POST NATAL PILATES

When your body has spent nine whole months developing, nurturing and carrying a new life it is really important not to underestimate the immense changes that your body goes through on this amazing journey.

There is an awful lot of pressure on women in this day and age, particularly from social media and celebrities to regain pre-pregnancy shape and portray a “supermum” lifestyle. This unrealistic expectation can mean that some of us are rushing back into exercise after giving birth much too quickly.  Returning to fitness should be a long term goal and the type of exercise that you participate in should be suitable, sensible and safe to avoid the risk of long term physical and health problems.  If rushed, it can result in setbacks.  Allowing a qualified post natal Instructor to guide you through the initial post natal period will ensure effective, safe results with a good understanding of specific post natal exercise.  On your discharge from hospital, you will have been given some gentle exercises to start soon after the baby is born.  This course is designed to develop on from those gentle exercises and get you moving again.

Pilates brings together body and mind, focusing strongly on concentration, balance, precision and breathing.  The class is managed so that exercises link and flow.  Pilates is used widely by physiotherapists and lends itself to being adapted for both pregnancy and post natal recovery.

“I found post natal Pilates fabulous!! I could feel my muscles working from the first class! Jen talked through each move clearly whilst not going to fast/slow and made the class so interesting, explaining what muscle response you should feel and where!” Tracey

WHY SHOULD I CONSIDER A POST NATAL PILATES RECOVERY COURSE?

A post natal recovery course will help you to be fit for purpose!! It’s hard work being a new mum and you need to be fit and strong to cope with the demands of your new lifestyle and newborn baby.  Everyone is susceptible to the stresses and strains that pregnancy can present to our bodies.  This is your opportunity to look after yourself and set the foundations for a healthy, functional, active life with your new addition.

After the initial recuperation and healing stage that follows childbirth, hormone levels normalise and your body is ready to be guided through safe and effective exercise.  This course will focus specifically on the major changes that have occurred to the postural structures of the body and the continual changes that are still ongoing in the early stages following childbirth, particularly if you are breastfeeding.

There is a huge focus on postural awareness, muscle control and potentially reducing the separation of the tummy muscles where necessary.  For some women, a diagnosis of “Diastasis Recti” may be given where complete separation has occurred.  In some cases this split will recover on it’s own, for others it requires careful progressions through a well-designed exercise programme to bring the sides of the muscles back together.

Risk factors regarding the effects of the hormone relaxin are taken into consideration.  Relaxin is the hormone that allows muscles and ligaments to stretch during pregnancy and it can stay in your body for up to 6 months after baby is born and for longer if breastfeeding, therefore particular care is given to potential lack of stability in the joints when exercising as the body is vulnerable.

Significant musculoskeletal changes to your body are common in late pregnancy.  Due to the progressive, increased weight of the baby in the abdomen the lumbar curve increases and pulls the pelvis forwards, the upper back begins to compensate by rounding forwards at the shoulders creating numerous problems.  Pilates will encourage a return to neutral spine alignment and improved posture.  This helps to alleviate lower back and pelvic pain.

The course will focus on the journey back to the pre-pregnancy body with particular consideration for poor lumbopelvic stability, reduced joint stability and postural changes.  Slow, controlled movements will re-educate incorrect muscle patterns and muscular imbalances such as stretched, weakened abdominal wall and shortened lumbar spine muscles.

Range and speed of movement, alignment and technique during all exercises will be closely monitored at all times.  You will follow a gradual session plan over the six weeks with a view to hopefully being suitable to attend a regular Pilates class at the end.