Have you seen many moms-to-be at Pilates class? Don’t be surprised when you do since it’s beneficial to them. There’s a long list of reasons why pregnant women should engage in Pilates in Singapore during and after pregnancy. The exercises can help stabilise, stretch, and strengthen a number of important muscles in the body, and can aid with an individual’s mental health.
Pregnancy has a big impact on a woman’s body. As the baby dwells inside the womb for nine months, the woman’s body likewise undergo several changes. Pilates can help a pregnant woman prepare for the baby’s delivery and make recovery faster.
Below are the most notable benefits of Pilates training to moms-to-be.
During Pregnancy
Improves breath control
As the baby grows, the diaphragm of the mom is compressed up into the chest area, and while a woman’s lung capacity stays the same, it can affect the breathing making it harder to breathe. Since Pilates breathing taps into the muscles lining the rib cage, it allows moms to still take a deep breath and helps keep the thoracic spine, or the middle back, flexible. This part of the body often gets very tight during pregnancy that can bring discomfort. And most importantly, moms can use the breathing control they learned in the Pilate class during the labour.
Less discomfort due to muscle & skeletal imbalances
A mother’s body has no choice but to adapt the changes to make room as the baby grows. The posture of the body is then affected as the months passed by, which can cause much discomfort. While Pilates training cannot prevent this from occurring, the exercises can help strengthen the stabilising muscles, specifically those around the hips and pelvis area. As a result, mom will feel less discomfort in these areas as the baby grows. Strengthening the muscles helps balance the issues and ensure there will be no permanent imbalances on the mom’s body.
Quicker recovery
Put it this way, the stronger the woman’s body throughout the pregnancy, the stronger it will be after the baby is born. If women lose the connection to their abdominals as they expand while the baby grows, it will be that difficult to reconnect after the baby is out. Being a mom is not a simple job, since it involves a lot of works, such as lifting, bending over, carrying, feeding, changing, pushing a stroller, bathing, etc. All these require strong arms and back! Thus, it is of substantial importance to be physically strong not just to perform all the tasks but to prevent imbalances, tensions, and bad habits.
After Pregnancy
Return to pre-pregnancy body
After giving birth, mom should not start attending Pilates classes without the approval from the doctor. Oftentimes, it would take around 6 weeks before you can go back to Pilates training given that you had a natural birth. For those who had a caesarian section, you might need to wait around 8 to 10 weeks or until the doctor approves it. These classes after giving birth are meant to help return the body back to its shape before getting pregnant. During pregnancy, you will have stretched the rectus abdominals to adjust to the growth of the baby inside you. The classes offered by Pilates company in Singapore will initially focus on restoring this particular part of the body as well as the pelvic floor muscles. To those who had a caesarian section, the Pilates class can help restore the abdominal muscles. Be sure to choose a reliable Singapore pilates centre to make the most of the training.
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