Study to Understand How Exercise During and After Pregnancy Changes Breast Milk and May Reduce Childhood Obesity Risk

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying how exercise and physical activity during and after pregnancy may change breast milk composition and how these changes could affect infant energy use and growth. This research aims to improve recommendations for exercise to support healthy infant development and reduce obesity risk. The study focuses on how maternal exercise influences breast milk metabolites and lipids that may activate infant brown fat and increase energy expenditure. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an active group encouraged to engage in daily physical activity with weekly phone calls to review exercise and set goals, or a usual care control group. The study involves assessing habitual activity during pregnancy and postpartum, supervised moderate exercise sessions, and analyzing breast milk composition. Infant growth, body composition, and energy expenditure will also be measured. Throughout the study, participants will provide breast milk samples at 8 weeks to measure changes in lipid and metabolite profiles. Infant body composition and BMI will be assessed at 3, 6, and 12 months, with resting metabolic rate measured at 3 months. The study includes monitoring exercise habits, infant growth, and metabolic outcomes to understand how maternal activity affects childhood obesity risk. Participation lasts through the infants first year.

Postnatal Exercise to Activate Baby's Brown Fat