Baby Bump Pilates

How the body feels and performs during pregnancy is vastly different from the norm. The elements that must be considered include hormonal changes, energy levels, rate of respiration, joint laxity, core stability (prenatal , during the pregnancy and postnatal) body temperature, heart rate, mental and emotional state. The exercise that may normally be fine for you may be contra-indicated or unsafe during and immediately after the pregnancy. You may find your energy levels not sufficient to do that daily walk. Your weekly exercise class may have to be ruled out as many exercises are done on the back (a position that becomes unfavourable as the pregnancy progresses).

You may develop a lower back issue, stress incontinence or pelvic insatbility. All of the reasons for these issues have to do with the hormones of pregnancy and the state of biomechanical balance of the core before the pregnancy! A pregnancy will rapidly magnify any instability issues the woman had before she got pregnant.

This is why it is so important that your exercise choice is safe, individualised and considerate of the demands and special needs of this time in a woman’s life.

Pilates is the ideal choice of exercise during the pre and postnatal period. The most ideal form of pilates is working on the studio based equipment. This allows all exercises to be modified for the pregnant trainee. One of the many benifits of working on the studio equipment includes the fact that the apparatus can assist you in doing an exercise. Your body can be positioned perfectly. No exercise modality targets pelvic stability, core strength and back health better than pilates studio training. Pilates studio training is very different to a mat class. The exercises are done on a range of specialised equipment.

Benifits of Pilates training pre and postnatal: 

• Weight management.
• Regulating fatigue levels.
• Maintain or increase muscle tone, strength and endurance.
• Improves posture and sleep.
• Assists in prevention of low back pain, urinary incontinence.
• Decreases risk of blood clots, varicose veins, leg cramping and swelling.
• May help improve mood, body image and reduce postpartum depression.