Pilates for Pregnancy
Fitness moves for moms-to-be and babies, too
by Alycea Ungaro and PJ O'Clair
Pilates is experiencing sky-high popularity among expectant mothers, and with good reason. Pilates is ideal for pregnant women who want to offset the lower back pain, weakening of the abdominal muscles and rounded shoulders that can accompany pregnancy and also hope to maintain a certain degree of fitness. At New York City's Tribeca Bodyworks, I teach a prenatal class in which students combine matwork, Tower work and accessories such as Magic Circles and arm weights.
This complete workout:
. Maintains a degree of core stability during the pregnancy
. Strengthens the upper back muscles in preparation for months of nursing and stroller pushing
. Prevents tightening and immobility of the lumbar spine
. Provides general conditioning
. Offers a bonus social advantage for new moms (our classes come with a warning: Pilates playdates may result from participation)
Every exercise in a prenatal program should accomplish a specific goal. Whether it's to stretch one muscle group, strengthen another or simply get the body moving, make sure each exercise counts.
Keep in mind: Despite the fact that Pilates is enormously beneficial for pregnancy, not all Pilates teachers are qualified to teach such a class. There are currently no Pilates certification programs that offer a specific prenatal certification and, as a result, the student must be very cautious. An experienced Pilates student who wants to continue training through pregnancy can probably do so safely, but finding a group class to accommodate a pregnant beginner is a tall order. Private instruction with a qualified instructor would be better.
Before you begin, check with your doctor to ensure that this is safe for you. Remember that exercising on your back for a prolonged period of time after the fourth month of pregnancy is not advised. Discontinue any exercise if you become short of breath or light-headed.
Chest Expansion
Step 1
Kneel upright, and position the legs parallel to each other hip-width apart. Take hold of the roll-back bar. Firm your buttocks, and keep the shoulder blades down and the front of the shoulders wide. Engage the back muscles (latissimi dorsi), and press the bar down towards your thighs.
Step 2
Hold the bar down for three counts, and slowly release it back to its starting position. Avoid the tendency to round the shoulders and collapse the chest. Repeat two times, and add a turn of the head. Pull the bar down, look over one shoulder and then the other to gently stretch the neck to each side. Then look to center, and slowly release the bar upwards.
Front Kick
Preparation
Begin by lying on your side on a Tower or Cadillac. Align your body at the back edge of the table or mat, rest your head in the crook of your arm, and hold the pole with your hand. Extend your legs to the front of your mat at a 45° angle, and rotate the top leg out slightly so that the knee and foot are facing the ceiling.
Step 1
Over a count of two, smoothly swing the leg forward as if you were kicking in slow motion. Be certain to keep the hips aligned one atop the other. The kicking leg should remain in line with the top hip, and your chest should remain lifted.
Step 2
Without changing the angle of the body, sweep the kicking leg back past the bottom leg. Don't change your torso alignment as the leg reaches back. Firm the buttocks to increase the work of the leg. Repeat 5 to 8 times, then switch legs, and repeat on the other side.
Alycea Ungaro teaches Pilates classes at New York City's Tribeca Bodyworks
For more exercises in this series, buy the Fall 2004 issue here.
Tummy Time
A gentle game will help your infant develop strength and coordination
The Pilates-savvy new mother understands the importance of core strength. What she might not know is that her baby should be developing similar skills as well, and all it takes are a few minutes a day of "tummy time." When babies lie on their bellies and look around, they develop important motor skills and give the muscles of the upper body, chest, arms, neck and abdomen a little workout. Babies who don't get this simple advantage are slower to learn to lift their heads, turn over, sit up on their own and crawl.
And many babies today don't get enough tummy time. There is a reason for this: In 1992 the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended that babies be put on their backs to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Parents-with some justification-became extremely nervous about letting babies sleep on their stomachs.
Since then, there has been a 50 percent decline in SIDS fatalities. However, as a result of babies spending so much time lying on their backs, there has also been an increased risk of delayed motor-skill development. Some babies can also develop flat spots on the back of their heads, a condition called "plagiocephaly." Putting babies for extended periods in devices like bouncy seats, car seats and jumpers, which all hold the baby upright, can also be problematic because they reduce opportunities for the baby to hold herself up and thus develop muscle tone.
Tummy time is now recognized by the AAP as being an important daily activity, a finding that is also supported by specialists such as Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen of The School for Body-Mind Centering in Amherst, MA. Henry Shapiro, M.D., medical director of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL, confirms that spending time on their bellies will encourage babies to reach and pivot-skills that are precursors to crawling. Crawling has been linked to brain development by many developmental psychologists. It has also been proven that tummy time is critical to building muscle strength and coordination of the neck, shoulder, arm, hand and upper trunk muscles.
Here are some simple ways you can help your baby have quality tummy time.
. Make tummy time a little game after a diaper change or bath. Just after eating isn't a good time-the baby might spit up.
. Lie on your back and put your baby belly side down on your own stomach. Hold your head where you can look into your baby's eyes and make faces, sing or talk. Do whatver you and your baby find fun.
. When your baby is prone, massage the mid-back area to bring awareness to the muscles being used.
. Place your baby on his belly and hold a toy in front of his eyes. Gradually move the toy upwards so he can follow it with his eyes and, eventually, his head.
If you share your child's care with a family member or day care center, you will want to teach them the importance of tummy time. Your dedication to this simple play activity will help lay a strong foundation for your baby's growth and well-being.
PJ O'Clair is a senior instructor trainer at The Studio, STOTT PILATEST Boston. She has more than 25 years experience in the fitness industry and has been featured in five STOTT PILATEST videos. She can be reached through stottpilatesboston.com.
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