Pilates and Pregnancy–Article 2 First Trimester

Last month, we touched on Pilates and Pregnancy. Being in tune with your body and understanding that as your pregnancy continues, you’ll need to take your Pilates practice day by day as it may feel different as you experience the shifts of your baby’s development and growth. As mentioned, it’s always best to check with your care provider to be sure Pilates is safe with your pregnancy.

Throughout your pregnancy, you’ll be striving for balanced muscle development, as well as more stability and body awareness. Taking a deep dive on what to expect, we will be disusing the first trimester!

We know - you are so excited to have found out you’re pregnant, but you aren’t supposed to say anything because that’s the wives’ tale you have heard likely for a lifetime! The good news is, there isn’t anything that is going to hurt or harm you or the baby at this point. Every exercise in Pilates is still suitable during the first trimester. We do however encourage you to share the news with your instructor. We can start guiding and educating you on how to engage your body in movement and encourage you to listen to your body. You’ll want to be more aware of your movement practice as you may notice signs of fatigue or nauseas and likely that is due to the construction site that going on in your uterus more so than the classical Pilates exercise you are performing. It’s time to refocus on your Pilates foundations – breathing, centering, and control.

Remember, Pilates is all about the quality of exercise and not the quantity. Be satisfied for showing up not only for yourself, but for your little one as well. In the next issue we’ll discuss the second trimester and what to expect.