Exercising Safely During Pregnancy for Mums-To-Be
Pregnancy is an exciting time for women and while it’s important to keep active, you also need to keep yourself and your growing bump safe. At Kaya Health Clubs in Melbourne, Pilates Reformer Classes is a popular class for our existing members who have been enjoying their classes and want to continue during their pregnancy. Of course, there are few things you need to know before undertaking a prenatal exercise regime – let’s take a look!
Speak to your doctor
The first thing you need to do before embarking on your prenatal exercise journey is to speak with your doctor. This is essential even if you were active prior to falling pregnant. Let your doctor know what type of exercise you’re planning on doing so they can give you the all clear. They’ll be able to look at your individual situation and let you know of anything you need to avoid.
Inform your instructor
Once you have the all clear from your doctor and are ready to start exercising, make sure you let your instructor know ahead of time that you’re pregnant. They’ll be able to keep an eye on you and offer modifications as necessary. Each health club will have their own rules around attending classes during pregnancy. Remember that pregnancy generally isn’t the time to start a new exercise regime with classes such as Pilates but if you’ve practicing for a while, you’re good to go!
Listen to your body
Your body goes through so many changes during pregnancy and something that you found easy before may suddenly feel more challenging, especially as your pregnancy progresses. It’s essential that you listen to your body and don’t overexert yourself – now isn’t the time to push your limits. Also, remember that the relaxin released during pregnancy can loosen your joints and ligaments which can lead to injury if you push too hard.
Stay hydrated
Although this is a good tip for everyone, you need to make sure that you drink plenty of water while you exercise during pregnancy. Good hydration helps you maintain the proper balance of electrolytes and helps cool the body. Even if you don’t feel thirsty, take plenty of water breaks during your workout.
Avoid the heat
When you’re pregnant, you should avoid exercising in hot or humid conditions. Your body temperature is slightly higher when you’re pregnant and you don’t want your core temperature to get too high. Group classes in a health club are a great option as you have the benefit of an ambient temperature inside the studio.
Kaya Health Clubs offer genuine reformer Pilates in Melbourne and our experienced teachers can offer modifications for our pregnant members, as long you’ve been attending classes with us for a while and have the all clear from your doctor. Our Pilates classes are also perfect for our postnatal members to help rebuild muscle tone safely. For a more personalised exercise program, Kaya also offer clinical Pilates for safe, customised exercises.
About the Author
Demi fell in love with yoga when she travelled to India when she was 20 years old. She loved the feeling of bliss she experienced both during and after class, and how that feeling would stay with her throughout her day. It was also in India, that Demi learned how much she loved to write about her travels. She believes that stories have power. They delight, enchant, touch, teach, recall, inspire, motivate, challenge. They help us understand. They imprint a picture in our minds. This led her to her job as a Content Writer. She loves helping businesses tell stories. Especially when the stories involve educating readers on the endless benefits of yoga and Pilates- two of her most loved fitness regimes
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