Fitness
New mums are being ‘strongly encouraged’ to take regular exercise and get more sleep. Don’t make me laugh | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett
One of the many things you don’t realise until you have a newborn is just how much people congratulate you simply for leaving the house. “Well done for getting out and about,” they say, with the cheerful camaraderie of People Who Know. Going outside may sound like a low benchmark, but during those early weeks summoning the energy to put on clothes, pack a bag, and then using that narrow window between sleeping, feeding, pooing and screaming to cross the threshold into the world can feel like the grand sum total of all human endeavour. Screw the frescoes of the Scrovegni chapel: Mama made it to Budgens.
Which explains my reaction when I read that new guidelines published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine say that new mothers should be strongly encouraged to do at least two hours of moderate to vigorous exercise a week, in addition to “daily pelvic floor muscle training”, and further that they should develop a “healthy sleep hygiene routine”, avoid screen time and “maintain a dark, cool, quiet environment before bed”.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Where to start with this? Maybe with the phrase “strongly encouraged”, as though new mothers don’t get enough of that. In the absence of proper, structural support, strong encouragement is all society has. Take an anonymous call I received a few days after we were discharged from the hospital, still reeling from a complicated birth (when people ask what kind it was, I say: “I think maybe … all of them?”) I picked up the phone. “Hello?” I said, tentatively. I was in the bathroom at the time, observing the carnage of my life and body with the sort of stoned detachment that comes with zero sleep and opioid withdrawal. “HELLO. ARE YOU EXERCISING YOUR PELVIC FLOOR?” a woman bellowed down the line. “Who is this?” I said. “I AM CALLING FROM THE WHITTINGTON HOSPITAL. YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE DOING YOUR KEGELS. OK, BYE.”
In France, pelvic floor rehabilitation is a cornerstone of postnatal care, with the government providing physio sessions. Here, a midwife with a list of numbers and a robust phone manner yells at you about your ruined vagina. I still think fondly of her. But I think if she had also told me to do two hours of exercise and develop a healthy sleep routine as well, I’d have “strongly encouraged” her to do something else with her phone.
Look, I am not saying the advice isn’t important. As the professionals who have written this paper say, the postpartum period puts women at risk of all kinds of health problems, and is “a unique and critical window of opportunity to identify people at high risk for future chronic disease and to implement early interventions to improve lifelong health”. Of course it’s beneficial to become mobile as soon as possible after the birth, and to get as much sleep as you are physically able. New mothers know this. But they also know that achieving basic tasks, often in the absence of much support, can feel nigh-on impossible. Had I tried to develop their description of a healthy bedtime routine, I’d have basically been consigned to a dark room while my son did cluster feeding (and cluster pooing) for five hours. Is it any wonder I opted for binge-eating flapjacks in front of back-to-back Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy?
When postpartum, in order to carve out time for exercise and sleep, you need a support system around you. You need visits from health professionals, an engaged partner who doesn’t go back to work after a mere two weeks, and your family around you (the paper acknowledges this, too). I was lucky enough to have this, and I still found it hard to find a moment for myself, so I can only imagine how hard it must be if you’re less supported. I expect these guidelines will just become another thing that many new mothers feel they are failing at, and the NCT agrees, saying that parents may find the pressure “overwhelming”.
I’ve just been reading Becky Barnicoat’s brilliant and hilarious Cry When the Baby Cries, a graphic memoir which vividly evokes those feverish, feral, fluid-soaked months after giving birth (she is an advocate, by the way, of achieving absolutely nothing as a survival tactic). There’s a part in the book where she goes for her postpartum doctor visit, six weeks after an emergency C-section, and he shames her for not doing exercise: “Most women like to get their bodies back as quickly as possible.” The following image, of her pushing the pram home with tears streaming down her face, viscerally captures the impact that a few unkind words can have on you at this time of deep vulnerability.
Too many of us have had moments like these, when someone could have been kind, but wasn’t. When it comes to guidelines for new mums, far less thought seems to be put into the manner of delivery. Sometimes “advice” is delivered so cruelly that it stays with you for years afterwards. There are many things I wish for postpartum women: better healthcare, better support (like in the Netherlands), better paternity leave, often, sadly, better husbands. But most of all, I wish people were a bit nicer to them.
What’s working
My son has been enjoying the new trampoline his dad gave him for his third birthday, especially to a soundtrack of disco music. It confirms my belief that, when parenting feels tricky, a “vibe shift” can work wonders. I was feeling emotional and exhausted yesterday, but watching him bounce, grinning, to Le Freak, somehow made everything feel OK again.
What’s not
Several good friends are dealing with toddlers who run off, sometimes towards traffic. Reins are largely frowned upon by this generation of parents (one friend even received judgmental comments for using them in the vicinity of actual lions while at a safari park), but it got me thinking how they did perform quite an important safety function. Is it time to rehabilitate them, or at least be a bit more understanding of one another?
It’s important to have goals in mind as you set out on your fitness journey, whether you’re trying to lose weight, gain muscle or train for a race.skynesher/Supplied
January is notoriously the busiest time of year at the gym. A survey from Ipsos reported that a third of Canadians made exercise-based resolutions for the new year, with many folks working out for the first time or returning to fitness after some time away. If you’re new to exercise, the gym can feel like an intimidating place. But it doesn’t need to be. Below we’ve put together a few suggestions to help you get started.
Have a plan going in
For success at the gym, it’s crucial to have a plan. Before you start, it’s important to identify your goals. Are you looking to get stronger? Training for a race or competition? Do you want to improve body composition? While almost any consistent exercise is going to improve your overall health, specific results require specific training.
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Those completely new to working out may want to invest in a few sessions with a personal trainer. A reputable trainer will be able to put together a plan based on your preferences and skill level, while walking you through the proper form for each exercise. If cost is an issue, many gyms offer a free intro training session as a sign-up perk. There are also hundreds of different workout programs you can find online and video tutorials outlining proper form.
If you’re intimidated to exercise on your own, a fitness class allows you to follow along with an instructor while getting some quick pointers on how to properly perform the workout. Many gyms offer discounted or free classes to first-time visitors.
Trying to do too much, too fast will burn you out, leave you injured or both
When you’re motivated by a new year’s resolution, it’s tempting to pencil in long gym sessions multiple times a week. But that kind of regime is rarely sustainable. If you’d like to make exercising a habit beyond January – and you’ll need to for any kind of lasting results – it’s best to think about what you can do in the long term.
“You can either do an hour of weightlifting a few days a week, and actually do it, or you have these imaginary 10-hour training sessions you’ll never actually have time for,” said Dan John, strength coach and author. “I try to focus on [programs that are] doable, repeatable and reasonable.”
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Similarly, trying to immediately push beyond your physical limitations is a great way to get injured. For weightlifting, it’s important to consider proper warm-ups, active mobility exercises and learning the right techniques before trying to lift anything too heavy. For cardio, Canada Running Series offers a Couch to 5K plan that eases newcomers into jogging by starting small and gradually increasing the length/difficulty of each run.
Follow basic gym etiquette
The gym is a shared public space. Everyone there is trying to get in a good workout. That’s harder to do when people are having phone conversations, listening to videos without using headphones and refusing to wipe down their equipment after use.
In March, fitness trainer Paul Landini wrote an article explaining some unofficial rules to follow when going to the gym, including being mindful of other people’s space and making sure you’re not monopolizing equipment during busy hours.
Try to find what you like about the gym
Changes in body composition, strength and overall health take time. They also need upkeep over the long term. Building a consistent fitness habit is something that will help with all those goals. One of the best ways to do that is finding something at the gym you genuinely enjoy doing. That can be working out with a friend to add a social aspect to exercise and accountability to show up. It can entail learning a new fitness-adjacent skill such as boxing or training for a competition like Hyrox. It can be rooted in the sense of accomplishment that comes with getting stronger. Whatever the reason, finding the joy in exercise is going to be key if you want to move beyond short-term motivation.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Finding time to work out as a mom with young kids can be a challenge in itself, especially when you’re new to an area and don’t know where to start. However, a new fitness option strolled into Sioux Falls today. iStroll offers moms the chance to work out and meet other moms all while their kids can play or even join alongside them.
iStroll is a national organization that has more than 35 locations in the country but this is the first time one opened in South Dakota. It’s a full body workout that incorporates dumbbells, body weight, and jogging strollers when the weather’s nice.
“I found iStroll in Oklahoma and fell in love,” said Kelsi Supek who started the affiliate in Sioux Falls. “We made friends. It became our entire social network. The kids loved it and then we moved to Arizona during COVID. And all the moms were stuck at home. They were inside with our kids and lonely, honestly. And we were like, why can’t we start an iStroll and be out at the parks with the kids every day? And it took off.”
When Supek moved to Sioux Falls, she was encouraged by her family to start an affiliate and own it herself.
“Gym daycares did not work out for my children,” said Supek. “I would get 10 minutes into a class and then I’d have that person trying to knock outside the yoga studio going, Can I have Kelsey and her kids screaming in daycare? And it just didn’t work for us. So at iStroll they could be with me or I could be breastfeeding the baby as I was teaching in class.”
Classes are planned to continue each Wednesday and Friday at We Rock the Spectrum and First Presbyterian Church. For a full schedule for January and February, you can look at their Facebook. The first class is also free and memberships are for the whole family.
“Letting the kids see you work out is, it’s similar to homeschooling where like, you know, how are they going to love working out if they don’t see you working out,” said Kelly Jardeleza, a stay-at-home mom of three kids. “Whereas at other gyms they put them in a room and they don’t get to watch you. And how are you going to inspire them if they’re not watching you do it?”
Copyright 2026 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.
There’s no bad time to take a more active interest in your health, but the new year, for lots of us, feels like a fresh start. Maybe you’re planning to sign up for a 10k or finally have a go at bouldering, eat a bit better or learn to swing a kettlebell. Maybe you want to keep up with your grandkids — or just be a little bit more physically prepared for whatever life throws at you.
To help things along, Guardian Live invites you to a special event with public health expert Devi Sridhar, journalist and author Mariella Frostrup, and health and fitness columnist Joel Snape. They’ll be joining the Guardian’s Today in Focus presenter Annie Kelly to discuss simple, actionable ways to stay fit and healthy as you move through the second half of life: whether that means staying strong and mobile or stressing less and sleeping better.
To make the whole event as helpful as possible, we’d love to hear from you about what you find most challenging — or confusing — when it comes to health and exercise. What should you actually be eating, and how are you going to find the time to make it? What sort of exercise is best, and how often should you be doing it? Is Pilates worth the effort — and should we really all be drinking mugfuls of piping hot creatine?
Whether your question is about exercise, eating, or general wellness, post it below and we’ll put a selection to our panel on the night.
Share your experience
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