Physical activity throughout and after pregnancy can provide specific benefits to women’s health, such as reducing the risk of gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, excessive gestational weight gain, reduced weight retention after birth, reduced risk of depression and improved mental wellbeing.
Despite this, physical activity levels are at a record low with new mothers missing out on starting their journey of physical activity, partly due to not knowing where to start or who to go to for advice.
My First 1000 Days aims to encourage and support new mothers to be more active. We will build on our existing partnerships with Active Leeds and Bumps & Babes, who run group exercise classes for pregnant women and new mothers and toddlers in community libraries, leisure centres and swimming pools across Leeds, including in some of the most deprived areas. We will also signpost new mothers to other opportunities, by doing this we aim to help new mothers and their babies establish new routines and develop long-term healthier habits for life
Sessions within the physical activity workstream will be participant-led, but may cover:
- Resumption of physical activity after childbirth
- Pelvic floor muscle training
- Physical activity and safety
- Physical activity and mental wellbeing
- Joint child-mother activities
- Physical activity and breastfeeding
- Physical activity and the immune system
