I S S U E 0 9 - F a m i l y F e a t u re
Baby, let’s move
Sally Kettle, CEO and founder of The Active Pregnancy Foundation, steers us through the dos and don’ts of exercising safely during pregnancy, after childbirth and beyond.
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here are many misconceptions about being active during pregnancy and after the birth of your baby. Many new mums and mums-to-be worry about what they should or shouldn’t be doing, often facing judgment and unsolicited advice. It’s all too easy and tempting to pop online to find a multitude of fitness professionals, influencers and other mums offering “guidance”. The problem is that many of these people have no actual expertise at all. You may be surprised to know that only 8% of personal trainers in the UK have a pre and postnatal qualification. In addition, many women report that the importance of being active during pregnancy is rarely even discussed with their healthcare professionals. So, how do mums-to-be navigate their way through an active pregnancy when it’s difficult to find reliable information? Happily, The Active Pregnancy Foundation is here to help. We provide expertise and guidance to mums, with a multitude of resources that can be easily accessed on our website. We also support the education and upskilling of healthcare and fitness professionals, with the objective that everyone a woman meets on her motherhood journey will be equipped with the right knowledge so they can give the best advice.
If you’re pregnant but not currently particularly active, that’s ok, you can start gradually. If you are already super-active, keep going and adapt where necessary. Remember not to ‘bump the bump’, so however tempting it might be to go skydiving, perhaps wait until after the baby’s been born before you jump out of that plane. Many women have told us that they’re concerned about harming their baby, especially if they have previously experienced baby loss. We have also read stories from pregnant women about how well-meaning family, friends and even strangers have offered advice or – even worse – told them they were selfish for running or going to the gym while pregnant. We are here to reassure you that there is no evidence that being active in pregnancy harms your growing baby. In fact, there are very few reasons that should stop pregnant women from participating in an activity – the benefits far outweigh any perceived risks. We
also know it’s even tougher to be active once the baby arrives – the combination of a healing body, childcare issues, a lack of opportunities and a shortage of qualified instructors all add to the barriers to exercise faced by mothers every day.
Only 8% of personal trainers in the UK have a pre and postnatal qualification TAKE YOUR TIME
If you’ve just had a baby, remember everybody’s recovery journey is different. Depending on your birth experience and previous activity levels, it is sensible to take your time and gradually re-introduce activity. Again, if you weren’t active during your pregnancy, start slowly and increase your activity level over time. The golden rule is: if it’s comfortable, keep going; when it doesn’t feel comfortable, stop and seek advice. With a host of resources, support and advice, The Active Pregnancy Foundation’s website (activepregnancyfoundation.org) aims to guide and encourage new mums and mums-to-be to keep active safely during pregnancy, after childbirth and beyond.
WHAT IS AN ‘ACTIVE’ PREGNANCY?
When we talk about being active during pregnancy, this means everything from a walk to a hike, from cycling to work to spin classes: being active is for everyone.
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