Effect of Postpartum Exercise on Mothers and their Offspring: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

LARSON-MEYER, DAWNINE ENETTE. Effect of postpartum exercise on mothers and their offspring: a review of the literature. Obes Res. 2002;10:841-853. Epidemiological studies suggest that childbearing may contribute to the development of obesity. In the past 12 years, several cross-sectional and randomized trials have addressed the effect of postpartum exercise on weight loss and/or energy balance in mostly lactating women. These studies suggest that moderate exercise without specific calorie restriction does not promote greater weight or fat loss. This may be because exercise may promote greater energy intake and/or reduced energy expenditure from nonexercise physical activity (thus preventing negative energy balance), but further research is needed. Regular exercise, however, is likely to have other important health benefits after childbirth. A few published studies suggest that postpartum exercise improves aerobic fitness, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels, and insulin sensitivity. Exercise may also enhance psychological well-being, but controlled clinical studies are needed. Although two published studies have addressed whether exercise training attenuates lactationinduced bone loss, better controlled studies are needed to determine whether postpartum weight-bearing exercise can improve bone mineral density in lactating and nonlactating women alike. In lactating women, several studies have collectively determined that neither acute nor regular exercise has adverse effects on a mother's ability to successfully breast-feed. It needs to be determined whether a woman's participation in regular exercise after childbirth will improve her ability to mother or instill lifetime habits of regular physical activity in either herself or her offspring. Overall, published studies have established the importance of regular exercise during the postpartum period. More research, however, is needed in this important area.

MobileMums: A Randomized Controlled Trial of an SMS-Based Physical Activity Intervention

“…This group is consistently shown to be less active than women of the same age without children [12][13][14][15] or women with older children [13,16,17]. Furthermore, there are additional health benefits of regular physical activity for women during the postnatal period including reductions in lower back pain, extreme fatigue, urinary leakage [18], postnatal depression [19][20][21], and depressive symptoms [22] as well as increased vitality and psychological well-being and improved body image [14,[23][24][25][26][27]. Appropriate and accessible physical activity interventions are required for postnatal women.…”

The effectiveness of a health‐based message on pregnant women’s intentions to exercise postpartum

“…This study used the same six-panel brochure used by Gaston and Gammage (2010) which aimed to target the three major constructs of the TPB: attitudes, SN, and PBC. Only factual information supported by academic references was presented (Larson-Meyer, 2002;Sampselle et al, 1999;Davies, Wolfe, Mottola, & MacKinnon, 2003). The behavioural beliefs underlying attitude were targeted by outlining several health benefits of exercise.…”

Health versus appearance messages, self‐monitoring and pregnant women’s intentions to exercise postpartum

“…In particular, the physical demands of pregnancy and caring for a newborn highlight the need for health and well-being. While numerous studies have confirmed the benefits of physical activity in the general population (see Pate et al, 1995 for review), physical exercise is as beneficial during the postpartum period as it is at other times in a woman's life (Larson-Meyer, 2002). In particular, women who are physically active after the birth of their baby enjoy several health and appearance benefits.…”

“…Appearance benefits include the return to one's pre-pregnancy body more quickly, prevention of obesity or overweight, improvement of skin and hair *Corresponding author. Email: ancagaston@gmail.com health, and improvement of body image satisfaction (Clapp, 1998;Kunin & Gottlieb, 2005;Larson-Meyer, 2002;Sears, 2007).…”

“…In particular, women who are physically active after the birth of their baby enjoy several health and appearance benefits. According to a review of the literature (Larson-Meyer, 2002), health benefits include increased strength and aerobic fitness, improved bone health and prevention of bone loss associated with lactation, improved mood and self-esteem, reduced incidence of postpartum depression, improved insulin response following meals, and encouragement of physical activity in the child. Appearance benefits include the return to one's pre-pregnancy body more quickly, prevention of obesity or overweight, improvement of skin and hair *Corresponding author.…”