About Prenatal Pilates & Yoga at Breathe

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Being pregnant is for most women an exciting time, and your body will go through a lot of changes over the next few months. We've developed our Prenatal Yoga and Prenatal Pilates to help you adapt and prepare yourself physically for the stresses that pregnancy, labour and childbirth will place on your body. Our Prenatal Pilates and Prenatal Yoga guidelines have been designed in conjunction with physiotherapist Antony Lo to keep you and your baby safe. By exercising gently, with a series of safe, supportive and nurturing movements you'll be able to enjoy your pregnancy, labour and child rearing even more.

As your pregnancy progresses, things will change in your body (and mind!), and of course every woman's experience of pregnancy is unique, so please talk with your Prenatal Yoga or Prenatal Pilates teacher, about your specific needs regularly as your pregnancy progresses; this way we we can adapt your Prenatal Yoga or Prenatal Pilates practice to suit your individual needs. We also recommend you talk with your health care professional before you start Prenatal Pilates or Yoga during your pregnancy.

General guidelines for movement and exercise throughout your pregnancy

Growing a child within you takes a lot of resources from your system, and places new stresses on your body. Your heart has to pump for two, your lungs have to breathe for two, and your digestive system has to work for two. In fact all your body’s organs and systems have to cope with increased workload throughout your pregnancy.

Your body is designed to do this, so it’s not a problem, it just means that pregnancy is not the time to embark on an extreme “get fit” program. Getting fit takes resources from your system, which you will need, in order to build a beautiful baby! Thus “gently does it” is a great motto for you to consider when it comes to exercising during your pregnancy.

Prenatal Yoga and Pilates classes at Breathe

Breathe Prenatal Pilates and Prenatal Yoga classes will provide you with a wonderfully nurturing, renewing practice that will safely strengthen your body for childbirth, as well as working with your breath, centreing and focus. The specifics of your practice will vary from week to week, as your body and your energy levels change throughout your pregnancy. Generally it's safe and recommended to continue gentle exercise such as Prenatal Pilates or Yoga throughout your pregnancy as long as it's comfortable for you.

Exercise Guidelines for pregnancy

Developed by Raphael Bender, Michelle Scott, Melissa Papworth and Antony Lo.

Abdominal exercises & separation of the linea alba

Throughout your pregnancy it’s recommended that you avoid abdominal crunches and curls – as you grow, the muscles get stretched. In the stretched/lengthened position, using the rectus abdominis  (the muscle which runs down the front of your abdomen) will cause an increased likelihood of separation of the linea alba (the fibrous membrane running up the centre of your rectus abdominis).

Also, because the rectus won’t work properly, there will be increased abdominal pressure onto the Lumbar and Sacral vertebrae and their discs, increasing the risk of injury there as well. The hormone relaxin will also make separation of the linea alba more likely.

It is normal to have a separation during pregnancy. If you do have one, it is important that you see a specialised physio who can assess your core stability muscles to ensure you are not using your rectus abdominis or obliques and making the separation worse postpartum.

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General guidelines for exercise throughout your pregnancy

1. Check with your healthcare provider before you begin Prenatal Pilates and Yoga classes.

2. Eat low G.I. foods and regular small meals – Your blood sugar levels can fluctuate rapidly during pregnancy. Eat food high in carbohydrates (whole grains, pulses, potatoes etc) one or two hours before your Prenatal Pilates or Yoga class. Carry juice with you to your Prenatal Yoga or Pilates class, to drink if you feel faint or dizzy. If this occurs, slow down or stop exercising.

3. Drink plenty of water

4. Regular, gentle exercise (at least 3 times a week) is preferable to more random activity

5. Don't overdo it - Keep your level of exertion to 10-12 on a scale of 1-20

6. Don't get overheated

7. Wear a properly or professionally fitted bra

8. Get up from the floor slowly. As you get bigger, you'll need to start thinking about rolling onto your side before you sit up.

9. Don’t hold your breath during exercise

10. As soon as you know you’re pregnant, you should stop doing stomach curls and crunches: Abdominal bracing exercises (i.e. working to hold your spine in neutral alignment against peripheral mobility or resistance) will be beneficial for your labour and your posture. Breathe Prenatal Yoga and Prenatal Pilates classes will offer you plenty of opportunity to work your abdominals safely.

Prenatal Yoga & Pilates in 1st trimester

During first trimester you may well be too nauseous or fatigued – many women are shocked at how tired they are in first trimester and then get energy in the second to exercise. If that’s the case don’t sweat it. There’s plenty of time for you to start exercising once you’re feeling better!

During your first trimester, your chance of a natural miscarriage is highest, so it’s really important that you don’t overdo your exercise. I recommend exercising only to a moderate level of fatigue (about a 10 or 12 on a scale of 1- 20). In addition to the general guidelines for pregnancy above, there are some extra things you’ll need to take into account during your first trimester:

• At this stage a gentle, general program of mild exercises and stretches is recommended – nothing extreme (use light resistance only, no fast running or swimming). The general principle is whatever you were doing before you got pregnant is what you can do after you find out. The important thing is not to start new and unfamiliar strenuous exercises.

• Avoid extreme stretching of all kinds, and especially hip and lower back stretches at extreme ranges of motion.

• Always let your teacher know that you’re pregnant!

Prenatal Yoga & Pilates for Second trimester

As you start to feel better moving into your second trimester, you may feel more like exercising. It’s important to keep it mild and easy throughout your pregnancy.

Exercises which will benefit you most during your second trimester can include:

• Engaging your pelvic floor during exercise

• Squatting exercises to strengthen your legs for childbirth

• Breathing exercises to help you focus and practice for childbirth

• Pelvic and lower back stability/strengthening exercises to stabilize you against the release of relaxin (a hormone that softens your muscles and ligaments)

• Spinal articulation and stretches (such as cat stretch)

• Postural exercises (including lots of back exercises and stretches!) to help you cope with your changing centre of gravity

• Upper body strengthening to prepare you for carrying your new baby

Things to avoid during second trimester

• Forward flexion of your spine (bending your spine forwards) under load (ie abdominal crunches)

• Extreme stretches

• Legs apart exercises such as side or front splits (these place strain on your symphysis pubis)

• Lying on your back for more than 5 minutes, or if you get dizzy or light headed (when you lie on your back the baby squashes one of the main veins supplying blood to your heart, so the oxygen supply is restricted for you and your baby)

• Balancing on unstable surfaces (such as standing side splits on the reformer)

• Unsupported back bends

• Inversions (exercises where your heart is above your head)

Prenatal Yoga & Pilates for 3rd trimester

Almost there! Your body is changing rapidly now as your baby starts to get really big! Your centre of gravity is changing as your pelvis shifts and your spine assumes a new shape, placing strain on your lower back and sacroiliac joint (a joint in your pelvis)

Exercises that will benefit you most in your third trimester include:

• Gentle stretching, as long as it feels good

• Supported back bends (such as lying back over a bolster)

• Pelvic floor strengthening exercises

• Lower back and pelvic stability work (activating your Transversus Abdominis, Multifidus and pelvic floor especially)

• Thigh strengthening exercises especially squatting exercises - if you plan on an active labour. Note that deep squatting exercises (with your knees bent past 90 degrees) should be avoided in the last 4-6 weeks as this can put pressure on your cervix and induce labour.

• Breathing exercises

• Upper body strengthening to prepare you for carrying your new baby

Things to avoid during third trimester

• Balancing on unstable surfaces

• Single leg or legs apart exercises such as lunges, front or side splits

• Extreme stretches

• Fatigue

• Dehydration

• Excessive heart rate (above 150 bpm)

• Lying on your back for more than 5 minutes, or if you get light headed or dizzy

• Forward flexion of your spine (bending your spine forwards) under load (ie abdominal crunches)

Specific exercise recommendations may apply to you if you have pre-existing or other pertinent medical conditions – if you have any complications with your pregnancy, see your health care professional for advice before you start exercising.

Returning to exercise postpartum:

Many of the physiological changes you experience during your pregnancy will continue postpartum, especially if you are breastfeeding, so similar precautions will apply for up to 6 months after you give birth (with the addition of extra pelvic floor exercises).

Because of the effects of relaxin, it’s best to ease back in to exercise gently, especially following a caesarean. Start exercise as soon as you feel comfortable to do so., but start gently with exercises like low levels of Pilates on the reformer and mat, or a gentle Yoga class. Excessive Yoga pose holds are not recommended at this stage.

Enjoy your pregnancy and your exercise!

Raphael Bender, STOTT PILATES level 2 certified instructor, APMA Level 3 certified instructor

Michelle Scott, STOTT PILATES certified Instructor Trainer

Melissa Papworth, PoleStar Certified Pilates instructor

Antony Lo, Physiotherapist www.myphysios.com.au