Abstract:

The aim of this study is to determine the level of participation in pregnancy exercise of mothers with children between the ages of 0-2 in their pregnancy period. The study is a descriptive study and is limited to mothers with children between the ages of 0-2. The random sampling method was used in this study and the sample group consisted of 213 mothers (Xage = 29.33 ± 4.78). In this study, the face-to-face method and standard questionnaire form consisting of two parts were used as a data collection tool. There were questions about the demographic information of mothers in the first part and questions questioning the mothers' pre-pregnancy, pregnancy period and postpartum status in the second part. The questionnaire was applied to mothers who were waiting at the pediatric outpatient clinics of Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine and Antalya Training and Research Hospital, and who voluntarily participated in the study, in stores selling baby/child supplies in the city center of Antalya between the dates 1st October-15th December 2019. In the evaluation of the data, besides descriptive statistics, Independent-Samples T Test were used to determine between which groups the difference was. The results were questioned at the 0.01 and 0.05 significance level. According to the results of the research, although a significant portion of the mothers are married, most of them have one child, well educated, have 'low' personal and family income, and some are public and private sector employees, they work 'partially' in the second and third periods of pregnancy even though they work 'continuously' in the first period of pregnancy. It has been found that the number of participants in activities such as, pregnant pilates, pregnant swimming, pregnant yoga, maternity gymnastics, walking in parks, nature walks, squats, breathing exercises, kegel exercises, dance/zumba is very low and although most of them are aware of these activities, they do not participate. In addition to the above findings, compared to the first period of pregnancy, while there was no significant change in the recreational life, social life, relationship with spouse, relationship with other family members, economic life, and physical health of the mothers, their emotional health, diet, sleep patterns and work life were negatively affected. Comparing the first, second and third periods of pregnancy with pre-pregnancy, while there is no significant change in the recreational life, social life, relationship with spouse, relationship with other family members, economic life, and physical health of the mothers, their emotional health, diet, sleep patterns and work life are negatively affected. Comparing the postpartum and pre-pregnancy and pregnancy periods, there was no significant change in mothers' recreational life, their relationship with their spouse, their relationship with other family members, but their social life, emotional health, economic life, diet, sleep patterns, physical health and work life were negatively affected. As a result, it can be said that women’s recreational life and recreational awareness level is too low. Women must be informed and given satisfactory education from childhood to be pregnant about the meaning and the process of being a mother and things must be done during pregnancy should be added to the curriculum at every education level.

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