Hannah Vassallo
- Oct 5, 2023
- 3 min read

Prenatal Pilates Exercises

As most people know, I am a lover of Pilates! It kept me strong throughout my career as a dancer and helped me during pregnancy. See below for some great prenatal Pilates exercises.

Pregnancy is a perfectly normal state, yet as a pregnant woman your exercise needs will change literally month by month and you will need to adapt your exercise routine accordingly. There are many benefits Pilates has to offer, whether pregnant or not.

All pregnant women, regardless of levels of fitness, should seek medical approval before embarking on a new exercise regime. It is also advisable to check at regular intervals with your medical practitioner during the pregnancy that it is still safe for you to exercise. If you are new to Pilates, it is important to find a suitably qualified Pilates teacher.

Four-point kneeling is a great way to take the weight off your spine in all stages of pregnancy. This can progress into the "cat" exercise for added mobility.

What are some of the benefits of Pilates?

It teaches you body awareness
It helps to improve posture which in turn reduces the strain on joints
It can help ensure your body's systems (circulatory, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive) are all functioning efficiently
It can teach relaxation and breathing skills, which will be invaluable throughout pregnancy and also during the birth itself
Ligaments (connective tissue that join bone to bone) are affected by hormonal changes in the body during pregnancy causing them to soften to allow the pelvis to expand during the birth itself. This can cause increased mobility at certain joints such as the sacroiliac and symphisis pubis joints. Pilates helps to improve pelvic stability, which may help to prevent pelvic girdle pain.
The laxity of ligaments and increased weight of the breasts often cause neck and shoulder problems. Pilates can assist in helping to reduce these issues by improving upper body posture and movement.
Pilates may help to reduce back pain by working to strengthen the deep core muscles, thereby creating a natural girdle of strength to help support your spine and the growing weight of the baby.
Many foot, ankle and knee issues start to arise during pregnancy due to the extra weight being carried as well as the ligament laxity. There are many foot and ankle exercises that can be done seated.
Pilates can help to prepare the pelvic floor to carry increased weight, for the birth itself and for postnatal recovery.
It can help also help to prepare you for the rigours of labour, for which the name gives a clue - extremely hard work!

What do I need to know about the second trimester? (13-26 weeks)

Although we want to maintain abdominal strength, this can be done with pelvic-stability exercises rather than sit-up-style exercises. This is because, as the pregnancy progresses, your abdominals separate to allow more room for the baby and uterus to grow. It is inadvisable to strengthen these muscles from a sit-up position until they have re-gained integrity after the birth. Please do not be tempted to do The Hundred, Double Leg Stretch or similar exercises.

The exercises outlined below are designed to maintain flexibility and suppleness, however avoid over-stretching as your joints will be more prone to instability. Also avoid exercises that put pressure on your pubic bone (Spine stretch forward and The Saw).

Exercises that keep your body symmetrical are great. Avoid single leg weight bearing. Take care moving from one exercise to the next and follow your natural breathing rhythm.

We no longer cue abdominal hollowing, so think of the cue to 'zip up from the pelvic floor and lift your bump', or 'zip and hug the baby'. You may continue with prone exercises until it becomes uncomfortable or up to 24 weeks.

What is Supine Hypotensive Syndrome?

This is something to be aware of from around 16 weeks. It can occur when lying on your back resulting in dizziness and low blood pressure. It is caused by the weight of the uterus pressing on the vena cava and so restricting blood flow to the heart. Consult your individual practitioner for safe set up in the last two trimesters. Many exercises can be adapted to a seated or standing position; there are also many side-lying and four point kneeling exercises.

If you do decide to include a few supine exercises, remember to change position every three minutes and keep your limbs moving whilst on your back. If you do feel nauseous or dizzy, turn onto your left side.