Pilates during pregnancy

Please see our classes page or contact Claire to book the Post Natal “bring your baby” class (Thursday 9.30am). Further details are in the Post Natal section below.

Every class we run is equipped to cater for you during your pregnancy and our instructors have plenty of adaptations and modifications for each stage. I completed an Ante & Post Natal Pilates course in May 08 which contained the latest guidelines from the royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for when you first discover that you are pregnant through to returning to Pilates after the birth. I even spent an hour with pillows up my top to see the difficulties you face when trying to get into position!

Many women want to continue to exercise during pregnancy, but are concerned that physical exertion could cause harm to their unborn baby and indeed themselves. Pilates is a gentle low impact form of exercise and as such it is considered one of the best forms of exercise both during and after pregnancy. One the top reasons Pilates and pregnancy go together so well is that Pilates is great at building core strength – focusing on strengthening on your abdominals, back and pelvic floor, allowing for an easier pregnancy, delivery and recovery. Pilates is also famous for helping new mums get their figures back after baby is born!

Doctors and midwifes firmly support continuing exercise during a healthy pregnancy. Statistically, active women are better able to cope with labour, and regain their pre-pregnant figures more quickly

Resuming Pilates after childbirth

Following demand from new mothers who are struggling with finding childcare, we now hold dedicated post natal classes on Thursday at 9.30am, which invites mothers to bring along their babies. Power of Pilates ensures the numbers in the class are small enough to allow for individual attention and encourage you to focus on technique before moving on to more challenging exercises. If you would like further information, please feel free to contact me

Women can generally return to Pilates four to six weeks after delivery, or eight to twelve weeks after a Caesarean section. Your doctor will advise you on when your body is ready

Many mums find it difficult to tone the tummy after giving birth - Pilates will help your body regain its shape and tone and re-strengthen muscles that have been weakened during your pregnancy. Exercises can be adapted to individual needs, so a safe workout can be developed to target particular muscle groups.