Pregnancy can be a time of great change and growth, both physically and mentally, so changing how you move and stay active is key. Pilates is a fantastic low impact pregnancy exercise that provides many benefits for mamas-to-be - whether you've been doing Pilates for years or are a complete beginner! In this blog post, we will talk about the top 9 reasons you may want to consider taking up Pilates during pregnancy, and how it can benefit you physically and mentally through pregnancy and beyond.
Pelvic Floor Strength: One of the main benefits of Pilates during pregnancy is increased pelvic floor strength. The stronger your pelvic floor muscles are, the better prepared you will be for labour and delivery, and most importantly, recovery. Although there are no guarantees, helping to strengthen your pelvic floor during pregnancy can help to prevent issues like prolapse and incontinence after birth, and ensure a speedier recovery to boot. Leg Strength: Many women find that their leg strength decreases during pregnancy. This is often due to a combination of factors such as extra weight gain, postural changes and hormonal fluctuations. Pilates can help to combat this by increasing endurance and strength in the legs - which will come in handy when it comes time for labour! Strong legs can be used to stay active throughout the labour process, and depending on positions can also assist in pushing. Having strong legs also means a quicker lower body recovery after birth, and puts you in good stead for hours of rocking, swaying and walking with bub. Mental Health: Pregnancy can a time of great change and adjustment, which can bring with it a lot of stress. Pilates is great for providing the mind and body with benefits, such as improved concentration span and mood regulation - all of which can help during pregnancy. With it's fantastic combination of mindfulness and exertion Pilates can help to release endorphins and dopamine - the ultimate feel good hit! Reducing Diastasis Recti: "Diastasis recti" refers to a separation of the abdominal muscles that occurs during pregnancy as your baby grows and moves the muscles apart. Although an abdominal gap is normal, it's important to note that diastasis recti does not heal on its own after pregnancy - in fact, if you don't take any action towards strengthening your core, chances are it will get worse over time. Prevention can be beneficial here as the stronger your abdominal muscles are during pregnancy, the easier it will be to reactivate them once bub has arrived. Although abdominal exercises in pregnancy don't look the same as they do before falling pregnant, they can still be highly effective in supporting your core and bub if modified correctly for safety. Increase Endurance: Pregnancy can be a time of increased fatigue and pregnancy Pilates exercises are an excellent way to combat this! Many pregnancy Pilates programs will build up endurance so that you'll have the energy for labour, birth and beyond - which is what we call pregnancy power. Pilates can be incredibly energising for mamas to be, and even when you're feeling low, a gently workout can make all the difference. Reduce Back Pain: Back pain is one of the most common pregnancy complaints - especially in the later stages when your baby bump has grown substantially. Pilates provides relief from back pain by building strength in all areas of your body (including core, legs and arms!) This not only reduces pressure on your spine but also ensures that both mama-to-be's and unborn bubs remain safe during pregnancy. Strengthen arms: Another pregnancy complaint is a weak upper body. Pilates can help to increase strength in the arms, which will come in handy for all those hours of holding baby. Before you know it you'll be lugging a baby, a giant bag and a pram through all sorts of locations, and you'll be glad you spent time making sure your arms were strong before bub was here! There you have it - 9 great reasons why pregnancy Pilates should be at the top of your list! If you're looking for a prenatal Pilates program that is safe and effective, we recommend trying our Prenatal Pilates Course hosted by the amazing team at Articulate Physiotherapy. Designed by an experienced pre/postnatal exercise specialist, this program provides everything you need to stay healthy and strong throughout pregnancy. We hope you enjoyed this post - feel free to share with your pregnant friends or those who are planning on becoming pregnant in the future! And don't forget to leave us a comment below if you have any questions about pregnancy Pilates or get in touch with one of our friendly team by email us at hello@nascentwellness.com.au. We would love to hear from ou!
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AuthorOur team of Brisbane based pre and postnatal health and wellness professionals love being able to share their top tips about conception, birth and all things bub and motherhood! Archives
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