A group of young moms has discovered a pleasant way to reclaim their girlish figures while enjoying their babies at Mission Bay. They meet for “Baby Boot Camp,” which is a bit of a misnomer, as the babies don’t do much more than babble, crawl and enjoy a ride in their strollers. The women assemble next to the playground at Mission Bay Park’s Ski Beach (across Ingraham Street from Paradise Point) three mornings a week to work out. The group leader is personal trainer Jenny Nichols, a 38-year-old, first-time mother with a degree in nutrition. She bought the “Baby Boot Camp” franchise in November because she wanted to get back in shape after her own baby was born and couldn’t find a gym that offered daycare for infants. Most of Nichols’ group engages in jogging, pushing their strollers and stopping along the bayside path for cardio drills and resistance training. The babies come along for the ride and fresh air. “We’re not putting them to work,” Nichols said. But at the tail end of the hour-long workouts, the mothers roll out their mats to work on their abdominals, while the babies are free to crawl around. While doing crunches, some moms even balance the little ones on their legs or stomachs. The nationwide post-pregnancy program is the brainchild of Kristen Horler, who started “Baby Boot Camp” soon after her first child was born in the summer of 2001. Horler drew from her experience as a group fitness instructor, personal trainer, triathlete and mother. The goal is to balance the fitness needs of new moms with their desire to spend time with their baby. She believes the program helps mothers regain or enhance pre-pregnancy fitness levels in a supportive environment. She said it’s important for them to get strong enough to meet the physical challenges of parenting. “Moms (in the program) don’t have to worry about finding daycare and paying for it or foregoing their workouts entirely,” Nichols added. “Even new moms have to put themselves first sometimes.” The class also provides the chance for babies to interact, Nichols said. “After class, the older children can run around together,” she said. During most of the class, however, Nichols encourages the women to leave their babies in their strollers “unless the kids are super fussy.” The boot camp also begins teaching the youngsters good fitness habits, she said, adding, “My son is already mimicking me.” According to Nichols, she opted to buy a franchise instead of starting a business from scratch because the franchise includes instructor training, an annual conference, class formats, videos and a national marketing campaign. Name recognition also is a big perk, she said. Nichols’ franchise is the only one in San Diego County. Currently, the group has about nine moms and their babies, who range from two months to two years old. Older children are invited as long as they can sit still in a stroller. The Mission Bay group meets at 9:30 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and at 9 a.m. Saturdays. Costs range from $40 for one day a week to $60 a month for a year’s membership. Members can also pay $65 a month for six months or $75 month-to-month. Moms have to be at least six weeks postpartum before they can join. To teach a group at Ski Beach, Nichols had to get a city permit, which runs about $93 per quarter, she said. A soccer player who has always been an active athlete and used to work out with personal trainers, Nichols had to become a certified personal trainer herself before she could start a franchise. The training took about four months, said Nichols, who is also a full-time executive recruiter. She brings her baby, 17-month-old Connor, to class on Saturday; otherwise, he’s in daycare while she works. “I really enjoy Baby Boot Camp,” Nichols says. “It’s a nice change of pace for me. The money is an unexpected perk.” The mothers have formed friendships and end up chatting during class. But, Nichols said, “It’s certainly more than a social event. My moms go home sore.” On a recent chilly day, Nichols joked with the women in the group: “We’ve got a regular zoo here.” To illustrate her point, she surveys the babies in the group, who are bundled up and sporting bear, owl and dinosaur caps. “I wanted to get back into shape,” said student Jami Yaeger, whose son, Liam, is nine months old. “It makes me feel like a better mother when I look good and feel good.” In addition, Yaeger said, her husband is coming back from his military deployment and she wants to look good for him. Aubri Forero, who’s in class with her 11-week-old son, Kaden, said, “I got my pre-baby figure back — almost.” For more information, visit www.babybootcamp.com/CASanDiego.aspx and www.babybootcamp.com/about.aspx, or call (202) 344-5253,