I’ve practiced mat Pilates since 2018. The benefits are endless, both physically and mentally.
“Internationally, Pilates is considered a major exercise for improving physical, psychological, and motor functions.”*
When I became pregnant, it was important to me to continue to exercising regularly, but tailor my exercise to ensure that I was doing so in a safe and healthy manner for me and baby.
I pivoted a bit and started reformer Pilates. The instructor I was introduced to specializes in teaching pregnant and postpartum clients. I fell in love with reformer Pilates (and my previous limited experience was not so good). But now, everything changed. I am a firm believer it’s who you partner with in any aspect of life that can make things either a good or not-so-enjoyable experience.
Your exercise routine (and especially if you are working with a trainer) should always be positive, feel full of respect, and you should be able to quickly identify and appreciate the benefits from it.
For those less knowledgeable about Pilates,
“Pilates is based on control, strength and flexibility. It focuses particularly on the abdominal muscles, vertebral column, and pelvic floor, and is thus instrumental in improving body alignment and good postures.”**
One aspect I truly appreciated was my instructor respected my body and its limits each day. Each week changed.
I couldn’t do a Pilates “roll up” after 17 weeks. Some days I was more exhausted. She would lessen “the spring load” on the reformer on those days. She met me where I was physically each session.
With her guidance and safety instructions for both me and baby, I was fortunate to be able to continue practicing reformer Pilates through the majority of my pregnancy.
Here are some key benefits of practicing Pilates during pregnancy:
“Regular [Pilates] training has been shown to strengthen the pelvic floor muscle and increase its structural function. Pelvic floor exercises have been shown to prevent prolonged second stage of labor…”*
“In pregnancy Pilates, Pilates diaphragmatic breathing technique, helps the mother prepare for childbirth.”*
“Improving the ability of the trunk and pelvic floor muscles, flexibility and proper breathing in Pilates may facilitate the delivery process.”*
“The women in [an] experimental group [of Pilates] were significantly less likely to suffer perineal trauma in spontaneous deliveries compared to the women in the control group.”**
As a result of a study on practicing Pilates during pregnancy, “Pilates had a positive effect on the severity of labor pain in the active phase, the length of the active phase and second stage of labor, and maternal satisfaction with childbirth.”*
Keeping these benefits in mind, if practicing Pilates lessens pain, the learned breathing technique for all those months assists with managing uterine contractions and prenatal pain, and overall women may experience an easier childbirth, that’s plenty for me.
And these are all just delivery-related benefits.
The benefits of regular Pilates exercise is extremely helpful.
It can:
- be helpful for any person generally cleared for exercise
- serve many purposes – for leaning, toning, breathing, disconnecting (phone/stress), mentally, emotionally, physically
- assist in achieving a healthy & fit pregnancy
- lessen the stress and recovery of the postpartum period and
- be helpful for mom during the entire pregnancy
With everything changing in pregnancy, when we can keep part of our pre-pregnancy routine such as exercise and healthy eating it’s such a positively beautiful thing!
*https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12884-021-03922-2.pdf
**Feria-Ramírez C, Gonzalez-Sanz JD, Molina-Luque R, Molina-Recio G. The Effects of the Pilates Method on Pelvic Floor Injuries during Pregnancy and Childbirth: A Quasi-Experimental Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jun 30;18(13):6995. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18136995. PMID: 34208859; PMCID: PMC8297105.
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