Whilst pregnancy is not an illness it is a specific condition that needs extra care and consideration when participating in exercise. Mums to be need to make changes to their exercise programme during their pregnancy. However, it is also important to remember that you may also need to make changes to your everyday life, the way you stand, sit or lift, will need adapting as your pregnancy progresses. Whilst most exercise can’t make the whole event of pregnancy less intense or guarantee a quick & easy delivery, pregnancy pilates, can help Mum to keep fit and healthy, dealing with both, the job of labour and the stresses and strains that pregnancy can put on both the mind & body.
It has been proved women who have a good pelvic floor in pregnancy, do have a shorter 2nd stage in labour. The pelvic floor should be addressed, so too should the shoulder and hip stability, helping create a strong “trunk”. If this type of exercise is followed both before and during pregnancy it can have a positive effect on the mother both in terms of reducing back pain, postural management, pelvic floor function, and should not be detrimental to the health and well being of the growing foetus. This in turn can have positive benefits for the Mum after delivery both physically and psychologically.
Providing these exercises are appropriate for each stage/trimester of pregnancy, you will be able to prepare muscles and allow yourself more stamina to cope, on a day-to-day basis, up to and during labour.
The three trimesters of pregnancy
1st Trimester – This stage of your pregnancy starts from the time of conception to the 12th week. The hormone relaxin is produced and will prepare the body at the end of the first trimester. It is responsible for relaxing the ligaments around the pelvis allowing separation of the joints of the pelvis therefore increasing space in the pelvis for childbirth. It enables the abdominal muscles to stretch during pregnancy and the pelvic floor muscles to stretch during labour.
As relaxin affects the body it can become less stable around the joints and Mums to be can be prone to injury during activity and less stable in their everyday movements. In an ideal world the abdominals should be in a good condition before getting pregnant. If you are already taking Pilates classes, you can carry on as normal within the first 12 weeks. If however, if you are having twins or are new to abdominal exercise, then you should do the second trimester Pilates exercises at this stage.
Second Trimester – This stage of your pregnancy starts from the 12th week to the 28th week. The foetus is now out of the pelvis; therefore we need to adapt the abdominal training from the first trimester. Tummy crunches (six pack) & Oblique twists should now be avoided.
Exercises that focus on the core stability together with pelvic tilts are now most appropriate, it is very important that there is no doming of the abdominals as this will have the adverse effect of what you need to achieve.
Third Trimester – This stage of your pregnancy starts from the 28th week to delivery.
20 – 30 weeks – Due to a Supine Hypertensive Syndrome, lying on your back needs to be adapted. This normally happens at approximately 20 weeks of pregnancy but can happen at 12 weeks. This syndrome is possibly caused by the weight of the uterus impeding blood flow.
This could lead to feeling light headed, nausea and at the worst fainting. If you have any signs of this syndrome you would need to avoid Pilates exercises lying on your back completely. Pilates core stability exercises are again suitable for this stage of pregnancy together with small pelvic tilts on all fours or alternatively lying on your sides. This will help alleviate or at least lessen the chances of developing back problems which affect nine out of ten pregnancy’s.
30 – 40 weeks – At this stage it is far more likely that the rectus tummy muscle may split, if they have not already done so. This is due to the increasing size of baby. The rectus tummy muscle will now be very stretched and therefore weaker than normal.
Pilates core stability and pelvic tilt exercises should be held for shorter periods than before at 20 – 30 weeks. General trunk stability will be key. Towards the end of pregnancy these kinds of appropriate Pilates exercises will now lessen in repetition, this is very individual and will depend upon the physical well being of Mum along with pre- pregnancy fitness and size of baby. Alternative Pilates exercises will now be performed avoiding lying on your back.
Post-Natal Period
Normally between six to eight weeks is the time when you may be ready to return to a post-natal Pilates class, after Mum has seen a GP for a post-natal check. However, please be aware that with a caesarian section, Mum may not be insured to drive until a GP is confident that you are capable of doing an emergency stop.
Post- natal Pilates classes can now enable your instructor to test your Diastasis Recti, separation of the rectus abdominus muscles. This muscle does not always return if at all to the way it was in prepregnancy and is why it is extremely important for you to have a confident and qualified instructor, who will be able to advise you when it is appropriate for you to re-introduce conditioning rectus abdomius and internal obliques (side tummy muscles).
It is imperative to continue to keep all of your abdominals conditioned, doing the appropriate exercises such as pelvic floor and core conditioning which can help avoid incontinence (bladder & bowel control) in later life. The hormone relaxin, will stay in the body for five to six months after delivery and can be longer if breast feeding.
Therefore, it is important to be aware of this and be sure that you attend a specific post-natal Pilates class to enable correct and appropriate exercises for postnatal women. Remember over stretched muscles and ligaments at this stage can cause long-term injury.
Author: Toni French
