Pilates and Pregnancy

Many, many women wonder about their abs as the those muscles slowly disappear with pregnancy. What can you do during pregnancy? Is pilates dangerous? How do I keep unnecessary weight off?

First, you need to know what happens to your core during pregnancy. The muscles up the center of your tummy are called the rectus abdominus. They are responsible for helping you pull up, roll forward, and crunch. During pregnancy these muscles move away from the center line of your body towards your sides. Kind of like a curtain parting. You'll especially notice this after month five. You'll see a type of peak or teepee form above your belly button when you are lying down and try to sit up.

This peak is a great guideline for small crunches or better named "roll-up." You always want to stay beneath the bulge point. Do when doing a crunch, hands on the sides of your skull, roll the body through your spine, just to the point where your upper abs are engaged but beneath the bulge point. If you overwork your rectus abdominus, you will pull your abs apart further than you want, and may create a permanent separation. This is called diastasis and you don't want it!

The whole "bulge-point" discussion applies to all pilates workouts. I know the breathing can seem tricky or pointless, but it is the opposite. Pulling your core in purposely with your breath helps you flatten rather than bulk your abs. You can totally overwork the rectus, get buff, and get bulgy abs (like the dudes on covers of muscle magazines) rather than flattening your midsection. So even when you're not pregnant, focus intensely on pulling the navel to the spine.

A great option when you're pregnant is doing these exercises on a fitness ball. You can do nearly all of the moves on one! There are great videos out there- try "Stott Pilates for Pregnancy on the Ball." Also, pop in the Moving with Modbe DVD and just try the moves on the ball. This keeps your back supported and gets enough blood to your uterus; a full floor incline can be dangerous. Just listen to your body, and if something doesn't "feel right," then trust that! You don't need a logical reason.

Having said that, you have low abdominals (the transverse abdominus, which is the focus of the breath), obliques, arms, a back and legs that can all take a good whipping in pregnancy! So in the Moving with Modbe DVD, you can do a majority of the exercises! These will also help you stay limber yet strong for delivery. I did all three with no meds thanks to great coaching, nutrition, exercise, and a supportive husband and staff.

You have legs and walk upright- that's what makes us human by definition. We are meant to walk! Build up weekly; add distance, add time, and get good shoes. Roll from your feel through the ball of your foot. Download my play list from an earlier post and move it. There are very few excuses for not moving. You will feel more in control, your labor will be more comfortable and you'll recover very quickly. However, listen to you doctor! If you've had blood clots, preemies, or other complication, listen to your doc. Ask questions- and then move as much as the doc says. I taught spin classes right up until mine were due.