Advice, support and resources to help keep mums, mums to be and their families active
To help support women pre, during and post-pregnancy, toddlers, children, dads, partners, grandparents and wider family members, a physical activity project, #ActiveMums, is being launched to help them to look after their health and wellbeing and to stay connected at home during the isolation period.
This collaboration aims to provide a platform which is fun, interactive and inclusive for mums and pregnant women, to improve health and wellbeing and to tackle isolation, for the whole family. Connecting the community through this online project will empower a network of mums and mums-to-be to see the benefits of physical activity, reduced social isolation, improved social skills, better emotional health, reduced risk of depression and post-natal depression, and reduced childhood obesity.
Please see below a video message from Catherine McClennan, Programme Director for the NHS Improving Me programme.
Coronavirus (COVID19): Advice during pregnancy
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has released information for pregnant women and new mums. It includes advice for pregnant women who are working, and those who are healthcare professionals. Take a look!
For further information, have a look at the World Health Organisation’s information via this link
#ActiveMums, Mummy and me exercise at home
Mummy and Me Exercise at Home As part of the #ActiveMums project, Active Cheshire is working in partnership with MisFit Training to bring you a series of “Mummy and Me Exercise at Home” resources that you and your little ones can do together. These exercises are tailored for mums with children in 3 stages including, newborn, toddler and KS1 age group, and you can join in and take part from the comfort of your own home at a time that is most convenient for you. We hope you enjoy taking part!
www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/keeping-fit-and-healthy/
Stretches and Warmup Video! Mum and newborn age group workout video
Newborn exercise doc Mum and Toddler age group workout video
Toddler exercise doc Mum and KS1 age group workout video
KS1 exercise doc Mum and New Born workout video New Born Exercise doc (2)
Mum and toddler age group workout video Mums and toddler doc
Mums and KS1 workout video Mums and KS1 doc Mums and Newborn Exercise doc (3)
Mums and New Born video Mums and Toddler doc (3) Mums and Toddler video
Mums and KS1 doc (3) Mums and KS1 video
BeFit4Baby
Our collaboration with Cheshire and Merseyside Women’s and Children’s Services Partnership and Merseyside Sport Partnership brings you free, at-home pregnancy exercise videos by the brilliant Juanita Steel.
The videos are live for you to watch on Facebook on Monday and Wednesday 11am.
If you miss the livestream sessions you can always catch up on YouTube! Give it a go and keep yourself and your baby healthy and happy!
A diary of an active mum
Here at Active Cheshire we have an Active mum to be! Our amazing Hayley is expecting her first child in October. We would like you to support and share Hayley’s journey, through pregnancy and get inspired with her during this difficult and challenging time.
To follow Hayley’s journey through pregnancy and see how she’s keeping fit and healthy, please follow her weekly blog!
Resources
We have collected a range of additional resources for you to take a look at. Check them out via the links below:
NHS – Whatever you want to know about getting pregnant, being pregnant or caring for your new baby, you should find it here. You’ll find week-by-week guides, videos, health advice and information about your NHS pregnancy journey.
- When is your baby due calculator
- Advice covering “I’m pregnant”
- Labour and birth information
- Your newborn
- Exercise in pregnancy
- Babies and toddlers
- Your pregnancy – a week by week guide
Kidsguide.org – Providing support & specialist services for pregnant women and partners, antenatal classes, bumps and babes groups, NCT, ante-natal exercise. Birth advice, support, private midwives and doulas in Cheshire West and East Cheshire.
UK Active – Here’s another great site offering support and guidance to help keep mums active during and after pregnancy
Royal Foundation – Take a look at how the Royal foundation is helping early years. The Duchess of Cambridge has launched ‘Five Big Questions on the Under-Fives’, which aims to trigger ‘lasting change for generations to come’. Please fill out the survey here
The first 1000 days of life – An in-depth and informative PDF detailing the first 1000 days of life from conception to the age of 2.
The Baby Buddy app is designed to support both you and your baby. Download the app and take Baby Buddy wherever you go and get quality-assured information
Take a look at this amazing resource from My Baby Manual – providing exercises for each trimester!
Trimester 1
- Week 4 – Pregnancy pelvic tilt
- Week 7 – How to safely stretch during pregnancy
- Week 8 – Toughen up your pelvic floor
- Week 11 – Aerobic workouts in your first trimester
- Week 12 – (Yoga) Relaxation is key to a healthy pregnancy
Trimester 2
- Week 15 – Dance those pregnancy blues away
- Week 17 – Resistance band exercises in the second trimester
- Week 19 – Using an exercise ball in pregnancy
- Week 20 – Strengthen your core the right way
- Week 22 – Exercises you can do while working
- Week 23 – Strengthening your upper-body in the second trimester
- Week 25 – Perfecting your pelvic floor exercise technique
Trimester 3
- Week 28 – Yoga poses to prepare your body for labour
- Week 29 – Squatting in the third trimester
- Week 30 – The cobbler pose: essential for labour
- Week 31 – Get ready for labour with a few pelvic tilts
- Week 33 – Looking after your joints and back for a pain-free third trimester
Further information can be found on the following pages:
Local services & online workouts
Please read
For many women, pregnancy doesn’t mean they can’t carry on being active or start to do more activity if they wish. We would always suggest that if you are unsure whether it is safe for you to do more exercise then please contact your midwife.
The resources we have found are all designed to help women feel good and keep healthy and active. If you feel uncomfortable at any point then please stop or take a break if needed.
Please make sure your exercise area is clear and there is nothing nearby which could cause a trip or fall. All the resources are made with pregnancy in mind, however it is important to understand that if you choose to take part, you do so at your own risk.