Many of you know that movement is a crucial part of my day. For the last three years, I've added Pilates to my weekly rotation of mindful movement exercises. This method has helped me achieve a leaner physique, strengthened my yoga practice tremendously & helped me find my core after birthing Shiva! It's also low impact, which I am a huge fan of & incredibly healing mamas' bodies.
With both pregnancies, I have focused more on Pilates as it helps me work the pelvic floor breath TA & all the pushing muscles one would typically focus on during a dedicated prenatal class. Read some more about the benefits & purpose of Pilates during pregnancy with words from my personal pilates trainer, Emily Bench. Know an expecting mama? Share this article with her! I sure wish someone had with me from the get-go.
With love,
Gigi & The De La Heart Team
Pilates & Pregnancy
"During "the sweet wait" of pregnancy, Pilates is a safe and effective exercise for most pregnant women and those who have recently given birth to strengthen the muscles that hold the body up during the year of growth.
Pregnancy Pilates exercises are great for:
âď¸Strengthening postural muscles and improving body awareness.
- With pregnancy, the belly and breasts grow. These two, although extraordinary events, leave a toll on a momma's body. The gravity of the pregnancy belly pulling forward and down will create an anterior pelvic tilt that will exacerbate the lower back curvature. This can produce discomfort and/or back pain & can also reduce endurance capacity for standing and walking. The same goes for up north! With the breasts filling up with the mother's magic milk, the upper back hump will increase. This can cause tightening in the neck, shoulders, and upper back muscles.Â
Pilates techniques to correct this:Â
Abdominals and Pelvic floor strength and flexibility.
âď¸ Recovery from birth!Â
With core muscles (core being the cylinder of forces composed by the diaphragm TOP, pelvic floor muscles, Transversus abdominis, & side, multifidus & back) solid and flexible, your come back to regular activities will be easier, faster, and happier!
It's important to understand that we have more than just a "six-pack" as abdominals. In fact, underneath the rectus abdominis, aka six-pack, we have our external and interior obliques as well as the Transverus Abdominus! TVA, (Transverus Abdominus) is in deep connection with the pelvic floor muscles. It's essential to functionally strengthen the abdominals since the midline between the two sides of the rectus abdominis (six-pack) has a ligament named Linea Alba. This will soften and stretch due to hormonal changes during pregnancy. Momma's need that band to stretch so that the uterus can grow and your baby feels comfortable. This division is called "Diastasis Recti."Â After birth, the hormone Relaxin will start going back to its normal levels, your muscles and ligaments will gradually become toned, and the division will close. If it doesn't happen and the gap is more prominent than two to three fingers between the opening, you will need to start specific exercises to close it!"
- Emily Bench is the founder of Pilathon, located in the Wynwood neighborhood of Miami, FL. If you are interested in booking a session, you can find more about her offerings by clicking here!
