The benefits of exercise, in particular group exercise, for women in early motherhood include improved body image, decreased anxiety, improved energy and building of social networks. Exercise has also been shown to be beneficial in the management of mood disorders such as depression and more specifically, postnatal depression. However there has been no suggestion that exercise may reduce symptoms of psychotic disorders that require medication, psychiatric therapy and possible hospitalisation. The number of women experiencing postnatal depression (PND) has increased to one in five women following childbirth. Some of the risks of development of PND include lack of social support during the childbearing year and lack of involvement in the community. new mothers have identified that reasons for inactivity include no child care, limited opportunity to exercise with their baby, reduced self-esteem, poor body image, or they are too busy. Research to date is limited and qualitative in nature, with no standardised measurement tools used to assess quality of life in postnatal women.