Prenatal workshop notes
Introduction
Pregnancy is a time of joy, hope and expectations. It is unfortunately also a time of worries and uncertainties about what you should and shouldn't do. Exercise, especially Pilates, is a key component to a healthy pregnancy and it is our hope that this workshop will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to be able to have a strong and safe perinatal practice.
Your body changes
It is quite amazing how much your body will change throughout your pregnancy. Some of the changes will be visible outwardly but most will happen underneath “the hood” so to speak. The good news is that your body was designed and is well equipped to handle it all.
There are many changes you can expect: pregnancy belly, weight gain, pregnancy glow, healthier hair and nails, morning sickness, mood swings, blurred vision, sharper olfactory senses etc.
We will cover those changes that affect your ability to exercise and that we can account for in our Pilates practice.
Cardiovascular system
Your blood volume will increase by about 50%. This is accompanied by an increase in your heart rate. This is to prepare your body to be efficient at delivering nutrients to the baby. This increase in fluids can have a few side effects such as water retention in the extremities (hands, feet ...). Exercise works great at fending this off
Uterus size increases
Your uterus will get a 20-fold increase, from 50 g to about 1 kg. It will also start moving upwards displacing organs such as your stomach and intestines to the front and sides of the belly. The diaphragm will also be pushed upwards. This allows the uterus to fulfil its role of housing a growing foetus. This increase in size, in addition with the weight of the baby, will place tremendous pressure on the supportive pelvic floor muscles. We thus want to enter pregnancy with a strong pelvic floor and maintain its stability throughout.
The Respiratory System
As your foetus grows and uterus expands, there is an upward push of the diaphragm which results in "less space" for the lungs. Optimal deep breathing becomes harder. Shortness of breath during this period is normal. Practising meditation, yoga and Pilates will give you more control on your breaths and will allow you get to more oxygen from each inhale, while clearing the CO2 on the exhale. A good rule of thumb while exercising is to always to able to maintain a conversation. This ensures you aren't exercising beyond your recommended intensity.
Hyper mobility of the joints
This is due to hormonal changes and the release of the hormone Relaxin. The additional flexibility provided by this hormone makes delivering a baby possible, but it also increases the risk of joint damage, strains and sprains. We need to restrict the range of movements to protect the joints.
Balance
As your body evolves throughout the pregnancy, your centre of gravity will keep moving. One of the direct consequences of this is that exercises requiring balance will become increasingly challenging. We will avoid exercises requiring too much balance that could potentially lead to a fall
Gestational lordosis
As the baby grows, your core weakens. Your spine is pulled forward towards your belly button. The natural curve in your lower back will be exaggerated. This will most likely express itself as back pain. As the pregnancy progresses, we will be sure to avoid exercises promoting this type of spinal alignment.
Pregnancy is a time of joy, hope and expectations. It is unfortunately also a time of worries and uncertainties about what you should and shouldn't do. Exercise, especially Pilates, is a key component to a healthy pregnancy and it is our hope that this workshop will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to be able to have a strong and safe perinatal practice.
Your body changes
It is quite amazing how much your body will change throughout your pregnancy. Some of the changes will be visible outwardly but most will happen underneath “the hood” so to speak. The good news is that your body was designed and is well equipped to handle it all.
There are many changes you can expect: pregnancy belly, weight gain, pregnancy glow, healthier hair and nails, morning sickness, mood swings, blurred vision, sharper olfactory senses etc.
We will cover those changes that affect your ability to exercise and that we can account for in our Pilates practice.
Cardiovascular system
Your blood volume will increase by about 50%. This is accompanied by an increase in your heart rate. This is to prepare your body to be efficient at delivering nutrients to the baby. This increase in fluids can have a few side effects such as water retention in the extremities (hands, feet ...). Exercise works great at fending this off
Uterus size increases
Your uterus will get a 20-fold increase, from 50 g to about 1 kg. It will also start moving upwards displacing organs such as your stomach and intestines to the front and sides of the belly. The diaphragm will also be pushed upwards. This allows the uterus to fulfil its role of housing a growing foetus. This increase in size, in addition with the weight of the baby, will place tremendous pressure on the supportive pelvic floor muscles. We thus want to enter pregnancy with a strong pelvic floor and maintain its stability throughout.
The Respiratory System
As your foetus grows and uterus expands, there is an upward push of the diaphragm which results in "less space" for the lungs. Optimal deep breathing becomes harder. Shortness of breath during this period is normal. Practising meditation, yoga and Pilates will give you more control on your breaths and will allow you get to more oxygen from each inhale, while clearing the CO2 on the exhale. A good rule of thumb while exercising is to always to able to maintain a conversation. This ensures you aren't exercising beyond your recommended intensity.
Hyper mobility of the joints
This is due to hormonal changes and the release of the hormone Relaxin. The additional flexibility provided by this hormone makes delivering a baby possible, but it also increases the risk of joint damage, strains and sprains. We need to restrict the range of movements to protect the joints.
Balance
As your body evolves throughout the pregnancy, your centre of gravity will keep moving. One of the direct consequences of this is that exercises requiring balance will become increasingly challenging. We will avoid exercises requiring too much balance that could potentially lead to a fall
Gestational lordosis
As the baby grows, your core weakens. Your spine is pulled forward towards your belly button. The natural curve in your lower back will be exaggerated. This will most likely express itself as back pain. As the pregnancy progresses, we will be sure to avoid exercises promoting this type of spinal alignment.
Things that you need to consider before embarking in a Pilates practice
Medical considerations:
Physiological considerations:
Hormonal changes such as the presence of Relaxin will require a safer (think shorter) range of motion in some exercises.
Your baby is indeed a precious package and we will need to be a lot more careful to keep your belly safe (falls, objects in way ...)
Linked to the above and the fact that your balance will be challenged, standing exercises will be limited to those with a firm footing.
Your baby’s growth will weaken your abdominal wall, your pelvic floor while straining your back. This will limit the type of core work that will be performed.
Blood pressure. Your have more blood but the baby’s needs are prioritized even before your brain's. Getting up too quickly could cause light-headedness and even fainting.
Laying on your back (more common after 24 weeks) can compress the Vena Cava in your back which will restrict blood flow to your brain. This can lead to light-headedness or fainting. As the pregnancy progresses, we reduce uninterrupted time on our backs to no more than 5 minutes.
Your temperature will be higher and yet your baby will need to stay cool: stay hydrated
Always listen to your body. Do not over exert yourself. We want to maintain our practice, not push ourselves to our limits
Medical considerations:
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Being over 35
- Having twins/triplets...
- Previous caesarean
- Others
Physiological considerations:
Hormonal changes such as the presence of Relaxin will require a safer (think shorter) range of motion in some exercises.
Your baby is indeed a precious package and we will need to be a lot more careful to keep your belly safe (falls, objects in way ...)
Linked to the above and the fact that your balance will be challenged, standing exercises will be limited to those with a firm footing.
Your baby’s growth will weaken your abdominal wall, your pelvic floor while straining your back. This will limit the type of core work that will be performed.
Blood pressure. Your have more blood but the baby’s needs are prioritized even before your brain's. Getting up too quickly could cause light-headedness and even fainting.
Laying on your back (more common after 24 weeks) can compress the Vena Cava in your back which will restrict blood flow to your brain. This can lead to light-headedness or fainting. As the pregnancy progresses, we reduce uninterrupted time on our backs to no more than 5 minutes.
Your temperature will be higher and yet your baby will need to stay cool: stay hydrated
Always listen to your body. Do not over exert yourself. We want to maintain our practice, not push ourselves to our limits
Exercise modifications
Below are some pregnancy modifications you can use. These aren't set in stones but are good guidelines to start with.
Plank Progression
1st trimester -> second trimester (1) -> second trimester (2) -> third trimester
1st trimester -> second trimester (1) -> second trimester (2) -> third trimester
Cat/Cow Stretch
Cat -> cow first trimester -> cow second trimester onwards
Cat -> cow first trimester -> cow second trimester onwards
Leg work: supine to sidelying
supine (start) -> supine (end)
Sidelying (start) -> Sidelying (end)
supine (start) -> supine (end)
Sidelying (start) -> Sidelying (end)
Kneeling arm series
1st trimester -> second trimester -> third trimester
1st trimester -> second trimester -> third trimester
Child's pose
1st trimester & second trimester -> third trimester
1st trimester & second trimester -> third trimester
Iron cross
Iron cross (start) -> (end) {1st trimester}
2nd and 3rd trimester (start) -> 2nd trimester (end) -> 3rd trimester (end)
Iron cross (start) -> (end) {1st trimester}
2nd and 3rd trimester (start) -> 2nd trimester (end) -> 3rd trimester (end)
Side Plank
1st trimester -> second trimester (1) -> second trimester (2) -> third trimester (1) -> third trimester (2)
1st trimester -> second trimester (1) -> second trimester (2) -> third trimester (1) -> third trimester (2)