again and I’m currently home on maternity leave. We have two little ones — one is still a baby — and my partner works full-time. Lately, I’ve started to feel the toll of it all, physically and mentally. My body has changed a lot since the birth, and my BMI is now around 27. I’m not obsessing over numbers, but I don’t feel like myself anymore.

So, I decided to do something about it — not to “snap back” or fit into old jeans, but because I genuinely want to feel stronger, healthier, and more in control of my own body again. I planned to start working out regularly, just an hour or two a day, either at home or nearby.

But here's the problem: my partner is not supportive. At all.

He’s made it clear he’s uncomfortable with me taking that time for myself, because it means he’ll have to handle the kids alone during that time. And not for a whole day — we're talking 1 to 2 hours, tops. He acts like it's this impossible task, like I'm asking him to climb a mountain instead of just, you know, parent his own children.

I honestly didn’t expect this reaction. I thought he’d be proud, or at least encouraging. Instead, I’ve been met with passive-aggressive comments, eye-rolling, and even subtle guilt-tripping — “So I guess I don’t get any downtime then?” or “You’re really leaving me with both of them again?”

It’s incredibly disheartening. I already carry so much of the day-to-day responsibility, and now I’m being made to feel selfish for simply wanting to care for my health.

Am I the only one who’s dealing with this? Do other moms face the same resistance when they try to carve out just a little space for themselves? I didn’t think working out for an hour would turn into a full-blown negotiation.

Would love to hear from anyone who’s been in this situation. How did you handle it? Did things get better? I’m trying so hard to stay calm and empathetic, but at the same time, I refuse to feel guilty for wanting to move my body and feel human again.