Pilates when pregnant?

I am assuming Pilates is okay when pregnant? Although most of the exercises are centered around your stomach muscles. Can any of this be harmful? What about in early pregnancy?

Just wondering if anyone knows...

TIA.

As Theresa said plus the lying on the back thing after the first trimester may change the way you have to do exercises.

Yep there are pilates dvds/videos specifically for pregnancy. I think the exersices change when your progress through your pregnancy. But as with any exersice during pregnancy, you should always contact your doctor first.

Definitely find out what you can do with pregnancy. Like yoga, you have to do exercise specifically for pregnancy, normal yoga is out for pregnancy. xox

i did pilates until i was about 23 weeks pg. i told the instructor and i just had to modify some of the positions. but after a while i felt like it was a waste of time because there were more and more things i couldnt do and it felt like i achieved a lot more bu going for a walk! and with the stomach muscles, while the instructor didnt really have me stop doing the ab work, i knew it could be bad to do too much so that is why i stopped in the end.

HTH

you should be right so long as your instructor is informed and they know what they are doing. having said this, be careful as i have found some instructors really have know idea when it comes to pregnant women.

With the 'pregnastics' program I undertook at my hospital in 2nd and 3rd tri, about 1/3 of the class was centred on Pilates. So there are definately moves/excersises you can do that are safe and very beneficial for pregnancy.
I would definately have a look for a special pg pilates dvd/book/class if I were you!

All I can say is do it, do it, do it! I did pilates throughout my third pregnancy, and had no back pain and the strongest pelvic floor I've had in my life! With my other pregnancies I found that if I sneezed I 'leaked', but not this time around, and I had dreadful back pain. I now have a spinal injury that I didn't have before (prolapsed disc), and the strength the pilates gave me enabled me to carry the baby without causing any further pain or damage to my back.
As the other girls said, DO make sure that your instructor is experienced with how to modify exercises for pregnancy, but I believe that it is one of the best styles of exercise you can be doing to prepare your body.

You might have to be careful in the third trimester to not put too much strain on the stomach muscles, but a good instructor will advise you with that too.

Good luck!

Kerrie

I do Pilates now … the problem is that I don't really want to have to tell the instructor I'm pg (well I'm not just yet - but you know what I mean). The Pilates is done through work. I guess I will just have to say something to her. I sort of want to ask her now - because I'm worried about when I do fall pg - about doing Pilates at the very early stages.

I was just hoping I wouldn't have to tell her until 12 weeks - then the whole class could know too!

So I'm worried about the 1st trimester ...

fiona - you probably dont have to tell her if it means everyone will know. just make sure you dont overheat at all. the main things about your stomach muscles and laying on your tummy dont really come in until at least 2nd tri. so if you listen to your body i think you will be ok not to tell her. just make sure if you need to stop you just make an excuse and stop straight away.

HTH

IIRC one of the main things to keep in mind are your stomach muscles when doing pilate type exercises during pregnancy. My cousin is overdue with her third child now and has suffered through the last three months with a separated (I hope I have that right) abdominal muscle.