A Turner Valley group is taking steps to help new moms get active amidst a new study that found mothers exercise less and consume more sugary drinks, fat and calories than women without children.
The Mommy and Me exercise program is a weekly class held on Tuesday mornings at the United Church in Turner Valley, where mothers can drop in to work out alongside other mothers while their children are taken care of by an on-site childcare provider.
“It’s important for mothers to get active for their mental health, physical health, stamina and just overall wellbeing,” said Jessie Smulders of the Energy Shop in Black Diamond, who leads the exercise class.
“For a lot of women, pregnancy is one of the most inactive times of their life so it’s good for them to get out, get active, and get their self-confidence back, which is always hard after you’ve had a baby,” she added.
Run as a collaborative effort between the High Country Health and Wellness Coalition, the United Church in Turner Valley and the Energy Shop, the program first began last February and has already been incredibly successful in its first year, said Smulders.
Every week sees between nine and 13 participants, from brand new mothers to those with toddler-aged children, she said. The classes incorporate a variety of exercise, from cardio to resistance bands. In summer months, the instructor takes the class outside.
Smulders said the High Country Health and Wellness Coalition launched the program based on a need they saw in the community to improve the health of young mothers.
With funding from the Calgary Rural Primary Care Network, mothers can take part in the subsidized program for only $3 per class.
Since she started teaching the class, Smulders said she noticed a definite connection between physical health and being a better parent.
“Taking that time for yourself allows you to be more focused as a parent,” she said. “If you have a more positive attitude, it’s easier to be a better parent.”
Published in this month’s Journal of Pediatrics, the study, carried out by researchers from the University of Minnesota, reaffirmed the link between the daily demands of parenthood and negative health outcomes, especially for young mothers.
Researchers looked at 838 women and 682 men from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
They found young mothers tended to have a slightly higher body mass index and poorer diets compared to young women without children. The women in the study reported consuming more sugar-sweetened drinks, calories and saturated fats than childless women.
The researchers stressed the importance of helping young women and men stay healthy while they balance parenting with other “life stressors,” adding there is a concern children will pick up their parents’ poor lifestyle habits.
The benefits of the group exercise class for mothers are plentiful, said Smulders.
The classes often result in some women engaging in a more active lifestyle outside the program and going to the gym more often, she said.
“It gives them a little bit of motivation to say, ‘I can do this,’ and want to be healthier,” she said.
During the class, mothers can choose to either wear their babies using a carrier, or can let the children play while a childcare provider takes care them, along with a student from Education Plus.
For Turner Valley resident and mother Sandy Tait, the ability to have her children nearby while she worked out was appealing to her.
“The opportunity to bring the kids, and the fact that they were able to run free and interact with us while we’re doing it,” said Tait. “There’s no separated area that they have to be sent off to, and they’re able to see that physical activity is an important part of life.”
Tait has been going to the Mommy and Me exercise classes regularly since the program was launched.
“I wanted to get back in shape after having kids,” said Tait, who has two kids, Julie, 3, and 18-month-old Olivia. “When you exercise you have a lot more energy which helps when you have rambunctious children.”
Noticing the benefit the classes are having on her children as well, Tait said she would continue attending the classes as long as they are offered.
“It’s something that the kids look forward to going to,” she said. “They’re able to burn off some energy too, and they like playing with the other kids. Sometimes they like to copy the exercises which is pretty funny.”
The Mommy and Me program isn’t open exclusively to mothers, added Smulders. The class has seen a few fathers take part as well, although there are fewer stay-at-home dads than moms.
Classes are held on Tuesday mornings, starting at 9:30 a.m., at the United Church in Turner Valley.
