Strong as a Mother

This study will evaluate Strong as a Mother, an existing community exercise program for women returning to exercise after childbirth. The goal is to determine whether the program can be delivered consistently, whether participants find it acceptable, and how it may affect fitness and physical function. Approximately 30 medically cleared women who are 3-12 months postpartum will be randomly assigned to begin the program immediately or continue their usual activities for 12 weeks before being offered the program. The program includes three supervised sessions per week combining strength training, aerobic exercise, and breathing and bracing instruction. Exercises will be adjusted to participants' abilities and symptoms. Assessments will occur before and after the 12-week period, with a brief check-in at six weeks. Researchers will measure participation, program delivery, and adverse events, along with aerobic fitness, grip strength, and lifting, carrying, and chair-rise performance. Additional assessments will examine abdominal-wall characteristics, maternal functioning, postpartum quality of life, and pelvic-floor symptoms. This pilot study will provide preliminary findings to refine the program and plan a larger trial.

Inclusion Criteria: * Women aged 18 years or older. * Between 3 and 12 months postpartum at enrollment. * Medically cleared to participate in exercise. * Able to participate in the exercise program and study assessments. * Willing to accept random assignment to immediate intervention or usual-activity waitlist. * Able to provide informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Currently pregnant. * Medical contraindication to the prescribed exercise or fitness assessments. * Unresolved postpartum complications or symptoms requiring clinical evaluation before participation. * A condition requiring a level of clinical supervision beyond what the community program can provide.