Great Class Leah! Feels so good to be moving and activating my muscle again after a few months off due to serve morning sickness, oh how I have missed you Pilates!! x

Francesca,

I'm so glad to hear that you are feeling better and back to Pilates. All the best to you as your pregnancy progresses

Just finished this class and my body feels amazing. It's as if I just had a wonderful massage that has released all tension from my muscles. However I also feel stronger and more energetic. I know I will stand, sit and walk tall and strong all day today. Thank you!

me encanto la clase!!!!

Hi Leah,
I'm looking for prenatal classes to do. I'm 20 weeks pregnant.
I see you also do exercises lying on your back. However I've been told that is it not recommended to exercise on your back after 16 weeks, because you risk to reduce the blood flow to your baby? Your class looks really great though so please reassure me :). Thanks very much for your answer.

Hi Leah,

I'm interested to hear your response to the above question as well, as I have also been advised that lying on your back after 16 weeks is dangerous for the baby due to pressing on the vein which returns blood from the lower body to the heart.

Maartje and Toni Thank you both for your wonderful inquiry as to the concern around lying supine after 16 weeks. You are both correct in your statement that around 16-20 weeks the increased weight of the baby, uterus, extra fluid, increased blood, etc. can potentially place too much pressure on the inferior vena cava and possibly compromise the blood flow to and from mother and baby if mother lies flat on her back for an extended period of time. There are a couple of key elements to this statement: First, the compromising of the blood flow can occur if lying supine for an EXTENDED period of time and second, it can occur if the mother is lying static, meaning without any movement, on her back, mostly namely flat on her back with no elevation of the shoulders, neck or chest. (response continued in next post)

(continued from above).... Some will disagree with me, but in all of my research and experience, this is where I believe there could potentially be the opportunity for the compromise of blood flow.

The reality is that in Pilates, we do neither of these. We do not have pregnant clients, or any client for that matter, lie on their backs for extended periods of time and we certainly do not have them lie statically supine without movement. We also need to consider the reality of the risks and benefits of performing any exercise in any body position, particularly when working with pregnant women. What are the benefits of performing certain exercises, even those that include some supine positioning, and what is the reality of the potential risk that could be involved? (response continued in next post)

(continued from above).......Let's take the Pelvic Curl for example, it's a exercise that includes supine positioning and even a mild inversion, which some may consider problematic for a pregnant client. The Pelvic Curl provides a pregnant client with safe abdominal engagement, a stretch, release and articulation of the spine (which is often tight in pregnant women), hamstring and gluteal engagement and strengthening, upper back engagement, an opening and lengthening of the hip flexors and chest (which are tight on pregnant women)....and there are more benefits. In addition, a woman is breathing deeply through out the Pelvic Curl insuring great circulation and the action of placing the hips up in the air (the mild inversion) can help alleviate uncomfortable pressure in the pelvis, especially later in pregnancy. (response continued in next post)

(continued from above)......Those are fantastic benefits. And not to mention, she is mostly performing 3 - 5 maybe a few more repetitions of the Pelvic Curl, which would take 1 - 2 minutes at most to perform, that is hardly concerned an extended period of time supine. Now, for the other side to this scenario. If a woman is experiencing shortness of or difficulty deep breathing in her pregnancy, finds it very uncomfortable to be lying down on her back, either flat or in an elevated position, like a pillow behind her back, or any other adverse symptoms, then obviously placing her on her back, in any way, would not be advisable and other body positions should be explored. (response continued in next post)