The postpartum period is a time of . The recent Olympic Games brought to light the exceptional capacity of women after the birth of a child and is a story of success for women athletes globally. However, it is important to recognize that this elite level of sport and success postpartum is not a realistic representation of the experience of most mothers in attempting to return to movement after the birth of a child, even those desiring to return to elite competition.
In a , distance runner Kara Goucher reflected on the negative impact returning to running too soon after the birth of her son had on her body and emotional well-being. In a world where we seek lifestyle-based advice from social media and are inundated with unrealistic images of postpartum women and success, the global conversation around motherhood success at the Olympics may negatively impact those who are " " the early years of parenting. New mothers and physical activity When Olympic mothers are interviewed, they are often modest about their achievements and discuss the exceptional amount of support needed to reach their goals.
This includes both in infant rearing and access to health-care professionals in effective rehabilitation and return to movement. These are components most new mothers do not have access to. Many new mothers struggle with finding the time and knowing how to start engaging in physical activity .
In my work in postpartum physical activity engagement, I hear from mothers about their experien.