Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Physical Therapy - Department of Physical Therapy for

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of supervised and standardized moderate exercise on the immunological properties of breast milk in exclusively breast feeding mothers. This study was carried out on forty seven exclusively breast-feeding mothers at 1st to 5th months postpartum. They had had a single, healthy and full-term infant. Their ages ranged from 20 to 35 years old and their body mass index (BMI) were > 20 Kg / m2 and < 35 Kg / m2. They were randomly distributed into two groups: Group A received breast-feeding and nutritional counseling and engaged in a supervised exercise program in a form of moderate aerobic exercise at a level of 60 to 70% of the maximum heart rate (HRmax), 3 days/week for 30 minutes/day for 4 weeks and Group B received only breast-feeding and nutritional counseling for 4 weeks. Evaluation of all mothers were done pre and post-intervention through assessing maternal anthropometric parameters (weight and BMI); infant's weight; breast milk cortisol and immunological properties of breast milk IgA, total leukocytes count, macrophages count, neutrophils count and lymphocytes count

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