I have a pregnant client (14 weeks). I have gotten general information about how to proceed with her Pilates training as she progresses with her pregnancy, but I wanted to see if there was any good literature on Pilates and pregnant women. Or, if any of you have any experience with this special population, please share your wisdom with me! Thanks!

Hi, I am a PPS1 instructor and I just had a baby 8 weeks ago. I practiced Pilates throughout my pregnancy, taking out any work on my tummy and modifying it to work on all fours once my belly got in the way. Also as my belly grew I had to modify or completely leave out many exercises such as roll ups (but continued to roll down with my hands as help behind my thighs), the ab series, rolling like a ball etc. I was able to adjust most exercises to work until late in my third trimester when the focus changed to my pelvic floor (using my 3 buttons) etc as the rest of my mobility was limited. Instead of sitting on the floor for much of this, I sat on a ball which helped to support me but also provided enough of an unstable surface to force me to sit properly and use the appropriate muscle groups. I continued to do all of the leg work, arm work and wall/closing exercises. Post Partum i was doing some pelvic floor exercises at about 24 hours after my vaginal birth, but did not get back to the repertoire until about 3-4 weeks post birth and all was done in building blocks with my head down, table top legs etc. (I don't reccomend this for clients, but felt comfortable enough with my own body to know if it was too early) Now, at 8 weeks postpartum, I can get through the PPS1 level exercises with little trouble, although Teaser 1 still gives me some issues. (when doesn't it! ha!) also, since I am breast feeding, there are a few exercises that are uncomfortable depending how long it has been since my wee guy has eaten, such as Chest Expansion and swimming, . Sometimes I fit in the 10 minutes Tower exercises before the mat and reformer work simply because of the timing of the last feed. There are a number of great books on Pilates and Pregnancy but I gained most of my information on this from personal experience with 2 kids! :)

Hi Cara,

I wanted to commend you on your work during your pregnancy. It is true that doing Pilates during pregnancy is different for each person and those workouts vary greatly from individual to individual. When I was pregnant Pilates did not feel good to my body at all. Funny isn’t it? After the fourth month I stopped doing it entirely. Using the Ladder Barrel for stretching and the Ped-O-Pull was effective for me but that was it. Another colleague I worked with years ago kept up most of her advanced Pilates work including doing Roll Over, Long Spine and Back Bends until a week before her delivery. She had no problems at all!  Books teaching the Classical routine of Pilates should be viewed with skepticism. Your personal experience is valuable, learn from it. However, don’t think that what you did will work for all pregnant clients, some of it will and some of it won’t. I appreciate that you wrote and shared your experience with the network. 

 Colleen

Hi Colleen, Thanks for the feedback. I agree that every person is different. Even Pregnancy to Pregnancy my body reacted differently! I had Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction for the later part of my pregnancy ( a prematurely separated pubic bone) and thus a lot of work that may have been okay for some people was painful for me. One leg circles being one exercise that I couldn't do. Every time my leg crossed the centerline of my body It felt like my pubic bone would tear out of my body. I soon stopped that!

Hi- I am 14 weeks pregnant and have practiced Pilates (mostly reformer) for about five years now. This weekend I sat (was not allowed to participate) through a Peak Pilates MVe Reformer Training corse. I am a graduate student and will be teaching Pilates Reformer soon at my University. I read through the above posts, and have some more questions about specific reformer pilates exercises that are OK to do in my 2nd and 3rd trimester. I know that I am not suppose to do any exercises on my belly, and have heard that later in my second trimester I may need to be off my back completely- this would eliminate a lot of reformer exercises... does anyone have any thoughts on using a small pillow in the small of my back when I get to this point in my pregnancy? Is this not a good idea? Here is something I found that I thought other pregnant pilates lovers might find useful... please post comments!! Prenatal Pilates on the Reformer By Kim Kraushar ["Your female clients don’t have to forgo their Pilates workouts if they become pregnant. With appropriate exercise adaptations, moms-to-be can benefit from traditional mat work variations to modifications on the reformer throughout pregnancy. Working on the reformer has three main benefits: (1) It Increases Postural Awareness While Strengthening the Periphery. During pregnancy the body changes daily. As the baby grows, its added weight can pull the lumbopelvic region into an exaggerated curve, affecting center of gravity and balance. As the breasts increase in size, the thoracic and cervical spinal curves can also become more exaggerated. As these curves increase, so does the stress on the surrounding muscles and joints. Each exercise session on the reformer redefines what ideal alignment looks and feels like for each participant. Once that is established, the reformer exercises will effectively strengthen and support the body through all phases of the pregnancy. (2) It Emphasizes Closed-Kinetic-Chain Exercises. Hormonal changes during pregnancy create an increase in ligament laxity throughout the body and most significantly in the low back and sacral area. Therefore, long-levered, open-chain exercises are not recommended. On the reformer, the gliding carriage allows movement through a full but controlled range of motion while keeping the arms and legs grounded for a safe and effective workout. (3) It Offers a Large Variety of Exercise. As pregnancy progresses, it becomes more challenging for moms-to-be to find a comfortable position. The variety of exercise options available on the reformer allow pregnant clients to work in 4-points (hands and knees), seated, reclined, kneeling and side-lying positions. When working with pregnant clients, it’s essential to offer effective cues and additional guidelines as their bodies change: Breathe. Breathing is a basic principle of Pilates. Therefore, effective breathing should be emphasized in any workout. With pregnant participants, we focus on a natural, relaxed breathing style, encouraging clients to work within the boundaries of their physical bodies (i.e., elevated diaphragm). “Hug Your Baby.” This is a great image for creating the subtle connection to the muscles of the inner core unit (transversus abdominis, pelvic floor, diaphragm, multifidus), rather than using words like “compress” and “flatten.” Mobilize the Ankle Joints. Pregnancy can affect blood flow and circulation in the lower extremities. Tightness and cramping in the lower legs is also a common complaint. Adding ankle and foot exercises will improve mobility and increase circulation throughout the pregnancy. Focus on the Shoulder Girdle and Scapulohumeral Rhythm. Expectant moms need to think of their exercise programs as “training” for delivering, carrying, breastfeeding and holding their new babies. Having a strong upper body and a good understanding of how to move dynamically through the shoulders and upper back allows for a smooth transition from the prenatal to the postnatal demands placed on the body."] I plan to incorporate these guidelines fro Kim Kraushar in my own personal practice- I have enough background on reformer to make these modifications for myself, but I was wondering if anyone can recommend a book on Pilates Reformer and Pregnancy- going over modifications for specific exercises (especially classical exercises). For example one of my absolute favorite exercises is the more advanced Snake. Is this OK to continuing doing? SO far I have felt fine doing this exercise. Of course I plan to keep safety for me and the baby as a first and foremost, but as long as I am performing body scans, and listening to my body I plan to continue my reformer work. Any thoughts..... -Jacqui

In response to one part of your post... you CAN do exercises laying on your back in your second and third trimester. However, you should limit the time spent there to 3-5 minutes. The weight of the baby presses on the Inferior Vena Cava (vein that returns blood to your lungs to replenish blood oxygen levels) and the descending aorta (artery that provides blood to the lower half of your body). This can not only decrease blood and oxygen flow to your legs, but it can also decrease blood and oxygen flow to the baby. Generally a wedge pillow would be placed under one hip only to lift the weight to one side or the other, thus reformer exercises wouldn't be able to be done like that. I think doing things that YOU are comfortable with and that you doctor has said are okay is just fine. However, keep in mind that every pregnant body is different and what works for some might not for others, and what works for you in week 20 of your pregnancy might not work in week 30. I did many mat and reformer exercises while pregnant and just listened to my body. some things that you would think would stay 'easy' to do became very difficult due to the room the baby took up at the end.. like Elephant for example. Even spine stretch became hard to do. at only 14 weeks pregnant, (especially if this is your first baby) your body is changing hormonally, but physically the changes are barely beginning. Snake will soon be out of the question (I imagine) due to your changing balance the size of your tummy. not to mention your upper body strength having to hold up the quick weight gain. Congrats on your pregnancy!!! Enjoy it and do whatever feels good to you!! :) Cara