QuestionI talked to my doctor almost a week ago he said i can do yoga and pilates as long as i take it easy, but i failed to tell him that its not yoga and pilates for pregnant woman its regular yoga and pilates, if i tell the instructor that i am pregnant can i still do regular yoga and pilates or no? I am confused looking over the net i find some sites say i can some say no.
AnswerIf you are less then 20 weeks along, then a regular Pilates or yoga class should be OK. Make sure that you're in a class that matches your technical abilities. You need to work your body from a place where you have good functional control and stability in your torso. Ideally, as your pregnancy progresses, you will be able to maintain good alignment and core strength. If you start out in a class that is too challenging, then you will not develop the ability to stabilize your spine during exercise.
I'd look for a teacher that has experienced pregnancy and childbirth, so that even though you are not specifically in a prenatal class, the instructor will be able to guide you in any needed modifications.
After about 20 weeks or so, switch to a special prenatal class. As your belly gets big, you'll need to do a lot of modifications and having some experienced guidance will be of great benefit.
As to specific exercise modification, see my web site at www.befitmom.com. Select Prenatal and Postpartum Fitness and Exercise, then click on Strength and Core Conditioning During Pregnancy.
I also suggest that you do some form of moderate level aerobic exercise (again if you're less then 20 weeks) three or four times per week. Aerobic exercise during pregnancy offers truly profound benefits to both you and your developing baby. Again, my web site will fill you in on these details too.
