Pilates strengthens the body in slow and controlled movements while encouraging gentle toning. Pilates is known for ushering in the benefits of relaxation through breathing techniques and proper body alignment. This connects the mother to the child in an intrinsic natural manner. The core, or the “powerhouse” of the body, includes the abdomen, the back, and the floor muscles (which include the Kegel muscles). These areas during pregnancy will be under the most stress during the delivery, and Pilates taps into the strength potential within the body. Pilates alleviates some of the pain of childbirth, by training the body to use its core strength effectively and safely. Not to mention it is a great way to reintroduce exercise into a new mom’s schedule and allows for an excellent way to get back into shape after birth, without the high impact or weight resistance methods of more conventional training.

When choosing to include Pilates in your pre natal regime, be sure to consult with your physician or midwife. After permission is granted, feel free to proceed safely into pre natal Pilates, but this is a step that cannot be overlooked especially for women in their second and third trimesters. Some of the exercises may become uncomfortable, since they are performed on the back, but there are modifications that can be made as the pregnancy progresses to enable a comfortable and calming environment. Also a condition called “diastasis” may occur later in the pregnancy, which is when the abdomen separates, if this does occur extra special attention must be paid to further modification of your Pilates regime, or it may need to be discontinued until after baby is born.

Since there are many hormonal changes that occur in the women’s body during pregnancy, heightened body awareness will need to be strictly paid attention to. Some of the poses, movements, or machine work that you may have been able to perform few weeks ago will not be executed with such ease. This is simply because the body is changing and sending signals to the areas of the body that need to be treated with care. Also, ligaments and tendons become more pliable as the pregnancy progresses to prepare the body for birth. Since deep stretching is a building block of Pilates training one must be sure not to stretch too much and keep their safety, as well as the baby’s, forefront in their physical training agenda.

The benefits of Pilates during pregnancy are numerous, it will increase the circulatory blood flow to the body, which is imperative to the healthy development of your child, it will make delivery and recovery easier, and it will connect the mind to the body. The most important part of pregnancy is staying healthy, Pilates creates that healthy environment for you to relax and enjoy the beautiful evolution of woman to mother.