This weekend’s all about babies – if that’s not what you’re after then may I suggest a run around the park instead. Come back here on Monday when we’re back onto the more general stuff and safely away from talk of just what childbirth does to your pelvic floor…
But if you are pregnant, or are planning to be one day,
here’s a bit of information on pregnancy and Pilates. Obviously every pregnancy
and every person is different, and these are just the general, official
guidelines. Do discuss any exercise you’re doing (or planning to do) with your
doctor when you become pregnant. In most cases doctors will not advise against
Pilates, but if you have any conditions, complications or history of problems
with pregnancy then you will need to discuss the suitability of any exercise
type.
I trained with Stott Pilates, and their advice on this stuff
is reviewed regularly with medical experts. Assuming this is a normal, healthy
pregnancy, this is what you should know.
First trimester – officially, Pilates is safe during your
early pregnancy, and you can carry on with your normal routine without making
any changes, assuming your doctor is happy with that. It’s better to take up
Pilates before you become pregnant, so that you have the basic strength and
grounding in it before throwing in the extra challenges that pregnancy provides
– but if you are already pregnant and thinking about taking up Pilates then
private or small group classes should be fine. Just don’t get lost at the back
of big group classes, where you’re not so guaranteed to get the one-to-one
attention you may need, particularly as your pregnancy progresses…
Pilates may be the last thing you feel like doing during
early pregnancy if you’re suffering with morning sickness, but if you’re
feeling good, there’s no reason not to carry on with your classes. Remaining
strong and mobile during your pregnancy is obviously a good thing! It can help
improve posture and sleep, manage fatigue levels and mood, maintain muscle
tone, and avoid the risk of lower back pain, blood clots, varicose veins and
urinary incontinence.
Guidelines for the first trimester are to focus on stability
of the pelvis and spine (for example by working with a ‘neutral’ pelvis – more of
which later in the month) and concentrating on good posture and the pelvic
floor. Exercises should be kept simple, with a decreased range of movement –
you’re looking to maintain rather than increase your fitness level at this
point. Don’t hold stretches for long – the pregnancy hormone Relaxin will
become present even at this early stage, and will make your ligaments
stretchier than usual – so any stretching may just pull on the ligaments rather
than the intended muscles.
Second trimester - this is where things start to get
interesting. There’s all sorts of new stuff going on with your body by now. As
your baby (and breasts) grows larger, your centre of gravity will shift, and
you will tend to arch in your lower back and round your shoulders. Balance will
be more difficult, and Rexalin may be having a significant effect on the
stability of your pelvis by the stage – as the ligaments holding the pelvis and
lower back together start to loosen (in anticipation of the Big Day) the bones
can separate and slide against each other. You will need to limit the movement
of this area by avoiding large ranges of movement, and possibly sit on a block
or a stability ball.
Lying on your front (prone) is avoided for obvious reasons,
but so is lying on your back due to the risk of your baby’s weight pressing on
the vena cava (big vein at the back of your pelvis) and restricting blood flow
to you both. This is called Supine Hypotensive Syndrome – and it significantly
changes the look of a Pilates session. Bye bye Hundred. You also don’t want to
do much work on the ‘six pack’ muscle (rectus abdominis), as strengthening it
in its lengthened position over your bump can make it more difficult for it to
shorten again after the birth.
Instead, you’ll find yourself doing a lot of work on all
fours, and changing position regularly. It’s also good to focus on the ankles
to minimise swelling, and of course, the pelvic floor. Oh, and you don’t do
anything upside down from this point on, so no more Jackknife. Just in case you
were wondering.
Third trimester: With the baby becoming relatively large by now and
compressing your internal organs you may experience shortness of breath. Your
blood pressure may also be raised, and swelling (especially of the ankles) may
occur due to increase blood volume. Apparently 64% of women also experience
incontinence. And then there’s Diastasis Recti to watch out for – when the
muscles of the belly separate away from each other along your midline (the line
running down from your ribcage through your belly button) due to the stretch of
the abdominal wall and hormonal changes.
All of which sounds like a recipe for sitting on the sofa
and taking it easy – but if you are feeling good, Pilates at this stage should
be all about working on your hands and knees, seated, and lying on your side
(with a cushion supporting your belly). Movements should be kept small and
controlled, and two shorter sessions a week are better than one longer session.
Squats are also great for circulation, and for preparing the pelvis for birth.
If you’re interested
in advice on specific Pilates exercises that are great during pregnancy, get in
touch – I won’t go into them here, as I’m not suggesting that people just give
them a go at home without a bit of professional supervision first! But
hopefully the info above will answer some of your questions about exercising
during pregnancy.
Tomorrow: postnatal Pilates - getting back to exercise, and getting your baby involved.
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