Physical Activity for Mothers

Did you know that 84 percent of Australian women have at least one child by the time they are 44 years of age? This makes motherhood a dominant life role for many women. At times, taking care of a baby or child can interrupt participation in physical activity. However recovering your health and becoming physically active again is essential to your health and wellbeing. It can also be fun!

When a mother has the additional responsibilities of raising a child with a disability, she may find that time, resources, and access to services for her own health may be compromised to some degree. Consequently, mothers need knowledge about women’s health and health related lifestyle choices. This module presents some information for you!

In Module 2, we provided a resource about some of the common health issues experienced by Australian women. The module made the point that choosing a healthy lifestyle promotes health; healthy eating, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking, participating in physical activity and relaxing activities as well.

It is important to plan a healthy lifestyle for yourself every day. Executing a healthy lifestyle plan requires conscious decision making, planning and actions that will provide your body with sufficient rest, nourishment and physical activity. There are many ways that you can positively influence your own health.

Physical activity supports health at any age, and being an active, healthy mum is important for mothers like you. Over the years running the HMHF workshops and studying outcomes and changes that mothers experienced, the most popular are changes in stress and social connections. Fewer women seek changes in their physical activity. However, research evidence suggests that physical activity is one of the most effective ways to protect your health and wellbeing. Here are some words from past participants:

Here are some words from past participants:

I don’t do any exercise…It’s been a time factor. I was so busy either doing stuff with the boys or running around doing stuff for the autism community that I wasn’t doing anything for me.

I am trying to walk more, when I wasn’t walking at all. Through the workshops I’ve learned that it is okay to look after myself… I’ve always been told: “If you don’t look after yourself, who’s going to look after your family?” Now I’ve started to really grasp the meaning of those words and I am trying to put some things in place that help me.