Pre and Post Natal Pilates

As  a mother of four, I understand the challenges and joys of pregnancy and its effects on the body.  Pilates is a great way to feel great physically and emotionally during pregnancy, enable a quicker recovery after delivery and get your body back into shape afterwards.

First of all I am not a  doctor, and as with any exercise program you should consult with a physician first to make sure you are not at risk for injury.

Pilates is very safe form of exercise for pregnant women.  Around the third to fourth month prone exercise (exercises performed lying face down) becomes uncomfortable, and by the fifth month supine exercises should be discontinued due to the increased size of the uterus pressure on the arteries surrounding the spine results and needs to be avoided.

Exercises designed for pregnancy are performed on the reformer, cadillac and chair.  Mat exercises are performed on a piece of equipped called the “Edge” making it very comfortable to perform exercises while remaining upright and safe.

The lumbar spine takes on a  lot of the load as the belly size increases, stretching the lumbar spine and strengthening the abdominals is key to keeping pain free and risking any issues that can arise during and after pregnancy.

The back should also be strengthened as many back issues can develop holding your baby that is going to gain pounds at an astounding rate and cause muscles to ache if you are not strong.  Whether you breastfeed or bottle feed, the position holding the baby puts a lot of strain on the thoracic area so strengthening and/or maintaing strength in this area is very important.

The pelvic floor is very important and vital to women’s health.  It is the basket that holds up the bladder which takes a beating during pregnancy.  Kegel exercises are always emphasized.  In pilates this is one of the first parts of the muscles we have you engage as it helps engage the transverse abdominis which supports the lumbo-sacral region, so as you can see, Pilates is perfect for pregnancy and post-pregnancy.

Depending on your fitness level before pregnancy you can keep up with a regular exercise program and keep things toned which make it a lot easier to get your post-baby body back into shape.

For me the best advice I can give you is to be very kind to yourself and keep a sense of humor.  You should always listen to your body when it comes to what to eat, when to eat, how much to exercise and get rest when you need it.  Your body is keeping up withe the demands of  developing a baby, this is not the time to diet and deny yourself and especially not the time to get run down.