Pilates for Pregnancy

Pilates is one of the oldest and now the hottest mind body exercises in the world today. Mega stars Madonna, Julia Roberts, Cindy Crawford, Sarah Jessica Parker and Demi Moore practiced Pilates before, during and after their late pregnancies to keep their beautiful boomer bodies looking and feeling great.

Studies show exercise is beneficial during pregnancy for both the mother and thus the developing baby. Pilates can be safely performed through all stages of pregnancy and has some specific benefits as well.

Here are just a few of the many reasons to stick with your practice if there are no prevailing health concerns:

  1. Reduce or eliminate lower back aches

  2. Greater pelvic stability and pelvic floor muscle connection

  3. Maintain or improve balance and control as your weight load is shifting

  4. Keeping and building arm and leg strength

  5. And maintaining flexibility in the lower back and front of the hips (which tend to tighten).

However, when practicing Pilates while pregnant, you do need to follow a few precautions.  Of course, work within your comfort and ability, and talk with your trainer about any concerns you are having.

  1. Do not over stretch. During pregnancy the body is already preparing for birth, releasing hormones that make room in the pelvis to deliver a baby. These hormones soften and make more elastic ALL the tendons in the body. So while performing Pilates movements, do not “push” too forcefully in a stretch because your loosening tendons can easily become over stretched. Keep the movements contained with in the frame of the body.

  2. You can perform exercised on your stomach as long as you are comfortable. Some exercise will be deleted as soon as you develop your precious bump (like swan and pull straps) and others will be phased out at the comfort of the mom (like single leg kick.)

  3. You want to work your abdominals to help support the weight of the growing baby and help out the back. However do not strain though a move if you feel it is to challenging. Ask for more support from the trainer, lightly modify, or take the exercise out. If you strain your rectus abdominal, you can cause diastasis recti (a tear down the center of your rectus.) This is repairable after your pregnancy (through Pilates or surgery), but prevention is better.

  4. If you get dizzy lying down, get up immediately. By lying down you are pinching off blood supply to your baby. Don’t freak out yet. You will ALWAYS know if this is happening within a few seconds because you will feel dizzy. Some women can lay on their back flat the whole pregnancy, others need to be propped up.

  5. Be sure to stretch your hip flexors. With the growing belly your weight is shifting forward, and those hips get tight. Tight hips pull on the back and pull you out of best posture. Having low back pains? This could be the reason.


Practicing Pilates during pregnancy also helps you recover more quickly post-partum. For more information on exercising read our article in Your Health Connection. “Got the Baby Bulge Blues?”