E168: Iona Mumby - Changing the Narrative on Exercise and Weight Training during Pregnancy & Postpartum
Trigger Warning: pregnancy and mental health.
Episode 168: Part of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion series (part 15).
Description: In this powerful episode, Naman Julka-Anderson and Jo McNamara sit down with Iona Mumby.
Iona is a former primary school teacher & school leader, endurance runner who turned her passion for sport and fitness into a career in 2022. She is on a mission to change the narrative around physical activity during pregnancy & beyond by empowering women to feel confident and safe to train and push their bodies. Iona has since worked with many women with the sole goal of empowering and motivating them to feel great through implementing exercise and movement into their lives. Since becoming a mum herself, Iona has made it her mission to change the narrative around exercising during pregnancy and postpartum and using her expertise to educate women in training safely during these periods. Iona's passions are endurance running and strength training and she works on breaking down the barriers often faced by females in these spaces and supporting them on their fitness journeys.
CPD Reflection Points:
- Reflect on your own beliefs or assumptions about exercising during pregnancy. Then read this paper; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430821/ and consider have your views changed?
- Reflect upon how this might this influence the way you discuss exercise with pregnant patients or colleagues and the support you offer.
- Reflect upon what you could do differently to help pregnant patients safely remain active, and what support/training would you need to feel more confident in doing so?
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Links from the Episode:
- Active Pregnancy Foundation
- MOMentum Lost: Unpicking Maternal Physical Activity Patterns in 2022
- Natalie Kate Moss Trust
- British Association of Urological Surgeons female pelvic floor exercises
- British Association of Urological Surgeons male pelvic floor exercises
- Tommy’s Charity strength training in pregnancy
- Exercises to help pelvic girdle pain
Research links from the Episode:
- British Journal of Sports Medicine - April 2025 - Postpartum Physical Activity
- National Library of Medicine - Pregnancy & Exercise
- Physical exercise in pregnancy: benefits, risks and prescription
- Exercise in pregnancy
- Benefits of Physical Activity during Pregnancy and Postpartum: An Umbrella Review
- Physical Activity and Exercise During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period
Rad Chat Links:
Credits: Music and jingle credits: Dr. Ben Potts and Adam Cooke.