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This Girl Can's push in support of new and expectant mothers

Our campaign is shining a light on the fact that over half of pregnant women and new mums on lower incomes feel excluded from sport and physical activity.

19th January 2026

Over half (57%) of pregnant women and mothers with children under the age of one have felt excluded or unwelcome when trying to be active, according to new research by This Girl Can.

It found that alongside feelings of exclusion, pregnant women and new mums from lower-income backgrounds face a number of barriers to movement.

For many, this can be a time when they disengage from physical activity altogether – and often find it hard to return to.

Pregnant women and new mothers are being supported by This Girl Can’s We Like the Way You Move campaign, to start moving for just 10 minutes a day to feel the immediate benefits.

Three pregnant women stretch their arms upwards during a yoga class.

The majority (58%) of new mums and pregnant women say that pregnancy and motherhood negatively affected their physical activity levels, citing being too tired from childcare (46%), having a lack of time with a newborn (38%) and limited childcare options (21%) as barriers to getting active.

Changes in their body are also significant, with women losing confidence in their body (39%) and having a different body to work with (31%) noted as concerns to getting active.

The research is part of This Girl Can's new chapter to ensure no woman is left behind from the world of sport and physical activity.

We Like the Way You Move's advertising campaign returns to TV screens, social media, radio and outdoor media sites today to celebrate every woman’s way of getting active, highlighting how starting with just 10 minutes can have immediate benefits.

Kate Peers, our strategic lead for campaigns, said: "Our research shows women have a real lack of confidence in what activity is safe or that the options available have been designed with them and their babies in mind.

"That lack of clarity and tailored support can leave women feeling excluded before they’ve even begun.

"This Girl Can is about celebrating the many different ways women are already finding time to move in their lives, in a way that works for them.

"That might be a gentle walk outside while you’re recovering from birth, slow stretching such as pregnancy yoga, swimming, or even moving at home with your baby close by.

"Even just 10 minutes can bring real benefits for mood, energy and confidence."

This Girl Can's research found that safety concerns are another major obstacle for pregnant women and new mums: almost a third (32%) worry about harming their baby or are unclear about what type of physical activity is safe during pregnancy (24%).

When asked what would help them most to get active, nearly half (47%) said they would benefit from pregnancy-relevant support, including pregnancy-safe prenatal classes and postnatal sessions where babies are welcome.

The findings highlight the importance of affordable, accessible and inclusive opportunities that reflect the realities of pregnancy and early motherhood.

One of the women featured in the We Like the Way You Move campaign, Millie, reflected on her own experience of getting active during her pregnancy and now as a mother to three.

"Swimming helped me enormously during pregnancy, managing both my mental health and the physical pelvic girdle pain I experienced," she said. "I enjoyed the instant mood boost it gave me, and even at nine months pregnant, I kept moving. 

"After the birth of my son, some days I don’t feel like moving at all. But I’ve realised that getting active, even when I’m tired or feeling overwhelmed, just 10 minutes can help me feel better."

A woman in swimwear and goggles smiles as she leans on the side of a public swimming pool.

In August last year, we invested more than £250,000 of National Lottery funding into a new partnership with the Active Pregnancy Foundation (APF), with the aim of making it easier for expectant and new mums to be physically active.

APF co-chief executive Dr Marlize De ViVo said: "When it comes to pregnancy and early motherhood, women encounter a huge volume of information and opinions about what they should and shouldn’t be doing. 

"Too often, this fails to reflect the realities of pregnancy and early motherhood, including fatigue, lack of time, and limited childcare.

"Our continued work with This Girl Can is helping us reach more women with guidance and support that enables them to stay active throughout their childbearing years in ways that feel safe, achievable and right for them."

Find out more

We Like the Way You Move

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