Can i do pilates in the first trimester

When someone is in the advanced stages of pregnancy, their ligaments and joints become more lax. Many pregnant women experience some groin pain as the pubic bone starts to separate.

Working the inner thighs when the pubic symphysis is already unstable can cause the pubic bone to separate even more.

Avoid prone positions lying on the stomach At this stage of pregnancy, lying on the stomach becomes very uncomfortable as the baby is showing. Avoid supine positions lying on the back Supine positions are avoided at this stage as many women feel nauseous or dizzy lying in this position.

This is because the baby can sit right on top of the main blood vessels as they exit the spine and cause less blood to pump through. This can not only make the mother feel dizzy, but can also be dangerous as less oxygen is passed to the baby. A lordosis-kyphosis posture becomes more evident.

For Pilates, the second trimester guidelines continue; however now avoiding ALL abdominal exercises including avoiding Double Leg Lift, as well as inner thigh work, supine and prone positions. Contact Us My Portal. Pilates can also help reinforce your pelvic floor muscles , which is really useful as you prepare for labour. The stress of pregnancy and labour on your pelvic floor can cause it to weaken and lead to incontinence over time.

Pilates can help these muscles stay strong, fighting off incontinence and possibly leading to a smoother labour. To test whether you have good pelvic floor muscles, get onto your hands and knees, keeping your back flat and your hands aligned with your shoulders.

Breathe as you would normally. As you exhale, squeeze your pelvic floor muscles and try to hold for 10 seconds. Then relax. If you have never done Pilates before, the best option is to see if you can find an antenatal class near you instead of joining a regular class. Secondly, it means that your instructor will know all about leading pregnant women through exercise and what the limits are.

As well as informing the instructor of your pregnancy, you should also tell them how far along you are. Many precautions apply to all pregnant women regardless of what stage of pregnancy they are in, but a few are specific to particular trimesters.

The antenatal Pilates instructor should be aware of this and know which moves are unsuitable for you to undertake. However, remember that instructors are not the same as medical professionals. Your body and health are completely unique, so, again, you should always check with your doctor or midwife to be absolutely certain that Pilates is safe.

As you are still in the relatively early stages of your pregnancy, it is likely that your energy levels are a little, or possibly a lot, lower than usual — the dizziness and nausea that occur in the first few weeks of pregnancy can make any aerobic exercise feel like a challenge. This is also when your risk of miscarriage is at its highest as your baby is still in the delicate stages of early development.

Your comfort should be the main priority, so take a bottle of water with you and have frequent sips, and you must also wear suitable clothing — stretchy and light is the best choice. Before beginning Pilates exercises during your first trimester, it is important to ascertain the strength of your pelvic floor muscles. If you can squeeze your pelvic floor muscles and hold them for at least 10 seconds during 10 repetitions, it is appropriate for you to attend a Pilates class taught by a qualified instructor.

Inform your instructor about your stage of pregnancy and any other relevant health issues. However, if your pelvic floor muscles are weak, caution is required, as you are at risk of overstressing joints and ligaments, which already are loosened during pregnancy by release of a hormone called relaxin. If you have regularly taken part in Pilates exercises prior to pregnancy and wish to continue during your first trimester, inform your instructor as soon as you know that you are pregnant.

A competent Pilates instructor can help you find alternative exercises if you experience discomfort from doing regular exercises. For example, fatigue, even exhaustion, is common during the first three months of pregnancy, as are nausea and vomiting. You should remain aware of signals from your body that tell you to rest, or take a drink, and should not attempt to increase your endurance levels to extreme limits during pregnancy. Unless you are at an advanced level of Pilates instruction, you should avoid certain Pilates exercises during your first trimester.

Dizziness or feeling faint are normal symptoms of pregnancy that are more common during the first trimester due to lower blood pressure and changing hormone levels. You should avoid the following Pilates exercises as they could exacerbate symptoms of dizziness and nausea: inversions, such as Short Spine, Jackknife, Tower and Roll Over; extreme balances; spinal flexion exercises in which you bend forward over your legs, and strenuous abdominal exercises, such as Stomach Series.