Remarks

• These recommendations have been adapted and integrated from the 2020 WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour (107), where they were considered strong recommendations based on moderate and low-certainty evidence, respectively.
• The postnatal care Guideline Development Group noted the following based on the original guidelines.
• For postpartum women, physical and muscle-strengthening activities can be undertaken as part of recreation and leisure (e.g. play, games, leisure sports or planned exercise), transportation (e.g. walking), work and household tasks, in the context of daily occupational, educational, home and/or community settings. Postpartum women should try to meet these recommendations where possible, as able, and without contraindication, and with the support of their partners and families. Clinical guidance should be sought for women with complications associated with pregnancy or childbirth.
• 150 minutes of physical activity per week is equivalent of approximately 20–25 minutes of walking per day. The 150 minutes does not need to be continuous physical activity, but rather can accumulate over the course of the day.
• Good practice statements are as follows.
• If postpartum women are not meeting the level of physical activity in the recommendations, doing some physical activity will benefit their health.
• Postpartum women should start by doing small amounts of physical activity, and gradually increase frequency, intensity and duration over time.
• Additional safety considerations are as follows.
• Postpartum women should:
• be informed by their health-care provider of the danger signs alerting them as to when to stop, or to limit physical activity and consult a qualified health worker immediately should they occur;
• return to physical activity gradually after childbirth, and in consultation with a health worker, in particular in the case of caesarean birth; and
• be advised by their provider on special considerations given their history and any contraindications to participating in physical activity during the postpartum period.
• Related recommendations from this guideline include the following.
• Women who, before pregnancy, habitually engaged in vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or who were physically active, can continue these activities during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
• Sedentary behaviour is defined as time spent sitting or lying with low energy expenditure while awake, in the context of occupational, educational, home and community settings and transportation.