The anatomical changes your body went through during pregnancy will have had an adverse effect on your musculoskeletal system. The good news is that postnatal Pilates will help your body recover well. Pregnancy results in greater stress being put on your joints and spine, as well as aggravating any pre-existing conditions or injuries. Musculoskeletal issues that can arise as a result of pregnancy include lower back pain, decreased core strength, abdominal separation, and weakened pelvic floor muscles. The main reason why you should try postnatal Pilates is that it is a low-impact exercise that helps build core muscles, enabling you to safely heal the damage that pregnancy and childbirth have done. It will also be beneficial to your overall well-being:
Benefits of postnatal Pilates
Pilates has many benefits that are particularly suited to postnatal recovery:
- It increases blood flow to the damaged muscles, giving them more oxygen and aiding the healing process.
- Post-pregnancy Pilates will help you with your posture and stamina. Better posture will help you physically when you are lifting your child, and greater stamina will help you deal with the energy you’ll need when it comes to childcare.
- Pilates is a gentle, low-impact exercise that puts less strain on your joints. Reformer Pilates will help your body recover from the damage because the Reformer beds that we use offer additional support. This will allow you to exercise your healing muscles without putting additional strain on them.
- Doing post-pregnancy Pilates will help you rebuild your core strength and stability by working on deep muscles. Your abdominal muscles – your core muscles – will have been stretched and weakened during your pregnancy. Reformer Pilates will help you build these muscles back.
- By strengthening your core muscles, you are also more likely to prevent or reduce back pain by building up the muscles that support your spine.
- Pilates will help you tighten and tone your stomach muscles helping you reshape your figure. It will also help you with weight loss if you’re trying to lose those pregnancy pounds.
- Your pregnancy will put a lot of pressure on your pelvic floor muscles, especially if you have had a vaginal birth. This puts you at greater risk of urinary incontinence as well as prolapse.
- Pilates will help you to reconnect with and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, giving them the opportunity to repair.
- Pilates will support your mental well-being by helping you manage the stress of childcare, reducing the likelihood of fatigue, and improving the quality of sleep. These will all help you improve your mental health and well-being.
Rehab & Fundamentals
Some of our studios run Rehab & Fundamentals sessions which would be perfect if you want to try out postnatal Pilates. The routines are designed to be helpful to those who have muscle pain or who need to build up their muscle strength at a slower pace.
If you would like to find out more on why you should try postnatal Pilates, and how it can help build up your body’s strength, click here to try a class for just £10. If you would like to bring a friend with you at the same time – whether or not they’ve just had a baby – they can come free!
