Pilates for Pregnancy

During a pregnancy the female body goes through many changes and development phases as it transitions through the three trimesters.  Pilates can provide gentle and relevant exercises which support these changes and aid post natal recovery.

It is recommended that women start after week 16 so that they are comfortably into the second phase of pregnancy and probably have a little bump to work with!  This also means that those crucial first three months have passed, miscarriage risk has decreased significantly and most tiredness and sickness symptoms have usually passed.

It is important to pay attention to the postural changes that accompany the growth of the baby, and to be aware of the increased stress that may be felt in the body due to softer ligaments and steady weight gain.

We offer small classes during which equipment such as balls, bands and cushions will be used to help improve posture and alignment, and also to provide comfort and a bit of fun when exercising!  Exercises are always adapted to fit the client where required as no two pregnancies are the same.

The aim of the class is to provide a safe, friendly environment in which to exercise and to enable expectant mums to get to know each other over the period of the course.  The exercises focus specifically on posture, alignment and the roles of the pelvic floor, transverse abdominals and breath.  The latter three are extremely important during pregnancy, labour and post natal recovery so getting to know them first is always beneficial.

Prior knowledge of Pilates is useful but by no means essential as courses always start with the basics on week one and progress at a rate which suits the class.  Part of the role of Pilates during pregnancy is to help expectant mums gain a little 'control' over their body - learning to listen to their bodies and get practical ideas of how to help common ailments such as pregnancy related calf cramps, tight shoulders or back pain. Pilates provides gentle exercises that can be used post-natally in the early phase of recovery without the need for unrealistic amounts of time or space.

There is also a mother and baby class that mums can feed into should they wish to continue after the birth.

For further information or to make a booking, call Josie Lucas on 07736 928277 or visit: www.newcastlepregnancyandbabycentre.co.uk

Alternatively, you might like to book a specialist One to One Pregnancy session with one of our teachers, all of whom have undertaken the specialist Body Control Pilates pregnancy course.   Sessions last for one hour and cost £38.  Please call or email the studio directly for further information or to make a booking.