for new mums & Mums to Be

Active Mums Lincolnshire

Being active has a host of benefits for pregnant women and new mums.

From preparing and supporting your body through the changes that pregnancy brings, to boosting your mood and helping you to connect with others as a new mum.

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Active Mums Lincolnshire is here to support you to get moving safely.

For most women with an uncomplicated pregnancy, keeping active during pregnancy is safe and has many health benefits.

Benefits of being active during pregnancy include:

• Helps to control weight gain
• Helps to reduce high blood pressure problems
• Helps to prevent Diabetes of Pregnancy
• Improves fitness
• Improves sleep
• Boosts mood

Keeping fit could also help you in labour, and make it easier to get back in shape following the birth.

If you are already active, then guidance suggests you can keep going. Just make sure you listen to your body, and adapt activities where necessary.

If you’re not currently active, start gradually and build up your levels of activity slowly. Walking or gentle exercise classes designed for pregnant women can be a great place to start.

If you aren’t sure about whether an activity is suitable for you, or aren’t sure what you can do, then discuss it with your midwife, doctor or healthcare provider.

Pregnancy CMO Guidelines

Take a look at this video from the Active Pregnancy Foundation, which helps explain the Chief Medical Officer’s guidance for pregnant women.

Being active following birth can help both your physical and mental wellbeing. Just remember to start gradually and build up activity levels slowly.

Benefits of being active for new mums include:

  • Time for yourself – can reduce worries and depression
  • Improves sleep
  • Helps to control weight and return to pre-pregnancy weight
  • Improves fitness
  • Improves back pain
  • Improves mood
  • Improves tummy muscle tone and strength

If you aren’t sure about whether an activity is suitable for you, or aren’t sure what you can do, then discuss it with your midwife, doctor or healthcare provider.

Postnatal CMO Guidelines

Check out this video from the Active Pregnancy Foundation, which helps explain the Chief Medical Officer’s guidance for women after birth.

Exercising Safely

For Mums To Be

If you were already active before pregnancy – keep going. If you weren’t already active it’s not to late to start moving more. As long as your pregnancy doesn’t present any complications, now is a good time to slowly introduce movement and activity.

  • Check with your doctor or midwife if you plan to start a new form of exercise.
  • Stick to moderate intensity exercise – it will make you breathe more deeply, but you should be able to carry out a conversation. 
  • Always stop if something hurts
  • Activities that require you to lie on your back should be avoided
  • Make sure you tell the teacher of your exercise class you are pregnant if the class isn’t just for pregnant women
  • Avoid overheating
  • Drink plenty water
  • Avoid bumping the bump- stay away from contact sports, and avoid any activities with a risk of falling, such as horse riding.

Guidance for New Mums

Following the birth of your child, if you’ve had a straightforward pregnancy you can resume gentle exercise as soon as you feel up to it. Good activities at this stage are things like walking, gentle stretches, pelvic floor exercises and abdominal exercises to help you build back your core strength.

Following your 6 -8 week healthcare professional check:

  • If you were active before, you can gradually reintroduce these activities into your new routine – listen to your body, you may need to adapt.
  • If you weren’t active before, it is ok to introduce movement into your new routine, but do this gradually and slowly.
  • You can build up to more intense activity as long as there are no signs of pelvic floor or abdominal wall dysfunction.
  • Look out for local exercise classes for new mums, this is often a good way to connect with others, and some classes enable you to bring your baby too.

Is it safe for me to be active?

For most women being active in pregnancy is safe and beneficial. If your pregnancy is presenting challenges and you are requiring additional monitoring and support, it is important to speak to your midwife before taking part in activities. 

The Get Active Questionnaire for Pregnancy (GAQ-P) has been designed to identify the small number of women who need to consult with a healthcare professional before they begin or continue to be physically active, and to help the majority of healthy pregnant women overcome any concerns they might have about getting or staying active. Follow the link to download the questionnaire.

 

Useful Links

Better Births Lincolnshire

Better Births has a range of information and advice to make sure you are well supported throughout your pregnancy. They have more useful advice on being active pre and post birth.

Find Your Active

The Active Pregnancy Foundation

Activity-based resources packed with advice and top tips to support you on your active journey through pregnancy and beyond.

This Mum Moves

Find a range of at home exercises for pregnant women and new mums and more exercise inspiration on the This Mum Moves national website.

 

Coach to Fitness - Prenatal

A free 6-week online programme to support you to be active through your pregnancy. The programme features three 28 minutes sessions each week.

Coach to Fitness - Postnatal

This 6-week online programme is led by qualified postnatal instructors to help you build up your activity levels after birth.

This Girl Can

Useful links and inspiration supporting women to get active in a way that works for them. Look out for top tips on juggling being active with childcare.

 

Find Out More

We’ve got loads of extra articles on ways to be an active mum in Lincolnshire.