Innovator of the Year - Bump and Buggy from South Warwickshire Foundation Trust (SWFT)
Innovation of the Year was awarded to ‘Bump and Buggy’, brainchild of Kerry Harris at the South Warwickshire Foundation Trust (SWFT), a free service, designed for mums and mums to be who want to take care of their body, health and mental wellbeing during and after pregnancy.
The Bump and Buggy programme has been co-developed with mums and mums to be in the community to have a say in the type of exercises that they would like to do, to keep the sessions varied.
It’s part of the existing Coventry Family Health and Lifestyle service that works to deliver healthy lifestyle and exercise programmes designed to reduce the risk of obesity among children by supporting families. This includes Bump and Buggy workouts, offering exercise and nutrition in a fun and relaxed environment.
Kerry told us has gone from strength to strength over the years: “Around 6 years ago we started A Buggy Workout Extra class at the War Memorial Park. This was first a mixture of post-natal exercise and nutritional information for new mums. Since then we have set up and run buggy workout extra programmes city-wide within different settings including, family hubs, leisure centres, church halls and community centres.”
The team have kept the exercise class running at the Memorial Park every Wednesday morning and over the years the numbers have been increasing where some weeks we would have 37 mums and babies all exercising together. With an extra session added on Mondays at Longford Park due to demand to target the wider community.
“We now have 2 classes running every Wednesday morning one that caters for pregnant mums and new mums just starting to exercise again, as well as a more advanced exercise class for more experienced ladies and their babies.
“About 18 months ago we decided to open this class up to expectant mums as our team are pre and post-natal trained. We have been able to encourage mums to stay active during and after pregnancy.
The sessions combine ante and postnatal exercise that can be adapted to cater to all levels of fitness whilst encouraging new friendship groups and the chance to exercise and talk. They allow mums to bring their babies/children along without the worry of cost or organising childcare.
“It has been a positive and enjoyable journey, encouraging mums, listening to their experiences during and after pregnancy, and giving them confidence to get out the house to the park (in all weathers) with their baby and help to improve their mental wellbeing.
“All the positive feedback that we receive from them is a special feeling that touches the heart and gives real job satisfaction. Many of the ladies state that the group gives them the motivation to attend weekly and it gives them the determination to become fitter and to be a positive role model to their children. The group has allowed new friendships to be formed; the ladies have set up WhatsApp groups and have stayed in touch with each other outside of the sessions they have also gifted each other clothing and toys when their babies have out grown them. The ladies also comment on how the classes have had a positive impact on their appearance and health.
“The feeling of improving self-worth and helping them feel good about themselves at a time when some may be feeling isolated and confidence can be low is very rewarding” Kerry said.
The passion from Kerry and her team that run the programme comes from a personal place. Colleague, Claudia Bacchi, had her first child three years ago and delivered the classes all the way through her pregnancy until 39 weeks.
“I could relate to the mums during this time and after having my little girl I attended the buggy workout sessions as a participant too. Therefore, I can see the class from both angles and what works and what doesn’t. For me it wasn’t the exercise side of it that I most needed it was the social aspect and meeting Mums that were experiences all the same things as me at that time.
“It can be a very challenging time for new mums, adjusting to their new life with a baby and many mums could have feelings of loneliness, low self-esteem, or lack of sleep. Buggy workout brings a group mums together in a relaxed environment, where they can share their experiences, worries and knowledge and benefit with a great workout and fresh air. Exercise alone can help mums feel better about themselves and help lift low mood or post-natal depression” Claudia told us.
There is now also the opportunity to access monthly health checks and provide an avenue for referral for women who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Instructors remind women to attend their postnatal checks 6 – 13 weeks after pregnancy, a key point in establishing if type 2 diabetes has developed.
The intervention continues to develop and they are in the process of setting up a referral pathway directly for ante-natal ladies to specialise bump and buggy sessions for women referred through the stop smoking in pregnancy team.
“We want to encourage ladies to be active in pregnancy and talk about the changes in the body and how to adapt exercise to suit all levels of pregnancy and talk about the benefits of being active and eating healthily, with a view to signposting onto our buggy programmes” said Kerry.
Kerry won the Innovation of the Year Award because of her creative influence and role within the community to improve and mental wellbeing in motherhood through physical activity and friendship.
“My colleagues and I (Lucy Foster, Claudia Bacchi and Sue Douglas) are so happy and proud that Bump and Buggy has been given the recognition it deserves as it is such a rewarding and positive programme to be a part of.
“It is so much more than an exercise class, it allows the ladies to interact with each other, share concerns, give advice and support each other through motherhood.”