Active Northumberland’s Mams on the Move programme – helping support ante and post natal mums with their physical and emotional health through exercise, Northumberland

Active Northumberland with Northumbria Midwives Trust, supported by Sport England funding 2018-2022

Overview

The Mams on the Move programme is a community based physical activity programme funded by Sport England. The programme was initially funded by Sport England from 2018 to 2022. A variety of classes are available under the programme for ante and post natal women including Mamas Yoga, Core Stability, Buggy Walks, Aqua natal swim classes led by Northumbria healthcare midwives as well as Pilates and Birth Preparation Classes.

Actions taken

The classes are especially designed to help support ante and post natal ladies to:

  • Improve physical health through exercise delivered by specially qualified ante and post-natal instructors.
  • Help improve emotional health including feelings of anxiety, stress and low mood.
  • Experience the benefits of group exercise with other mums and mums-to be to help reduce feelings of loneliness.
  • Provide the opportunity to bond with their baby.
  • Help feel more energised and refreshed.

Outcomes

  • Over 1,700 ‘Mams on the Move’ Facebook members
  • 95% of our customers would be likely to recommend the ‘Mams on the Move’ programme to a friend (results from June 2021 Customer survey)
  • 97% are likely to likely or very likely to continue being active (results from June 2021 Customer survey)
  • 88% are likely to return to ‘Mams on the Move’ if they have another child (results from June 2021 Customer survey)
  • Giving knowledge and understanding on appropriate physical activity for post natal women to healthcare professionals increased their confidence and likelihood to refer them to the Mams on the Move programme.
  • 85% of those who said they were referred by a healthcare professional from the Facebook survey indicated that had impacted on their decision to attend.

The Mams on the Move programme also helped Heathcare Professionals including midwives and Health Visitors to understand the benefits exercise can have on ante and post natal ladies physical and emotional health encouraging them to sign post ladies to the Mams on the Move programme. This was achieved providing free training seminars for Healthcare Professionals to educate them about the benefits of exercise for post-natal ladies. Mams on the Move also worked in partnership with Northumbria Midwives Trust to deliver aqua natal classes for mums to be which were all midwife led sessions.

Benefits and results

Mums and mums-to-be said:

  • Rachel was a calm and knowledgeable influence and the antenatal yoga course was probably what helped me most during birth
  • The instructors were so lovely, welcoming and encouraging • Classes are adapted for all fitness levels; I don’t feel judged if I need to stop
  • Felt like a safe place with other new mums.
  • Fun classes and feel like I’ve achieved something afterwards
  • Great to be able to have baby with me too!
  • How friendly and open everyone is about life and being a new mum takes the pressure off for just a minute

The funding from Sport England finished in 2022 but the programme is now being supported by Active Northumberland as part of their wider offering – All Mams on the Move classes are available under their standard fitness membership as well as being available on a Pay as you go basis. Mams on the Move specific classes continue to evolve and expand to different locations across the county.

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