# Support, childcare and other parents > The most useful help is practical: take turns minding the baby with a partner or relative, agree set times, and try a pram-friendly walking group. You can also be active with your children or fit short bouts around their routines. Some activity is better than none. - Type: Guide - Topic: Pregnancy & Early Parenthood › Active Early Parenthood - Status: test content, not reviewed yet - URL: https://twikka.com/learn/support-childcare-and-other-parents - Updated: 2026-10-21 - **Practical help is the most useful kind.** When one of you minds the baby, the other is free to be active [1][2]. - **Agree set times and look at the week ahead.** Parents who stay active tend to plan this with their partner [3]. - **Local walking groups are a gentle way to meet other parents.** Many are free and welcome prams [4]. - **You can be active with your children,** or fit short bouts around their routines; some activity is better than none [5][6]. ## How can a partner or family help you stay active after having a baby? The most useful help is practical: when one of you minds the baby, the other is free to be active [1][2]. Taking over baby care for a set time may be worth more than encouragement alone [2], so it helps to say what kind of help you want. Parents who stay active tend to agree set times with their partner, for example one exercising in the morning and the other after the children's bedtime. They also look at the week ahead and take over for each other [3]. Support from a partner is described as a key helper of activity for parents [3]. Help from wider family and friends counts too. Lack of physical and emotional support from family or healthcare professionals is consistently cited as a key barrier to exercise after birth [7]. Accepting offers of help with the baby from friends, family or your partner is a good habit to build [8]. > **Try this:** Ask your partner or a relative to take over baby care for 20 minutes this week so you can go for a walk. Then agree a time for next week. ## How do you find other parents to exercise with? Good starting points are local pram-friendly walking groups and parent-and-baby sessions. Your midwife or health visitor can tell you what is available in your area, including postnatal exercise classes where you can bring the baby [8]. Council and family-information listings often show local groups. Free, friendly buggy walks for new parents help prevent social isolation, give you a structured way to get out in the fresh air and exercise, and let you gain confidence by meeting other new parents [4]. Some walking groups are gentle and suit prams, toddlers and slings [9]. Some announce each week's walk through a messaging group and ask you to book a place [10]. Check the group's own page for the current day, place and booking details. Social support is described as a key helper of staying active after birth [11]. If you join a class that isn't a postnatal class, tell the instructor you have recently had a baby. Online groups are only one route. Social media features tend to give mixed results for becoming more active, and some people are reluctant to contact others they don't know [12]. If you're not comfortable with online groups, ask your midwife or health visitor about in-person options. Before you go, check who runs a group and that it is appropriate and safe. Don't treat a listing as verified just because it is online, and be careful about sharing personal or payment details. Listings can also be out of date. ## Which childcare options make exercise possible? The options that need little or no formal childcare are the best supported: taking turns with a partner, being active with your children, and fitting short bouts around their routines. Partner turn-taking works because when one person is active, the other looks after the children [1][2]. If your children are old enough, get them involved: play tag, go for family bike rides or have a dance party in the living room [5]. Energetic games with older children, using the stairs and walking short journeys instead of driving all add up [8]. Fitting activity in with children's activities is a major helper for parents, for example walking the sidelines at sports or using a track while the children are in the gym [3]. If you can't get out, borrow or watch exercise videos at home; a friend or your children can join in [8]. Short bouts count. Health benefits occur at levels below the recommended amounts, so some activity is better than none [6]. The WHO recommends adults aim for 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity a week, plus regular muscle-strengthening [6]. That is a direction, not an entry requirement. If you can arrange childcare with a partner or someone you trust, put the exercise time in the diary like any other appointment. How well gym crèches, childcare swaps with other parents or help from grandparents work isn't clear yet, so choose what feels right for you. When you're active with young children around, keep them supervised and away from equipment and hazards. ## When to check with a health professional If you're starting exercise after a long break, it's always a good idea to see your doctor first. After birth, start at a low level (low-impact, low-to-moderate intensity) and build up gradually. Keep an eye on pelvic health symptoms, muscle or joint pain, sleep and mood, and get advice from your doctor, midwife or physio if they persist [7]. Advice for postnatal women is to wait for the 6-week postnatal check with your doctor before high-impact exercise [13]. If you had a complicated birth or a caesarean, check with your doctor or midwife about when to do more. For a sore muscle or joint, ease off, and see a doctor or other health professional if it persists or gets worse. For an injury or a health condition, see a health professional, such as your doctor or a physio. If you live with a disability or a long-term health condition, a health professional or a specialist in activity and disability can help set the right type and amount of activity for you [6]. In pregnancy and after birth, bleeding, fluid leaking, regular painful contractions, the baby moving less, calf pain or swelling, or a bad headache or changes in vision need the midwife, doctor or maternity unit straight away. Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure (or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back, especially with sweating or feeling sick), severe breathlessness, fainting or collapse, signs of a stroke, a serious injury, or someone who isn't safe. Feeling tired and stretched is normal with a baby. If low mood or anxiety keeps going, talk to your midwife, doctor or a mental health service. If you have thoughts of self-harm or aren't safe, contact a local crisis line (findahelpline.com lists free services in every country), with your local emergency number. ## Quick answers ### What if my partner can't help or I'm a single parent? Choose activity that doesn't depend on anyone else, and keep the plan simple rather than detailed. A walking group can add company, and short bouts around your baby's routine still count. Say yes to offers of help from friends or relatives when they come, and ask for the kind of help you'd value most. ### How soon after having a baby can I start exercising again? It's normal and right to take a break in the first weeks after birth. Rest, recovery and adjusting to life with a new baby matter too. When you feel ready, start with small amounts and build up gradually. Some activity is better than none, and you can increase how often, how hard and how long over time. ### What if I feel self-conscious about joining a group? Feeling self-conscious is an ordinary feeling, not a problem to fix. A free, gentle walking group is an easy first step. You can bring a friend or family member if the group welcomes that, and you can leave whenever you like. Many new parents are meeting a group for the first time too. ## Sources 1. Carr RM et al. (2021). Postnatal Exercise Partners Study (PEEPS): a pilot randomized trial of a dyadic physical activity intervention for postpartum mothers and a significant other. Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8158286/ 2. (2023). Experiences of postpartum mothers and a significant other in a dyadic physical activity programme. https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/212694/1/1-s2.0-S2667239123000230-main.pdf 3. Mailey EL et al. (2014). Physical activity barriers and facilitators among working mothers and fathers. BMC Public Health, 14, 657. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4227023/ 4. City of Edinburgh Council. Antenatal and postnatal. https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/support-families/antenatal-postnatal/4 5. Get Active Victoria (2023). Practical exercise tips for busy parents. https://www.getactive.vic.gov.au/resources/practical-exercise-tips-for-busy-parents/ 6. Bull FC et al. (2020). World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955 7. Deering RE et al. (2024). Clinical and exercise professional opinion on designing a postpartum return-to-running training programme: an international Delphi study and consensus statement. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2023-107490 8. NHS. Keeping fit and healthy with a baby. https://www.nhs.uk/baby/support-and-services/keeping-fit-and-healthy-with-a-baby/ 9. Bolton Council. What's on for new parents. https://www.bolton.gov.uk/bolton-start-well-family-hubs/%E2%80%99s-new-parents 10. Oxfordshire Family Information Service. Birth Baby Balance Walking and Talking group. https://fisd.oxfordshire.gov.uk/kb5/oxfordshire/directory/service.page?familieschannel=203&id=SkfmT64k6T8 11. Evenson KR et al. (2014). Summary of international guidelines for physical activity after pregnancy. Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4134098 12. Shiyab W et al. (2023). The Impact of Social Media Interventions on Weight Reduction and Physical Activity Improvement Among Healthy Adults: Systematic Review. Journal of Medical Internet Research. https://doi.org/10.2196/38429 13. Mullins E et al. (2021). Postnatal exercise interventions: a systematic review of adherence and effect. BMJ Open. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8487169/ --- Source: Twikka (https://twikka.com/learn/support-childcare-and-other-parents). General information about physical activity, not medical advice.