From insight to action: a qualitative study of the postpartum return to recreational exercise and sport in Ireland and the UK.

ABSTRACT: Individuals who were active before and during pregnancy face significant barriers to return postpartum, and participation in exercise and sport often decreases significantly during this period. Evidence is beginning to emerge regarding elite athletes' experiences with returning to sport postpartum. Understanding the experiences of recreational participants is essential to improve wider participation postpartum. This qualitative study aimed to describe the experiences of those returning to recreational exercise or sport postpartum, and to identify actions to support such a return. 14 mothers from the UK and Ireland, participated in one-to-one interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using contemporary reflexive thematic analysis. Six themes were generated: (1) The chall

SUBMITTER: Deery E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11831301 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature