Pregnancy Pilates?

C

China Doll

Registered User
Hi!
Does anyone know about any courses for mums-to-be. I've got a really bad lower back and am hoping that a bit of Pilates will help. :agree:

I know the YWCA has some courses but are they available at the moment?

Please help!
 
I've been attending the ante-natal yoga classes at yogalimbs for a few weeks and am enjoying it. Wednesday and Fridays at 11:00 in Sheung Wan. The Friday classes are pretty small, usually about 3-4 students, so you'll get plenty of personal attention from the teacher.

The YWCA pilates class starts up again in May (summer session). I'll send a note as soon as I receive the summer course book.
 
As a fellow sufferer, I have found that pilates and yoga are good to tone up the surrounding muscles and maintain flexibility BUT you need to get some professional medical help as well, otherwise exercise might aggrevate the pain, especially if you are trying something new. I have had quite debilitating sacroiliac joint pain (where the spine meets the pelvis) and the difference after treatment from a chiropractor has been amazing; before that, I had got to the stage where I wasn't capable of any kind of exercise except swimming.

I have been doing yoga and pilates and I have found that prenatal yoga in particular made things worse because I have found instructors (trying to be helpful) have encouraged me to stretch into positions that make my pain worse afterwards. I think yoga would be great as a preventative measure, and individual stretches might be comforting, but a general class might not be the best thing for you, if you're not experienced in yoga before. IMHO pilates might be better (at least the classes I have been going to, in Discovery Bay) but best of all is to get a private instructor in either pilates or yoga, if you can afford it, who can properly focus on your particular problem. And get medical help too!
 
I do Windsor Pilates every day and as long as it is before your 4th month normal Pilates should be fine for you. After that you are not supposed to lay flat on your back as it isn't good for the baby. Never do any exercises that are painful and follow the modified routine (usually present on most videos) to avoid straining. I too have a very painful lower back and if I don't do Pilates everyday I can hardly move in the morning. I'm not sure of classes here, but you can order videos online from Amazon.com (they ship to HK) or other online companies.

I think it's a great exercise and recommend it highly. My abs are in better shape now then they were before my first baby!
 
hkgirl, are you sure about lying flat on the back (even for short periods) not being good for the baby? I have worked with a number of prenatal exercise instructors during my two pregnancies and they have all said that lying on the back is fine for short periods unless you feel any discomfort, which some women do much earlier than others and some women never feel any discomfort. I am over 6 months pregnant and hope to continue to enjoy prenatal pilates for some time yet. We don't lie on our backs for more than a few minutes at a time - the class is designed so that the lying down exercises are scattered throughout the class.

I agree it's a great exercise, and when my back pain has been bad then the only way I could get from sitting to standing has been by really drawing in my belly button and pelvic floor pilates style. Was just saying it's not a substitute for medical attention, and if your back condition is really bad then it could aggrevate it.
 
I believe Isofit has sessions for pre and post natal
www.isofit.com.hk
They are pricey though. But to save your back it could be worth it?
I heard from my girlfriend (who is also currently pregnant, and who has a very bad back condition) that the pregnancy hormones could be helpful for a bad back???????
Good luck
 
I've heard great things about the Isofit classes in general and am tempted to try out the prenatal classes. Has anyone tried these?
 
I found the following information about lying supine when pregnant and why it isn't recommended:
"After the fourth month of pregnancy, if a mom-to-be is in the supine position, on her back, there is a risk that the uterus may compress the vena cava, which could decrease cardiac output, reducing maternal blood pressure. Signs that this has occurred include: lightheadedness, dizziness, nausea and becoming pale or flushed. Circulation should return to normal if you roll onto your left side. Because of this risk, ACOG recommends no exercise in the supine position after the fourth month of pregnancy. However, other fitness organizations say that exercise while on the back may be done for four to five minutes at a time, so it is a bit controversial."
I guess it's up to each individual what they feel is best, but almost all current literature I've read (and I read a lot!) has recommended not laying in the supine position for very long when pregnant.
 
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