As an expectant or new mum you want to have the confidence you are doing everything right for the health of you and your baby. Pilates during  pregnancy is a great way to enhance your posture, build strength, maintain your wellbeing and ensure you are in the best condition to welcome your new arrival. Exercise during pregnancy requires some adaptations, especially to your position, load, control and time. Having undergone specific training on what is required for you to exercise in a safe and effective way I can develop an exercise programme that fits around you and your baby.

 

Prenatal Pilates

Regular exercise has a host of benefits to you and your baby’s health during pregnancy. For example it can;

 

• Help strengthen your pelvic floor, thereby helping the body cope with the growing weight of the baby and mend more easily after the birth. 

• Improve your fitness levels.

• Improve mood and reduce depression and anxiety.

• Improve sleep.

• Help reduce high blood pressure.

• Help to reduce the risk of diabetes and for women with gestational diabetes, exercise can help to control it.

• Help you adapt to changes in your body shape and keep at a healthy weight during and after pregnancy.

• Reduce the likelihood of varicose veins and ankle, feet or hand swelling.

• Strengthen the lower back and reduces lower back pain.

• Lower the risk of pre-eclampsia, very low birth weight and cesarean birth.

• Improve how your body manages the pregnancy by shortening the length of time in labour and increasing the likelihood of an uncomplicated labour and speedy recovery after the birth.

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Prenatal exercise guidelines are to avoid lying flat on your back for long periods, particularly after 16 weeks. This is because the weight of the baby presses onto the main blood vessel bringing blood back to your heart and can therefore make you feel  dizzy.

 

Exercise is safe for most women during pregnancy but speak to your GP or midwife before starting any new form of exercise.

 

Postnatal Pilates

The post natal exercise guidelines suggest that if you have had a straightforward birth, you can start gentle exercise as soon as you feel ready. This can be walking, gentle stretches, pelvic floor and tummy exercises. However, we would usually wait until after your 6-week postnatal check before you start any more intense exercise.

 

Post natal exercise is important to strengthen your lower back and core, which may feel weaker than pre-pregnancy. Other benefits of getting back into exercise include;

 

• Making you feel less tired by raising your energy level and improving your sense of wellbeing.

• Helping you get to a healthy weight. 

• Improving your cardiovascular fitness.

• Strengthening your abdominal muscles.

• Enhancing your mood, relieving stress and reducing the risk of postpartum depression.

• Reducing the risk of stress incontinence through developing a stronger pelvic floor.