UFV professor creates realistic postpartum exercise resources after finding gap in support

When Dr. Iris Lesser had her first child nine years ago, she discovered how little support existed for postpartum women trying to return to physical activity — even with a PhD in exercise physiology.

"I was absolutely shocked at how little support there was for moms," said Lesser, an associate professor of kinesiology at the University of the Fraser Valley. "I asked myself questions such as, can I be running? Should I not be running? Do I need to do rehabilitation? How do I deal with the fact that I'm not sleeping at all, but I need to move my body for my mental health?"

Now, Lesser is filling that gap. With the help of UFV kinesiology students, she's been running studies, workshops, and movement interventions, and creating reference materials to help other mothers navigate postpartum exercise.

What makes her work stand out is the intentional focus on realistic representation. When creating images and video references, Lesser made sure they reflected real postpartum bodies and actual home environments — no glamorous gym outfits, six-pack abs, or perfect hairdos. Instead, the content features visible scars, stretched skin, toys on the floor, and the mess of real life.

Lesser's research showed that comparison to perfect online images can damage the self-efficacy, self-compassion, and confidence of postpartum mothers returning to exercise. And these mothers don't need extra obstacles — physical activity is crucial for preventing mental health challenges at a time when they're most exhausted and vulnerable.

"It's probably one of the hardest times to figure out how to navigate moving your body. Rates of postpartum depression are very high, and they are continuing to go up," Lesser said. "We know from systematic reviews that physical activity is actually more effective than medication in supporting postpartum depression. The goal is not to achieve weight loss or imagery change, but to find some time to focus on yourself, to have the energy to engage with your baby."

Lesser collaborated with UFV's Community Health and Social Innovation Hub (CHASI) to create the realistic images and videos, working with volunteers from the local community as models to demonstrate exercises suited to those who've given birth.

"CHASI's Knowledge Mobilization Team's focus is always on ensuring that research reaches the people it matters to most, in ways that resonate with them," said Jeff Mijo-Burch, CHASI's communications and design specialist, who took many of the photos and videos himself. "The postpartum period is a time when families are digesting a lot of information and may be overwhelmed and pulled in a million directions, so we've worked to mobilize the research in ways that meet them where they're at."

Though postpartum is a fleeting period, Lesser believes it's a pivotal moment for understanding yourself, your body, and how to prioritize wellness — lessons that have far-reaching impact for years to come.

"It's a tipping point in women's health," she said. "So, the more you can support at that point in time, the more of an influence you can have all the way downstream, in terms of what it means to be a mom and to still take care of your health. Part of equity in healthcare is having an opportunity for everyone to be able to move their bodies."