5 Tips to Get the Most out of your Prenatal Pilates Sessions
With so many cues in Pilates, it’s hard to know what’s important. What are the main areas I need to focus on?
Being pregnant is a special time in a woman's life, but it can also be a challenging one. One of the challenges is staying active and getting the most out of your mvmnt while pregnant.
There are five key attributes that I believe you need to pay attention to in order to feel your best and be confident in how your mvmnts will affect your baby and your body, particularly when adopting Pilates to your regime.
1. Breath
Breath is essential for mvmnt, but it's especially important when you're pregnant. Proper breathing techniques can help you stay calm and relaxed during exercise, dropping you into your parasympathetic state, which allows your body to feel safe and more likely to adopt the mvmnt as a pattern. It can also help you maintain good posture and alignment. When you're pregnant, your body is under more stress, so deep breathing can help reduce the risk of injury and improve circulation to your baby.
When you inhale, think of expanding through all sides of the ribcage, there should be no engagement or tensing of your abs. When you exhale think of bringing baby towards your spine or drawing your belly button in towards your spine, while simultaneously gently lifting your pelvic floor by creating the sensation that you’re stopping yourself from going to the toilet. If you change your posture, by rounding shoulders or clenching your glutes, you’re trying to engage too much. The engagement is subtle and should be easy to maintain a neutral posture with the exhale breath.
When we inhale, our diaphragm drops, creating space for our lungs to expand, when we exhale our diaphragm rises, which is why we connect the “lift” or engagement of our pelvic floor on the exhale breath.
2. Pelvic Floor
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that support the bladder, uterus, and bowel. These muscles are under a lot of pressure during pregnancy, so it's important to strengthen them through exercise. Strong pelvic floor muscles can help reduce the risk of incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, as well as improve your ability to push during labor and delivery.
Having the mind to body awareness of your pelvic floor is hugely beneficial, not only whilst pregnant but prior to and post baby. We underestimate how much this group of muscles is responsible for and how inconvenient and detrimental to our health it can be when compromised.
If you are having trouble connecting to your pelvic floor and are unable to engage with the above mentioned cues, ensure you book an appointment with a Womens Health Physio.
3. Listen to your Body and Baby
As your body changes during pregnancy, it's important to listen to your body and your baby's cues. This means being aware of how your body feels during exercise, and adjusting your mvmnts accordingly. Deepening your intuition not only improves your prenatal experience but is hugely beneficial to your whole wellbeing, beyond pregnancy and birth. Taking the time to tune into your body, being aware of what it may be telling you and reflecting and actioning this, will in turn leave you a more in tune mother and partner.
It's also important to pay attention to your baby's mvmnts and activity levels, and adjust your exercise routine if necessary. If you are experiencing noticeable changes or symptoms when exercising, ensure you cease immediately and check in with your medical team before continuing.
4. Educate yourself on Compromising Positions
Some positions and mvmnts can be compromising during pregnancy, so it's important to educate yourself on what to avoid. There are many research articles, podcasts and instructors/trainers who specialise in prenatal mvmnt and health. Do your own research and find various touch-points that you align with and trust. Some of my favourites are:
Some examples of compromising positions are:
Lying flat on your back during the first trimester can leave you feeling nauseous and dizzy. You can prop yourself up with pillows, if you have joined a Pilates class that is not specific for pregnancy and this may reduce these symptoms. Ensure you are vocal with your instructor should you experience any symptoms, don’t be afraid to speak up!
Lying flat on your back after the first trimester can reduce blood flow to the uterus and the baby, so it's best to avoid this position or keep your heart above the rest of your body by propping yourself up.
Any contact sports or activities that have a high risk of hits or objects to the stomach should be avoided.
Exercises that put too much pressure on your pelvic floor, such as deep squats or heavy lifting, especially when you have a weak pelvic floor, should be avoided.
Certain twists and crunches should also be avoided, as these can compromise the position of baby and reduce blood flow.
If you are not confident in the advice you are receiving in a group Pilates class, ensure you ask questions or quietly excuse yourself. This is where listening to your body and own intuition has its benefits. After all, you are creating new life and you want to make sure you are doing all you can to keep them safe in their prenatal home.
5. Rest and Recovery
Rest and recovery are crucial during pregnancy, as your body is working hard to support the growth and development of your baby. It's important to get enough sleep and rest, and to avoid over-exerting yourself during exercise. Proper hydration and nutrition are also important for both you and your baby's health.
By incorporating these elements into your exercise routine, you can stay healthy, strong, and comfortable throughout your pregnancy. Remember to always consult with your healthcare provider before starting any exercise routine while pregnant.
I created Mama Mvmnt due to my own pregnancy journey of wanting to find a trainer who:
I trusted was accredited to teach pregnancy safe mvmnts
Had carried children themselves and
Who didn’t charge an arm and a leg for a session.
In this digitally interactive e-book you receive quick access links to Pregnancy friendly Pilates videos, instructed by me, while I am pregnant and going through the whole session with you, which you can do from the comfort of your own home! The workouts were filmed at each stage of my pregnancy, so you can follow along by each trimester and we can grow our bumps together!
With pregnancy specific Pilates classes that cost $25 - $100+ per session and are usually run at times that are very inconvenient (especially for the working mum), this e-book gives you flexibility and offers over 50+ videos to access over and over. That’s less than $2 a video! PLUS you get wellbeing tips on how else to improve your health whilst pregnant and beyond.
To find out more head to the link below:
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