Your Body’s Amazing Changes through pregnancy.(And how Pilates can help)

Hey there, lovely mum-to be!

We will be launching Prenatal and post-natal classes soon and to prep I am currently doing an Women’s health course through APPI and thought to share some of this wonderful information with you as I learn, refresh what I already new as a physiotherapist and put into words my pregnancy experiences of caring 4kg (8.8 Ibs) boys - twice!

I also know, especially if it’s your first time being pregnant, it can be time of a lot of uncertainties and a whole lot of newness! Is this normal? Is this safe for my baby? What can I expect? And even for the experienced, no 2 pregnancies are the same.

From the moment you're pregnant, your body starts doing incredible things to get ready for your little one. But all these changes can put a bit of extra pressure and strain on certain areas. Think of it like your body is adapting to a whole new job!

As your pregnancy goes on, these strains can sometimes lead to aches and pains. That's why doing what you can right from the start to keep your posture good and your body strong can really make things easier later on.

Enter Pilates – your pregnancy superhero!

Pilates is a type of exercise that focuses on using your deep core muscles – that's your abs, pelvic floor, back muscles, and even your breathing muscle (diaphragm). It helps you move more efficiently, fixes your posture, and strengthens all your muscles. While Pilates is great for anyone, it can be a real game-changer during pregnancy and even after birth when you're constantly lifting, feeding, and caring for your baby.

Myself doing Pilates at 7 months (30 weeks) two years ago.

What kind of changes might your body go through during pregnancy?

• Tummy muscles getting weaker: As your bump grows, those abs can stretch and separate a bit.

• Pelvic floor muscles feeling less strong: All that pressure from your growing baby can weaken these important muscles down below.

• That curve in your lower back getting bigger: Your pelvis might tilt forward a bit to balance your bump.

• Bottom muscles not working as well: Those glutes can get a bit lazy!

• Stiffness in your upper back and shoulders: You might find yourself hunching forward a little.

• Tight inner thigh muscles and maybe some pubic pain: Things can get a bit tight in the groin area.

  
  

Hormones are doing their thing too!

 From as early as 8 weeks, a hormone called Relaxin kicks in. It makes your ligaments a bit looser all over, especially in your pelvis. Since your pelvis is usually pretty stable, this extra movement, combined with the weight of your growing bump (around 12kg on average!), can sometimes cause discomfort and even irritate nerves.

That growing bump also stretches your tummy muscles, and they can even separate – this is super common in later pregnancy. As your bump pulls your pelvis forward, your butt muscles might switch off a bit, putting more pressure on your inner thighs, which can feel tight and sometimes even cause pain in your pubic bone. You might even notice a bit of a "waddle" as your body tries to adjust!

Up top, your body might curve forward to try and balance everything out, leading to stiff upper backs and rounded shoulders – something that can get even more noticeable when you're holding your baby all the time after birth.

Let's talk about your pelvic floor for a sec. 

As your baby grows, it pushes down on these muscles. Combined with those looser ligaments, they can get weak. These muscles are super important for supporting your bladder, bowel, and womb, and for preventing leaks and other issues. A strong pelvic floor can even help with pushing during a vaginal birth!

Look out for the next blog on the details of what safe exercise looks like during this time :)