Childbirth groups have reacted angrily to advice that new mothers should take two hours of exercise a week and avoid using screens before bedtime in the three months after their baby’s birth.
Mumsnet, the social network, said that the recommendations – which also include daily pelvic-floor exercises – “seem wildly optimistic about what looking after a newborn entails”.
And NCT, the parenting charity, warned that new parents could come to harm if they undertook the physical activity advised and could find the sleep advice “overwhelming”.
The groups were responding to guidance drawn up by an array of doctors and researchers, who based it on their analysis of 574 previous studies involving new mothers’ health.
The Canadian experts, whose guidance is published today in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, concluded that following their recommendations would improve mothers’ physical and mental health. They say that from as soon as their child is born mothers, unless there is a physical reason they cannot do so, should:
Do at least two hours of moderate to vigorous exercise a week, such as cycling, brisk walking or muscle-strengthening exercises, spread over four or more days.
Do daily pelvic-floor muscle training.
Avoid screen time and “maintain a dark, quiet environment before bed” to help ensure they sleep better.
The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology hopes its advice will prove useful for mothers because guidance on how to engage in physical activity after giving birth “is severely lacking”. They examined the evidence on subjects such as physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep during the first year after the baby’s birth.
But British experts criticised the recommendations and voiced anxiety that they could become “a stick to beat new mums with” and risked encouraging mothers to do too much too soon.
“Clear, evidence-based guidance on postpartum exercise is long overdue, and it’s encouraging to see recommendations that prioritise the wellbeing of new mothers, even if some of them seem wildly optimistic about what looking after a newborn entails,” said Justine Roberts, the founder and chief executive of Mumsnet.
“As Mumsnet users will attest, ‘developing a healthy sleep routine’ is much easier said than done.
“However, it’s crucial that this guidance doesn’t become yet another stick to beat new mums with.
“Many of them are already stretched to their limits, and advice like this isn’t always helpful if you don’t have the practical means to follow it.”
Katherine Walker, the NCT’s service development manager, said mothers would benefit from doing pelvic-floor exercises throughout their pregnancy and after giving birth.
But, she added: “More vigorous exercise requires a cautious approach. Recovery time varies significantly depending on the type of birth – whether a tear, which affects 85% of birthing parents, or a caesarean birth or forceps delivery, which may require a much longer healing period.
“It’s crucial not to pressure new parents into exercise while they are also adjusting to caring for their baby. We suggest starting slow and building up your strength, for example, by walking every day.”
For women adjusting to motherhood, “carrying and holding a newborn can be a workout in itself”, and parents should avoid lifting anything heavier than their baby in the first few weeks.
“With sleep deprivation being a reality for most new parents, additional demands may feel overwhelming.”
Janet Lindsay, the chief executive of Wellbeing of Women, also sounded a note of caution. “Exercise is beneficial and should happen when new mums are ready to and in the way that feels most achievable to them,” she said.
