This is Pilates that has been adapted for this special time of a woman’s life – catering for their specific needs and is safe for all three trimesters.

For many women, pregnancy is a time of reflection and self-improvement as they try to become or stay as healthy as they can for their unborn baby. Exercise plays an important role during this time, but what makes Pilates the best method of exercise for women who are pregnant…?

• The focus on core work leads to stronger abdominal muscles, which support the weight of your growing belly. This reduces the strain on your lower back and decreases your susceptibility to lower back pain.
• The breathing technique practiced in Pilates will help to combat the shortness of breath often felt by pregnant women, as your lung capacity and abdominal muscle strength increases.
• The exercises are specifically designed to combat the typical postural changes that occur with pregnancy, such as rounded shoulders and a hollowed lower back.
• Overall muscle strengthening and toning is worked on, which helps regulate your weight gain during pregnancy.
• Balance and coordination are focused on and improved – things you may sorely lack as you progress with your pregnancy.

• These well designed exercises focus on teaching you to activate and relax both the pelvic floor muscles and deep abdominals – ideal for birth preparation.
• The breathing technique you learn teaches you to focus on the mind-body connection. As you breathe deeply and evenly to centre yourself whilst exercising, these are skills that will help you during times of discomfort and labour.

• All movements are initiated by your abdominal muscles, which increases circulation to the abdomen and to your growing baby rather than diverting blood away from your centre and toward the extremities as other forms of exercise such as weights or aerobics can do.
• These low-impact Pilates exercises are specifically adapted to cater for your changing needs as your body changes.
• The focus on correct alignment and practice of muscle elongation in Pilates allows your spine to elongate thereby giving your growing baby more room.

• Pilates will become a powerful stress-relieving tool to help you deal with the psychological, emotional and physical changes that occur. Your Pilates sessions will become your ‘time-out’ as you spend the hour focusing on yourself.
• The conscious and active breathing used in Pilates floods your body with oxygen, removes the waste products and decreases the cortisol (stress hormone) levels. This will help you deal with the hormonal changes and mood swings.

• Having stronger pelvic floor and abdominal muscles during pregnancy means that these muscles will recover faster – whether you had a natural or caesarian delivery.
• They will regain their normal length and tone faster which means you will regain your pre-pregnancy waistline sooner.

Come and enjoy the benefit of exercising at your own pace in a private environment with other women who know exactly what you’re experiencing!

Option 1: Private one-on-one sessions (in a fully equipped studio)
Option 2: Come with a friend or two for Duet or Trio sessions (in a fully equipped studio)
Option 3: Larger group classes (mat classes with balls and smaller equipment)

Contact Lisa to find out about sessions and classes to suit you!

Continue with these specifically designed exercises after the birth of your baby. Once you are given medical clearance by your Gynaecologist, coming back to Pilates classes is one of the best things you can do for yourself!

All the benefits gained from doing Prenatal Pilates are to be enjoyed in the Postnatal classes as well as more:

• Strengthening the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles is something all mothers need – but especially women who have carried and delivered a baby in the last few months. Getting these muscles back into shape will decrease the possibility of incontinence and improve your sex life.
• The breathing in Pilates helps you to relax, reducing tension in your neck and shoulders.
• The exercises are specifically designed to help your body recover from the stresses and postural changes that occurred during your pregnancy.
• The core centered exercises coordinated with the deep active breathing engage all your abdominal muscles – meaning you’ll regain your pre-pregnancy waistline much faster.
• The 'whole body fitness' concept of Pilates is adapted to target specific areas of your body that you, as a new mother need. For example: back and upper body strengthening is focused on to prepare you for all the lifting, holding and carrying of your new baby.
• Lose your excess pregnancy weight whilst doing safe strengthening and flexibility training.

Once you have settled into your new role as a mom and your body has recovered sufficiently, you can move from the Postnatal Pilates classes/sessions to the standard Pilates classes where you can build on your strength and flexibility, challenging yourself to go further!