Prenatal and Pregnancy Pilates at Complete Pilates
Pregnancy Pilates, (also known as prenatal Pilates) is exactly what it says on the tin – Pilates which is designed specifically for you when you are pregnant.
You can do prenatal Pilates at any stage of your pregnancy, and with Complete Pilates, you can be assured that you’ll be exercising under the guidance of one of our Physiotherapists or expert Clinical Pilates Instructors.
At Complete Pilates, we offer 1:1 pregnancy Pilates classes in person and online. Our studios are conveniently located in Chelsea, Angel and the City. All new clients receive our New Client Offer which includes your first two sessions for £130.
Every pregnancy is different, and our prenatal classes aim to provide an individualised programme based on your health and exercise experience, any pregnancy-related or pre-existing injuries you have and your personal goals for exercising.
Prior to your pregnancy Pilates class, we will send you our specific questionnaire which helps us to identify any risk factors you may have. We know this is quite in depth, but it will ensure that you get the best possible care. This screening questionnaire means we can also flag up if we think that you should seek more medical advice prior to exercising.
Join us for Pregnancy Pilates In London
Chelsea, Fulham
First Floor
321 Fulham Road
Chelsea, London
SW10 9QL
London City
Lower ground floor
37-39 Lime Street
London
Angel, Islington
Unit 226, Business Design Centre
52 Upper Street
The Angel, London
N1 0QH
What is Pregnancy Pilates?
Pregnancy or Prenatal Pilates classes at Complete Pilates help women start or continue exercising safely during pregnancy. Whether you’re new to exercise or Pilates, or someone who already frequently exercises, these classes will help you build and maintain strength of your whole body.
As you progress through pregnancy, your body changes in many amazing ways and our expert Pilates instructors understand these changes and will be on hand to help you navigate every step of the way.
You may experience new injuries or niggles during pregnancy such as low back pain, sacroiliac joint pain or rib pain. Or, you may have pre-existing injuries that you still need to rehab while pregnant. All of these can be addressed with supervised Pilates programmes. Of course, a big part of pre and post-natal Pilates is pelvic floor and core care. We will help you understand what all of these things are and help you prepare for birth, whatever your birth plan is.
All our sessions at Complete Pilates use the full large Pilates equipment, including the reformer, the trapeze table, the wunda chair and the ladder-barrell.
If you’re not sure whether pregnancy Pilates is right for you, why not try our New Client Offer, where for £130 you can participate in two 1:1 classes and experience how Pilates might be able to help you feel and move better through your pregnancy.
Why should you come to a Pregnancy Pilates class?
If you are pregnant, healthy and having a straightforward pregnancy, exercise is key.
Research has shown the benefits of exercise when you are pregnant is substantial and should include 150-300 minutes of exercise per week.
Other reasons for participating in pregnancy Pilates include:
- Pilates is low impact so appropriate through all trimesters.
- It’s easy to modify and adapt exercises.
- Strengthens your deep muscles
- Improves your stability.
- Helps maintain core strength.
- Helps understand breathing techniques.
- Helps prepare you for birth.
- Encourages your pelvic floor to work through full range.
- Helps you maintain a good level of fitness.
- Encourages mobility around your spine and pelvis.
- Reduces the risk of developing gestational diabetes or high blood pressure.
- Exercising reduces the risk of developing complications during labour.
- It is incredibly safe when done with a knowledgeable instructor.
Choosing the right Pregnancy Pilates class
You need to choose a Pregnancy Pilates class which will not only challenge you but keep you and your baby safe and address any questions you have.
At Complete Pilates, we offer 1:1 and online classes. Many women find that our in-studio equipment Pilates is a great choice as exercises are supervised and modified in person, and the range of equipment can be used to suit all bodies throughout all three trimesters. If you’re specifically looking for Prenatal Reformer Pilates classes, these in-person classes are perfect for you, as we include the Reformer within all our of equipment classes.
Whether your focus is managing niggles like back pain, building or maintaining strength, or simply preparing your body as best as you can for birth, our prenatal classes using Pilates equipment can help you get there.
However, if you want to do pregnancy Pilates online, mat Pilates is a brilliant alternative pregnancy Pilates class. You can easily do this at home and it helps you get up to that 150 minutes which is widely recommended around the world as minimum exercise standards for health! You can also meet and connect with new friends who are in a similar position to you.
If you do have any health concerns, are nervous about starting, or simply want more attention during your pregnancy, we strongly recommend starting with 1:1 pregnancy Pilates classes in London. This is one of the areas that Complete Pilates specialise in.
Whether you choose our pregnancy Pilates online or in our studios in London, you are safe in the knowledge that every exercise is for you specifically and is an incredibly safe choice.
Start Prenatal Pilates today
Before you start all you need to do is fill in our questionnaire and ask us any questions you may have.
You can be a complete beginner at Pilates as well as an expert. Once we have received your questionnaire, we will ensure you are booked in with one of our highly skilled team members. If you have any concerns, we can also help set you up with a clinical appointment with one of our Women’s Health Physiotherapists at Complete Physiotherapy.
During your initial pregnancy Pilates class in our London studios, we will take you through a full movement assessment or assessment of any injuries you have, and we will also chat about your goals. This allows us to develop a tailored programme and make sure every class meets your needs.
You do not need a referral to see us at Complete Pilates. However, if you are under the care of a Physiotherapist or other Consultant, or working with a PT, we ask if you can introduce them to us and give us permission to chat to them. This way we can make sure we are all working towards the same goals.
Book your Pregnancy Pilates in London
At Complete Pilates we offer prenatal care through 1:1 classes because we believe this is the best way for us to give you the care and attention you need – and will get you the best results. These classes can be online or in person in our Chelsea, Angel or City studios.
These sessions are taken by our highly trained physiotherapists and clinical Pilates instructors, so you can be sure that any session with us will be safe for you and your baby.
Frequently asked questions
Pregnancy Pilates is safe to perform in the early stages of pregnancy. If you are new to Pilates it is good to keep the intensity low. By reducing the intensity, you’ll avoid the body temperature and heart rate elevating too high.
If you are used to doing Pilates you are safe to continue. As always this may change if you have complications with your pregnancy and you should consult your GP or midwife if you have concerns.
Pilates during your second trimester is still safe to perform, however, there are a series of positions and exercises which you are advised to be cautious of during this period:
- heavy loaded abdominal work
- Inner thigh work if you have pain across the front of your pelvis (SPD)
- Avoid prone positions once uncomfortable (lying on the stomach)
- Avoid supine positions (lying on the back), you can prop up with a pillow to continue with exercises usually done on your back.
Continue following the recommended guidelines in your second trimester of pregnancy.
- Avoid raising your body temperature too much, try to stay in a cool environment, wear loose clothing and utilise air conditioning and fans as much as you can.
- Remember to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water.
- Warm-ups and cool-downs are vital as part of your exercise regime, particularly due to circulatory changes during pregnancy which can cause blood pooling and leg cramps.
- Avoid exercises which can put extra stress on the pelvic such as heavy unilateral exercises, and wide lunge exercises and stances if uncomfortable.
It is recommended that you wait 6 weeks after giving birth to start exercising again. This 6-week period allows your body the necessary time it needs to recover. In the first 6 weeks you can begin your pelvic floor muscle activation and gentle pelvis and back movements to keep moving and feel comfortable.
After 6 weeks, it is recommended to begin doing basic and gentle exercises dependent on whether you had a straightforward, vaginal birth. If you have a caesarean section, you may need to wait longer before targeting the harder exercises in Pilates but there are many things you can do to aid your recovery and we can help to advise on that.
We always recommend seeking advice from your health professional before commencing any type of exercise. After having a baby the best person to see to advise on your pelvic floor and abdominal muscle recovery is a specialised women’s health physiotherapist.