New moms should go for a walk in the park to reduce their chances of developing the “baby blues,” a study suggests.
Finding time to do about an hour of gentle to moderate exercise a week could reduce your risk of postpartum depression by almost half.
Researchers found that it could also help reduce symptoms among new mothers who have depression or anxiety.
Maternal depression and anxiety are relatively common after childbirth, often triggered by significant physical and emotional changes associated with pregnancy and childbirth.
It can lead to reduced self-care and compromise the care and bond between mother and baby, which in turn can affect the cognitive, emotional and social development of the child.
Finding time to do about an hour of light to moderate exercise a week could reduce the risk of postpartum depression by almost half (file photo)
Maternal depression and anxiety are relatively common after childbirth, often triggered by major physical and emotional changes (file photo)
Researchers at the University of Alberta, Canada, examined 35 studies involving more than 4,000 women from 14 different countries.
They found that exercising for at least 80 minutes each week could dramatically reduce the risk or alleviate symptoms in sufferers.
Noting that birth experiences can vary widely, experts said this must be balanced with your recovery.
They suggest restarting exercise with “gentle” walking, which you can do with your babies, and then increasing to “moderate” activity, such as brisk walking or water aerobics, when they’re ready.
This moderate physical activity could include brisk walking, water aerobics, stationary cycling or resistance training, according to a team of academics in Canada.
Starting exercise before 12 weeks after birth was linked to a greater reduction in depressive symptoms than starting later, according to findings published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
And the greater the volume of exercise, the greater the reduction in symptom severity, the research found.
To reap the benefits of exercise, women should aim for at least 80 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week and be moderately active on at least four of the seven days.
Starting exercise before 12 weeks after birth was linked to a greater reduction in depressive symptoms than starting later (file photo)
Exercising for at least 80 minutes each week could dramatically reduce the risk or alleviate symptoms in sufferers (file photo)
Some 275 women in the UK died during pregnancy or in the six weeks after between 2020 and 2022, according to the latest MBRRACE-UK report.
And 31 of these deaths were attributed to mental health problems.
Lead author Professor Margie Davenport, from the University of Alberta, said: “While historical recommendations suggest waiting six weeks before beginning moderate to vigorous intensity exercise, more recent work has suggested that early mobilization and incorporation Light-intensity physical activity, such as gentle walking, may facilitate postpartum recovery.
‘Once (the mother) has recovered from childbirth, short, gentle walks are recommended.
“Walking is a great way to get exercise and it’s something you can do with your baby.”
He said it was important to pay attention to symptoms such as poor recovery after exercise, which may mean exercise is progressing too quickly.
She added: “Every person’s ideal start time will be different, balancing the need to recover and heal from childbirth with the willingness to begin being physically active to reap physical and mental health benefits.”
