Pregnant ladies and new mums - Pilates
Why do Pilates
Pilates is a great benefit during pregnancy to help with body changes, preparing for the birth, and to help with regaining your body back after the birth. Pilates is a low impact method, so no jumping around and sweating! but done properly gives results.
A good Pilates program will help you move better, feel better, look better, breath well, reduce stress in the body for you and your child, reduce back pain and niggles, help stabilise pelvis, increase balance and coordination, prepare for the birth - and help restore body after, be more comfortable and relaxed, and sleep better at night.
What to expect
We will work on stretches and strengthening for lower back, increase movement confidence and develop the ability to coordinate the changing proportions of the body during pregnancy. particularly at the front of the body. Also offset postural changes and back problems. Strengthening your full back muscles, stabilising and strengthening exercises for shoulders and arms for carrying a growing baby, overall mobility coordination and balance with moderate abdominal training. Improve core strength, posture and body awareness with a boost to the immune system and increased circulation with a focus on breathing properly and efficiently.
You will go through recommended exercises in standing, sitting, kneeling, lying on your side, and in all fours position or quadriceps position. The all fours is a great base to move from that helps to encourage baby to adopt the best birth position, optimal foetal position ( OFP) and so hopefully promoting an easier shorted labour and less stress for both mum and baby. IT is also a fantastic way to both stretch and strengthen the back pain-free.
Focus on lateral breathing - we avoid chest breathing that increases the stress hormone cortisol, we also avoid belly breathing as your diaphragm will become more restricted moving down which can be uncomfortable and can cause lightheadedness. Instead we will focus on filling the lungs using the ribcage which will help your circulation as increases O2 intake about 25%, feel more relaxed, and be more comfortable helping to relax neck and shoulders.
As with all exercises, do what is right for you. Listen to your body. Stop immediately if you feel any pain - take a break or miss out that exercise. You will also be given modifications to exercises should it benefit you.