By: Special Advertising Section February 1, 2019
Q: What are the benefits of doing Pilates during and after pregnancy?
A: With pregnancy, the distribution of weight in your body changes. This can leave you feeling clumsy and unstable, and maybe not so motivated to exercise. But staying in shape through your pregnancy is of tremendous benefit. Pilates is perfect for this.
“Gentle exercise is important for maintaining prenatal strength and flexibility,” explains Ron Jegadeesh, P.T., M.B.S., and owner of Pilates Fitness & Physical Therapy Center. “Pilates helps to keep the back and abdominals strong, allowing for a more comfortable and easy delivery.”
Hormonal changes and the weight of the baby can weaken your pelvic floor muscles. Pilates can help to strengthen this “hammock” of muscle that sits under the pelvis to support your bladder and bowel. Leg-strengthening Pilates exercises can help reduce the likelihood of fluid retention, leg cramps, and varicose veins. Staying strong will also help you get back to your pre-pregnancy body after your baby is born.
Post-delivery, Pilates can rehabilitate pelvic floor dysfunction, correct a splitting of the abdominals (diastasis recti) and improve scar tissue from a C-section. Muscle imbalances are the biggest cause of injury. Pilates can also help correct muscle imbalance that can easily develop when caring for and carrying around your baby.