Benefits of Prenatal Pilates

Facts from specially certified instructors

Zero Gravity Fitness on May 6, 2019

If you are waiting for the birth of your baby, Prenatal Pilates is a challenging and fun way to stay in shape, but Pilates is especially ideal for helping you to prepare for birth and the changes your body is experiencing. You will eventually reach the point where the exercises you have done in the past are no longer suitable, comfortable, or even possible. One of the best options for a mother-to-be is participating in Prenatal Pilates. Not only does it help ease the aches and pains that come with pregnancy, but the specific set of movements bonds you closer to your growing baby. This form of Pilates was created to train your body to be balanced, flexible and strong, before, during and after the birth of your child.

While your instructor ensures you that you are relaxed and breathing deeply when you do these exercises, prenatal Pilates does offers a challenge if that is what you want to put into it. The focus of the exercises are your back, pelvic floor, and abdominal muscles as every one of these muscles are important for strength, balance, good posture and comfort for the mother as she undergoes the changes of pregnancy. Strengthening these muscles particularly, along with the rest of your body, will provide you with a stable core that will support you through all stages of life. This is accomplished using a series of challenging and controlled movements that will not overly strain your body in any way and may even ease any of the standard back or calf pain. There is research suggesting regularly performing Pilates while pregnant makes the process of childbirth a lot easier and the recovery significantly faster.

It is important to select an instructor who has been specifically trained to teach women during pregnancy. An experienced instructor is familiar with what is and is not appropriate that way you will be safely focusing on the functions and muscles that are often an issue both during pregnancy and after your child is born, while simultaneously feeling your most comfortable inside your body as it changes. There is a number of suitable exercises for every trimester to help prevent any complications with your delivery. This includes:

• Upper back stretches

• The thigh stretch

• Deep abdominal strengthening for back support

• The cat stretch

• The sword

• Pelvic tilts

Not sure what any of these are? Ask any one of our instructors and they will happily take you through a demonstration.

The Benefits of Prenatal Pilates

Performing Pilates on a regular basis will strengthen your abdominal muscles, your back muscles, will aid in easing the tightness of your hips and leg muscles and the occasional lower back pain that comes as the pelvis tilts to support the growing of your baby. Prenatal Pilates will enable your body to handle the strain the weight of your baby is causing. During your pregnancy, the ligaments connecting your bones become more pliable due to hormones, making you more susceptible to injuries. When you deeply exercise your abdominal muscles, you can decrease back pain, so you are stabilizing your pelvis and your back as support for the womb. When your pelvic floor becomes stronger, supporting your uterus, bladder and bowels becomes easier. This is especially important once your baby moves down. This can help eliminate small urine leaks caused by sneezing or coughing or walking.

You may feel a bit more clumsy or your balance may not be as good as it was in the past. Prenatal Pilates focuses on improving your stability and balance as your baby grows. For instance, your instructor may guide you through some of the movements which will place you on your hands and knees. Not only does this position remove the strain from your pelvis and back, but as you get closer to giving birth, it may assist your baby in getting into the correct position for being born. Prental Pilates also helps you learn how to control the way you breathe and relax as we know how vital bringing down the nervous system is for labor, delivery, and pregnancy.

Swimming or taking a brisk walk will strengthen your muscles. If you are capable of a pelvic floor contraction, you can do Prenatal Pilates, and if you are not sure how to or what pelvic floor contraction is, that is where your instructor comes in. You will quickly realize any weakness you have in the stability of your core once you begin performing the exercises. Strengthening your core will assist you in giving birth. You can check the stability of your core with a specific exercise. Start by placing your hands and knees on the floor. Make certain your knees are beneath your hips and your hands are beneath your shoulders. Your back needs to be flat. You can use a mirror to make certain your position is correct. Pull your stomach up, squeeze your pelvic muscles and breath out simultaneously.

Try to stay in this position for ten seconds. Continue breathing normally and do not move your back. After ten seconds, slowly relax your muscles. If you are not having any difficulty performing this exercise and can do it ten times in a row, your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles are in good condition. You can safely use this exercise throughout your entire pregnancy. Some women prefer attending a prenatal pilates class. If you choose this option, make certain your instructor has been properly trained. Many women prefer to exercise in the comfort of their own homes. As long as you exercise, both options are good. If you are having difficulty doing some of the exercises, they can be customized for your specific needs.

If you experience any discomfort or pain at any point while exercising, stop immediately. It is a good idea to talk to your physician prior to continuing with your exercises. There are certain areas that require you to be cautious. This includes any position that places you on your back or stomach or requires you to stand on one leg after you have reached the middle of your pregnancy. There are alternate exercises available in much safer positions. Do not completely stretch any joint. This is especially true if your position is not supported. This is because your ligaments are looser than what you have become accustomed to.

Using your hands and knees to support your weight can cause your wrists to hurt. This is especially true if you have been impacted by carpal tunnel syndrome. A good alternative is using an exercise ball to help you lean forward. This will effectively remove some of the weight from your hands. If you are interested in learning more about prenatal pilates, don’t hesitate to reach out to the educated staff at Zero Gravity Fitness in Ocoee, FL. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!