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Calling all pregnant women and new mums

25th November 2021

New campaign to promote activity designed with you in mind.

The next time you speak with your GP, midwife or health visitor, why not ask them about our new Active Mums Start With You campaign – created especially for pregnant women and new mums as a way to encourage them to get more active. 

Launched in response to a recent survey – which found that 64% of pregnant women or women with children under one year feel nervous or anxious when it comes to physical activity – our new National Lottery-funded campaign has been developed so that healthcare professionals can talk openly with expectant and new mums, just like you, to offer advice on how to exercise safely. 

Being active during pregnancy and postnatally can be hugely beneficial in supporting your physical and mental health, but one of the biggest worries for new mothers is anxiety over what they can and cannot do when pregnant. 

A pregnant woman works out on a rowing machine.

This is where Active Mums Starts With You can help build confidence - especially if you are feeling anxious about your activity levels and could do with some expert guidance.  

Frances Drury, head of activation at Sport England, thinks these resources, which also include training developed for healthcare professionals as part of the This Mum Moves project, could be key in empowering expectant mothers and new mums to be active. 

“Being pregnant and having a baby is a huge transition in life and it’s no surprise that staying active becomes even more of a challenge,” she said. 

“The significant barrier we want to tackle with this campaign is that women often aren’t clear on what is and isn’t safe to participate in and are often nervous about returning to being fully active after having a baby. 

“We understand the enormous pressures that healthcare professionals are under, especially in the wake of the pandemic, but we hope this campaign serves as a positive reminder of the influence they can have over expectant and new mums and the many mental and physical health benefits of regular activity.” 

The resources are designed to help healthcare professionals have a conversation about exercise after a survey showed 33% of midwives and health visitors, from the 393 questioned, rarely or never spoke about or gave advice on getting active to pregnant women, with 27% rarely or never giving advice to new mums. 

Being pregnant and having a baby is a huge transition in life and it’s no surprise that staying active becomes even more of a challenge."

Frances Drury

Head of activation, Sport England

Not discussing physical activity in an appointment is often due to a lack of time, knowledge and skills, as well as a lack of confidence in raising the topic and a lack of training. 

Our new campaign aims to combat this and enable pregnant women and new mums to feel more confident in getting active and experiencing its benefits – which include improved emotional wellbeing, a reduction in hypertensive disorders and a reduced risk of developing gestational diabetes. 

Dr Zoe Williams, clinical champion for physical activity and lifestyle at the Royal College of GPs, thinks the new resources could make all the difference in helping pregnant women and new mums get active. 

“Evidence shows that being regularly active can have a positive impact on many conditions related to pregnancy and early motherhood, including depression,” she said. 

“This is why we’re supporting this campaign, alongside the Institute of Health Visiting, as we want to help ensure our colleagues have all the information and advice needed to instigate brief, appropriate conversations about pregnant and postpartum physical activity with their patients.” 

Keep an eye out for our campaign, which features images of pregnant women and new mothers getting active in a variety of dynamic, but safe, ways, with links to a wide range of resources - including information on popular activities to try such as resistance training, dance and yoga - with guidance developed by the Active Pregnancy Foundation.   

Find out more

Active Mums Start With you