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I’m producing a series of short workouts for prenatal and postnatal women. The workouts will be pilates based but also address many of the aches, pains, and strains that you might encounter during your pregnancy!
This short audio series will be available for download so you can listen to it on your ipod, iphone, or other mp3 player.
If you would like to be notified the second the audio classes are available, please send an email with the subject message: Prenatal Mat Pilates Audio Workout.
If you are still exercising regularly during the 3rd trimester of your pregnancy, good for you! You probably have noticed a bit less energy and maybe you aren’t able to reach too far in many different directions.
Well, that’s why…you have to realize, the clock is ticking now…the game is changing…and so must your approach to exercise.
Here are some basic guidelines to remember if you are doing any type of exercise, especially pilates.
Your pilates instructor will help you modify the exercises, but it is always smart to know what you should and shouldn’t be doing. Keep in mind that these are general guidelines. Your doctor may make additional recommendations for you specifically.
- Don’t lie on your back – Most people find this uncomfortable and in general try to avoid doing exercises where you are flat on your back. Create a ramp of pillows or mats to lift you up to a 45 degree angle.
- Don’t put your feet up over your head unless they are propped up by pillows.
- Avoid all crunch type motions.
- Move slowly and controlled through all exercises. Even though side kick series can be done a bit faster, you want to slow down and focus on keep your hips/belly stable.
- Key areas to focus on: Arms and Mid-back to keep you strong and standing tall! Hips/Outer Thighs to help with the delivery.
- Areas to Avoid Focusing on: Inner Thighs, Abs…These 2 areas are overstretched and prone to over-stretching, so be careful.
- Give yourself a few weeks of little to no exercise before your due date. You can still go for walks…and do gentle movement, but now’s the time to go inward, find ways to relax, calm your nerves, and prepare emotionally/mentally for your those first crazy months of your baby’s life.
Take this short list and add any other restrictions or suggestions from your doctor.
Pilates has taken you a long way toward preparing your body for delivery and motherhood.
Here are a few books related to a few topics you are probably obsessing about now (or will soon!):
Why Prenatal Pilates is so Important to your Health Now & After The Baby Is Born !
Every aspect and stage of your pregnancy is important to pay attention to. Your diet, monthly (then bi-monthly) prenatal check ups, understanding your baby’s is development week by week, and being aware of your own emotional condition are crucial aspects of your pregnancy experience. Even more important, however is the way in which your body changes to prepare for the labor and birth of your baby. Being aware of the physical changes in your body will help you prepare for each potential ache and pain that comes your way.
You might experience pains in your joints, muscle cramps in your calves, heavy/tender breasts, widening ribs and hips…and along with all of that might even come back aches. You might already expect these types of discomforts…but did you know that you don’t have to just suffer through them? Pregnant women are usually advised to do some form of prenatal exercise in order to prepare their bodies for the stress on the body before and during labor … and to ease the pain during the “pushing” stage.
Prenatal Pilates is one of the best activities for a pregnant woman. Some even claim that is the best exercise to prepare the body for labor. Why is Prenatal Pilates so great for women before, during and after pregnancy?
- We all know that pilates focuses on the core.. During pregnancy, the entire pelvic area is weakened by the pressure of the growing baby. Pilates helps to strengthen the pelvic floor and lower back which in turn helps prepare the area for the head down position of the baby.
- Pilates also strengthens the transversus abdominus and promotes relaxation because it focuses on lateral breathing. Lateral breathing opens up the ribcage and helps lessen the discomfort of a baby sitting in an extremely high position. What this means? Less heartburn and pain between the ribs!
- Just like most other pilates programs, prenatal pilates helps to increase over-all body strength through stretching, breathing to increase relaxation, and a combination of breathing/movement which helps improve circulation of blood and oxygen. All of this equals a more focused, calm, less cranky pregnancy.
- The movements in all Pilates Programs helps prevent inflammation and swelling around your joints. The combination of intentional breathing, controlled and expansive exercises all help to make the body comfortable in the crucial areas like the shoulders and neck, the lower back, and the hips/pelvis. Even leg cramps are dimished by taking pilates on a regular basis.
- Habits that you establish during your pregnancy will carry over to your postnatal life. Taking pilates before and during pregnancy means your body is going to bounce back faster. If you continue your practice you might even notice your new baby pains are decreased and that hot mommy body comes back faster!
Prenatal Pilates is an amazing exercise method which many women take advantage of. If you have physical therapy centers in your area, check to see if they have a prenatal program. Often they will include pilates based exercises and also help you deal with specific body issues that need extra attention….and it’s covered by insurance. If you don’t have someone offering the service, look for pilates instructors in your area who specialize in prenatal pilates like I’ve started doing.
Check out this post for a quick prenatal pilates workout you can do right now: http://www.prenatalpilates.org/uncategorized/prenatal-exercise.
