Thousands of women now hail Pilates as their exercise of choice before, during and after pregnancy. Celebrities such as Madonna, Julia Roberts, Cindy Crawford, Sarah Jessica Parker and Demi Moore practiced Pilates before, during and after their pregnancies to keep their beautiful bodies looking and feeling great.

If you do already have a Pilates background it is still advisable to take a specific pre-natal (pregnancy) class or work one-to-one with an instructor during your pregnancy.

During pregnancy your body will go through the most amazing and exciting changes. Although at times you might feel out of control while your body goes through these physical changes, Pilates is a very safe and effective approach to exercise and wellbeing during your pregnancy.

At Fit to Deliver you have the reassurance that your class is run by a fully qualified and experienced Chartered Physiotherapist. Pregnancy Pilates is not particularly strenuous, but, as with all forms of exercise, you do need to pay attention to your body (and baby) and how you are feeling. It can be thirsty work – so remember your water bottle and stay hydrated!

Although Pilates can be customised to individual goals, it is unrealistic to expect your body to become thinner or leaner during pregnancy. The main goals of Pregnancy Pilates are to keep your inner core strong to support not only your back but also your hips, pelvis and growing bump; to focus your attention on your pelvic floor muscles and to remain mindful of your posture throughout your pregnancy. It will also allow you some time out to completely relax and enjoy your pregnancy.

As your pregnancy progresses it is important not to overstretch. Hormonal changes during pregnancy (‘relaxin’) promote flexibility in the joints. You may experience more strain on your muscles and ligaments during this time as your body sensibly makes you more ‘stretchy’ ready for childbirth. Working with a smaller range of movement and concentrating on pelvic floor maintenance, centering, balance, keeping the chest and collarbones wide and your shoulders open will become your main areas to concentrate on.

Some Pilates exercises are performed in a ‘hands and knees’ position. This is an ideal position for pregnancy. It helps to take a lot of the stress off your back and pelvis and towards the end of your pregnancy can help position your baby ready for delivery.

Pilates can also help during childbirth, using the six principles to focus your mind and body and by increasing the effectiveness of your core and pelvic floor muscles, reducing fatigue during labour.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG, 2006) states that ‘all women should be encouraged to participate in aerobic and strength conditioning exercise as part of a healthy life style during their pregnancy’. They also recommend that ‘women should choose activities that will minimise the risk of loss of balance or foetal trauma’. So, a safe Pilates class run by a fully qualified professional as well as some brisk(ish) walks around the park are actually advocated by the RCOG.

With regard to your baby’s response to you exercising - evidence has shown that babies of exercising women tolerate labour better than those of non-exercisers (RCOG, 2006). Exercise is not only good news for you but your baby too!

Unfortunately it has been shown that up to 64% of women develop incontinence problems during and/or after pregnancy (British Journal of Midwifery 2005). By training your pelvic floor muscles during your Pilates class (and remembering to exercise these muscles on a daily basis) you are more likely to avoid becoming a part of that statistic.

The RCOG (2006) states that initiation of pelvic floor muscles during pregnancy and in the immediate post-natal period may reduce the risk of future urinary incontinence. However you should discuss this with your obstetrician or midwife – there may be reasons for you to wait a while post-natally before recommencing your pelvic floor exercises.

There are some conditions in which close monitoring is essential while exercising in pregnancy (and some, unfortunately, where exercise must be terminated completely). All clients will be asked to complete a Registration Form prior to their first class or initial assessment to ensure the physiotherapist is aware of any existing conditions.

Post-natal exercise

Many ladies who practise Pilates throughout their pregnancy find that their post-natal recovery is faster and easier because of existing core strength, muscle awareness and postural control.

The RCOG (2006) states that ‘provided the pregnancy and delivery were uncomplicated, a mild exercise programme consisting of walking, pelvic floor exercises and stretching may begin immediately. However, if delivery was complicated or was by caesarean section, your doctor should be consulted before resuming pre-pregnancy levels of physical activity, usually until after your first post-natal check up at 6 weeks’.

Fit to Deliver look forward to welcoming you – and your baby - to the post-natal classes once you have been cleared as safe to exercise at your six week check. If you have any specific post-natal issues you would like to address, a one-to-one assessment in the comfort of your home can be arranged prior to starting any classes and an individual treatment and exercise plan can be devised to suit your specific needs.