Pregnant and postnatal women want to stay active, but many still get unclear advice. A Level 3 pre and postnatal qualification lets you fill that gap safely and turn it into a specialism clients look for.
The fitness industry can be a competitive market, and so niching in a specific discipline helps you to stand out amongst the crowd. Specialising in pre and postnatal training is a credible way to get one step ahead.
For a qualified fitness professional, training in pre and postnatal exercise will help you to target a specific audience, supporting your marketing reach and client base, whilst developing your confidence and knowledge to help women exercising safely during pregnancy, and providing a more bespoke and supportive service to your clients.
During pregnancy and the postnatal phase, there are significant physical and psychological demands placed on the expectant mother. Learning how to support women through these life changes can boost their overall health and wellbeing, as well as promote a positive experience of pregnancy. Despite this, many women are still unsure about how to exercise safely and methods to adapt or modify their exercise regimes.
There is no need to stop exercising just because you are pregnant. In fact, the current UK Chief Medical Officers’ guidance states that physical activity can safely be recommended during pregnancy, with benefits including improved fitness, reduced gestational weight gain, a reduced risk of gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders. After childbirth, exercise can aid physical conditioning, emotional wellbeing and mental health.
The guidance recommends that pregnant women should aim for at least 150 minutes of physical activity, moderate in intensity, each week, alongside strength training activities twice a week. Women who were already active pre-pregnancy can generally continue as they were, while those who were previously inactive should build up gradually.
Women experience many changes in pregnancy, and these changes can impact mental and physical wellness. These changes may include concerns around tiredness, morning sickness, muscle aches and pains, and fear of miscarriage. Lack of knowledge and information about exercising throughout pregnancy can deter women from taking the action to safeguard their wellbeing. However, research suggests the issue isn’t simply a lack of information. A 2025 UK scoping review found that pregnant women may receive minimal advice and guidance on physical activity from healthcare practitioners due to lack of knowledge or confidence, which can be contradictory or confusing to the expectant mother.
This is where a trained, knowledgeable fitness professional can make a real difference.
Our Level 3 Pre and Postnatal Exercise course takes about 8-10 hours of online study. You can fit it around your current clients and add a specialist service in weeks, not months.
There are four steps:
Working with pre and postnatal clients isn’t about giving someone a list of exercises to avoid. A trained specialist will understand how pregnancy and birth affect the body. They will work closely with the client to suggest appropriate adaptations and modification to ensure a safe programme is followed, catering to the needs of the individual.
This can include understanding:
You’ll be able to expand your knowledge and skills, whilst being able to recognise areas that fall beyond your scope of practice and identifying signs and symptoms that may need a referral.
Getting the correct training is a great starting point for a fitness professional. However, confidence grows through the clients you see. Each individual will need a bespoke programme based on their readiness to exercise and lifestyle factors.
A common mistake is treating clients the same. Whilst it’s important to know the guidelines for prescribing exercise in the pre and postnatal periods, it’s also equally important to realise that all clients will have their own individual concerns about pregnancy and exercise. Pregnant and postnatal clients may be anxious about exercising, particularly if they’ve previously received conflicting advice. Being able to listen and show empathy is just as important as knowing what exercises to include in a programme. You are the expert in this scenario and explaining why you are modifying a movement can reassure your client and helps to build their trust in you as a professional.
Whilst we don’t want to portray a sense of being wrapped in cotton wool, we do want the client to feel confident to work safely towards their goals.
If you’re new to this area, begin by learning and reading more on the evidence and current guidelines in pre and postnatal exercise. You can then begin building experience gradually with the more clients you see, once fully trained.
For fitness professionals looking to niche in a specialised field, pre and postnatal training can offer an opportunity to work with a clearly defined audience. It can also complement other areas of fitness. Strength training, Pilates, group exercise, online coaching and one-to-one personal training can all potentially be adapted to support clients through different stages of pregnancy and the postnatal period when delivered within the professional’s appropriate scope of practice.
So, for fitness professionals who are looking to develop skills, knowledge and credibility, pre and postnatal training could be the next valuable step to take.
Ready to develop your knowledge?
Explore our pre and postnatal exercise course to develop your understanding of the key considerations when supporting clients during pregnancy and take the next step in developing your specialist knowledge within the fitness industry.
| Qualification | Level 3 Pre and Postnatal Exercise | Future Fit Training |
|---|---|
| Awarding body | Active IQ |
| CPD | 8 CIMSPA points |
| Delivery | 100% online e-learning, followed by a case study |
| Study time | About 8-10 hours, with 3 weeks to complete the online lessons and a 4-week case study |
| Entry requirements | Level 2 Gym/Fitness Instructing or Level 3 Mat Pilates Instructor |
Explore our pre and postnatal exercise course to develop your understanding of the key considerations when supporting clients during pregnancy.
To become a pre and postnatal fitness instructor in the UK, you need a recognised Level 3 pre and postnatal exercise qualification, such as the Level 3 Award in Designing Physical Activity Programmes for Antenatal and Postnatal Clients. You don’t have to be a personal trainer first. Future Fit Training accepts learners with a Level 2 Gym/Fitness Instructing qualification or a Level 3 Mat Pilates Instructor qualification.
Expect about 8-10 hours of online study, completed within 3 weeks, followed by a case study assessment over 4 weeks.
Yes, for most women. The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend muscle-strengthening activity twice a week during pregnancy, alongside at least 150 minutes of moderate activity.