Prenatal Pilates Classes
Why do Pilates during pregnancy?
Pilates is the perfect form of exercise to do during pregnancy because it helps condition the muscles necessary to support the ongoing changes in your body. At the same time Pilates builds mind-body awareness, teaches use of the breath, and improves alignment and posture.
Your body changes continuously during pregnancy and those changes can cause uncomfortable symptoms. Pilates can help to counteract this by strengthening the muscles of the core, building postural muscles, and keeping the body mobile.
In a Pilates class you will learn to fully use your core, which includes:
- the pelvic floor or base of support for your abdominal organs
- the transversus abdominis, the deepest layer of the abdominal muscles that acts as a supportive girdle around the front of the body
- the multifidus and thoracolumbar fascia
- the diaphragm
When all of these muscles are strong and used together they provide the necessary support for the increasing weight of the uterus and the downward pressure it causes. They are also the muscles that will be used during labor.
Pregnancy can create changes in your posture that cause among other things lower back pain, and increased neck and shoulder tension.
Pilates classes will help you:
- build awareness of your posture
- strengthen the stabilizing muscles of the back
- open your chest and upper back to release tension
This will help to prevent pain during your pregnancy and build strong muscles that will serve you well during breast feeding and other early motherhood tasks.
As a method Pilates is about balance, so each class will incorporate exercisesthat:
- focus on strength and flexibility
- build stability and to increase mobility
- teach how to control and release muscles
Our Prenatal Class:
Every Thursday at 11:00am
at Essential Physical Therapy & Pilates in Montpellier, VT
Prenatal Pilates classes will give you a total body workout while working within the parameters of what is safe.
There will be a focus on learning to engage the pelvic floor, working in neutral to build strength in the transversus abdominis, and building strong postural muscles in the back. At the same time classes will include exercises to strengthen and tone the arms and legs, improve flexibility and balance, and keep your body mobile as it changes.
The classes are designed to keep you safe and comfortable, so you will not spend more than 3 minutes at a time lying on your back, there will be no inversion exercises, and special care is given to preventing diastasis recti.
This class is open to both those with experience in Pilates and those who are new to the method.*
Prenatal Pilates classes will help you have a more comfortable pregnancy, prepare you for labor, and keep your body strong, so that you are ready for the physical aspects of motherhood.
Prenatal Pilates Classes with Kaarin will be held at Essential Physical Therapy and Pilates in Montpelier, VT.
To sign up for classes call (802) 262-1500 or email info@essentialptp.com
For questions about Prenatal Pilates contact Kaarin Shipitko at kaarinshipitko@gmail.com
*We recommend checking with your doctor first about adding Pilates to your exercise routine.