Pilates anyone?

gtdubois · December 2011

Has anyone been doing Pilates since they got their BFP? I was doing it before I got PG, but stopped and I definitely feel like I am LOSING my abs muscles! It's hard for me to just sit up!

I am thinking of going to a class today, but I'm just a little nervous about doing so many ab exercises and planks....so I wanted to know if anyone has been doing these and are fine?!?

danslilgrizzly · December 2011

I do mat Pilates at home, but have only done it twice since my BFP. The last time (2 weeks ago), it felt great while I was doing it, but I started cramping shortly after and it continued for several hours. I asked the doc about it yesterday and he said I probably overstretched my muscles. I only did 20 minutes. I plan to do it again, but I will do it slowly and try to build up my strength.

lpichach · December 2011

I did pilates right up until 14 weeks. because I was finding it especially uncomfortable on my abs and such. Instead I got some prenatal workout dvds that seem to take the basics from pilates. Try Gabrielle reece's Workouts, I like them. I agree, the abs are no longer really there which sucks, but apparently diasatsis (sp?) and such that can hppen if you continue pilates without proper supervision is undesirable.

I aske dmy doctor about it every visit and she says, do what feels right, listen to the body.

Pookie05 · December 2011

I haven't been doing Pilates since my BFP either but am going to talk to OB today about it.

I have been doing planks, roll ups, hundreds, and a few other pilates-style movements because I really want to keep as much strength as I can and fight that muscle loss. There has been a serious decline in strength in this area for me already.

babyrawks · December 2011

If you have done pilates prior to your BFP then I would proceed with practicing as long as you are comfortable doing so. If you can find a prenatal certified instructor, that's your best route.

I know women who were doing head stands in their 8 month. It's different for each person.

gtdubois · December 2011

I did classes and private instruction on a pilates machine prior to BFP, so hopefully I will be ok. My gym has a very good instructor who has promised me that doing Pilates while pregnant is fine. I'm just a wuss I think and will probably freak out at the first little cramp I get! The class is only 30 min, so I plan on taking it very slow.

cchill01 · December 2011

My neighbor is a pre-natal, post-partum pilates instructor and feels very strongly that pregnant women should not be doing "ab" work. And that we really should never "sit up." You should roll to your side an push up with your arms. It is very easy to give yourself a diastasis recti, especially when pregnant. Check out the Tupler Technique and "Lose your Mummy Tummy." Obviously, you wouldn't use the wrap right now, but the exercises are good. Unfortunately, it is time consuming.

babyrawks · December 2011

gtdubois:
. My gym has a very good instructor who has promised me that doing Pilates while pregnant is fine.

Is this person prenatal certified? If not, I would ask if they know someone you can talk to so you can feel better about it. As a yoga instructor, I was very uncomfortable giving instruction to those who were pregnant. Now that I am certified, I feel much better. And now that I too am pregnant, I am more confident teaching a pregnancy class.

babyrawks · December 2011

cchill01:
My neighbor is a pre-natal, post-partum pilates instructor and feels very strongly that pregnant women should not be doing "ab" work. And that we really should never "sit up." You should roll to your side an push up with your arms. It is very easy to give yourself a diastasis recti, especially when pregnant. Check out the Tupler Technique and "Lose your Mummy Tummy." Obviously, you wouldn't use the wrap right now, but the exercises are good. Unfortunately, it is time consuming.

There are great ab exercises you can do that are baby safe.

Here are 3 to be done while sitting:

1 - imagine you are zipping up a just-barely-fits sweater, pulling everything into the centre as you zip and unzip, from lower abs up

2 - imagine you are tying up sweat pant draw strings. That inital pull of the string is the action, targeting your lower ab region

3 - think of your ribs and everything attached as a corset. Pull your corset on super tight and release. This targets everything

mel101 · December 2011

I have a crunch pilates dvd and I am going to start doing the thigh routine on it. I was feeling much too yuck before but I am starting to feel better and need to do something before the flab overtakes me lol

cchill01 · December 2011

babyrawks:
cchill01:

My neighbor is a pre-natal, post-partum pilates instructor and feels very strongly that pregnant women should not be doing "ab" work. And that we really should never "sit up." You should roll to your side an push up with your arms. It is very easy to give yourself a diastasis recti, especially when pregnant. Check out the Tupler Technique and "Lose your Mummy Tummy." Obviously, you wouldn't use the wrap right now, but the exercises are good. Unfortunately, it is time consuming.

There are great ab exercises you can do that are baby safe.

Here are 3 to be done while sitting:

1 - imagine you are zipping up a just-barely-fits sweater, pulling everything into the centre as you zip and unzip, from lower abs up

2 - imagine you are tying up sweat pant draw strings. That inital pull of the string is the action, targeting your lower ab region

3 - think of your ribs and everything attached as a corset. Pull your corset on super tight and release. This targets everything

What you're describing is very similar to the Tupler Technique and all great for pregnant woman.

What she meant by "ab work" was crunchs, 100s, and anything else that brings the top of your body closer to the bottom of your body. Basically, what 99.9% of people define as abdominal exercises.

lizzybean · December 2011

My midwife told me that everything I was doing pre-pregnancy I can do while I'm pregnant. I do pilates once a week and soft yoga twice a week. My instructor has changed her routine to keep me off my tummy because I'm already uncomfortable on my belly.

During class, if I get overtired or uncomfortable, I take a break and stretch.

Its all about knowing your body, ladies!

chicagocubsfan23 · December 2011

I used to do pilates all of the time too, I loved it! I got a pre-natal yoga video now that I do. I know it isn't the same thing but it still works on toning muscles, and since pilates is a form of yoga, I figured it's better than nothing!

gtdubois · December 2011

cchill01:

My neighbor is a pre-natal, post-partum pilates instructor and feels very strongly that pregnant women should not be doing "ab" work. And that we really should never "sit up." You should roll to your side an push up with your arms. It is very easy to give yourself a diastasis recti, especially when pregnant. Check out the Tupler Technique and "Lose your Mummy Tummy." Obviously, you wouldn't use the wrap right now, but the exercises are good. Unfortunately, it is time consuming.

I just went online to check out the Tupler Technique and it looks interesting! Did you do it after you had a baby? How time consuming is it? I would definitely consider doing it after having the baby since I really don't want to lose all ab muscle strength!

snicksnack · December 2011

I have been doing reformer Pilates for almost 5 years. I did it twice a week my entire pregnancy with DD with permission from my OB. My teacher changed some of the moves to accommodate me. My OB said during delivery that my strong core allowed me to deliver vaginally because my DD was not dropping and they had me push her down into position. Basically I had to do a pelvic tilt and push for a while. As for post pardom I bounced right back I was back in my jeans before DD was 6 weeks old. I highly recommend pilates. Although, I would take it in an environment where you have an instructor that can assist and give you individual attention.

rickisue80 · December 2011

Check out "Pregalates". They're prenatal pilates videos for each trimester and the instructor is pregnant with you in each video. I'm ordering the 2nd tri one this week to go with my prenatal yoga dvd. I loved pilates before I got pregnant, but due to past loss history, I'm super careful not to try to do all the things I did before. Plus, doc put me on no exercise for the first trimester and now I'm only allowed light exercise and walking.

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