Pilates Post-Pregnancy

I am a little over 2 and a half years post baby and only just now regaining the strength, support and stability I once had in my core. With this post, I want to share about Pilates as a form of rehabilitation. But I feel it’s more valuable to be vulnerable and truthful about my own personal experience (rather than just referring to expert opinion, science-backed ‘facts’, and peer-reviewed discoveries.)

Having been a teacher of Pilates for more than 20 years I had always felt some level of self imposed body shame for not having ‘perfect abs’.

Even pre-pregnancy, they didn’t fit in with images we are constantly bombarded with when we think about a ‘Pilates Body’. Why don’t I have flat abs after all these years? Some reasons could be genetics/body type, age, surgery and food choices. Could I have flat abs? Possibly. But it wouldn’t come without sacrificing some of the things I love and that give me nourishment of another kind (like wine, chocolate and cheese to name a few). I do however have a very strong core. And at 44, how my body is functioning on the inside has become more important to me than how it looks on the outside. I’m not going to say it’s been easy. Like so many other women, I have struggled with body image issues for most of my life and this has not been an easy path to reconcile. However, I am glad to be able to say I am more well with it today than in any other time in my life.

I’m no longer interested in radical diets, boot camp-style workouts and what other people think of my body. What I am interested in is having my deep core support muscles working well to support my body through motion and stillness. Staying strong, fit and flexible and having dance parties with my family well into my old age is what interests me now. I’d like to share some of my journey back to core ‘wellness’, as there are a few things I would have done differently if I were to go through it all again.

With my meticulously crafted home-birthing plan in tow, I ended up in the hospital having a C-section after 2 hard days of labor. First lesson in parenting right off the get go. Let go of any pictures you have of what things ‘should’ look like. This was my first surgery. Wow! As anyone who has gone through this will know, mobility is very limited post-surgery for at least a couple weeks. Very humbling having to rely on someone for your every move. Especially while caring for a newborn! One of the gifts in this was that it made me a better and more empathetic teacher. To remember what it is like to start from the VERY beginning. It’s really hard! I found value in refreshing my perspective as a beginner.

Here are some things I found I needed reminding of that may help you in your healing journey:

Seek out appropriate health care providers that you trust to help you on your journey back to wellness.

Teachers can be the worst students. My chiropractor friend reminded me I needed to start with the basics but I didn’t listen, as I was sure I’d be the exception. I would continually attempt challenging excersises because – in my minds eye – these should be no problem. I would go to execute the move and find that I couldn’t. It was like there was a disconnect between my mind and my body. Be very selective in finding a teacher or practitioner that will help you navigate this well.

If you have bladder or pelvic floor disfunction find a pelvic health physio who will help support you and make sure you are on the right track!.

During pregnancy, there is downward pressure on the pelvic floor that causes it to stretch and weaken and potentially cause bladder dysfunction. Kegel exercises are recommended to improve this, however, the only way to know for sure if you are engaging your pelvic floor muscles correctly during exercise, is to get hooked up to an ultrasound machine. No Pilates instructor (or anyone else) can assess your pelvic floor function with absolute certainty without actually seeing it in action.

Start at ground zero.

Even if your birthing experience was relatively easeful, your body has been through trauma carrying and birthing a baby. Your body has changed and you may notice things are not what they once were (or where they once were for that matter!) You can do more harm than good by pushing yourself too soon after giving birth whether by C-section or naturally. You will be challenged to be really truthful with yourself. Listen carefully to your body and take the time you need to recover before increasing the frequency and/or intensity of your workouts.

Be patient and kind to yourself. 

I was really hard on myself. Having maintained a fairly high level of fitness for more than 25 years, I gave myself all kinds of unrealistic weight loss and fitness goals and then felt defeated when I didn’t reach them. At 42 my body was slower to recover than I’d expected. If you’re doing anything that causes you pain or discomfort, you need to stop and re-assess.

Love and accept your new body.

Things have changed, stretched and maybe dropped a little bit and I have an AMAZING 2 year old boy to show for it. I think I love my body in a more truthful way now than I did when I was in my twenties and thirties. I’m left with a deep appreciation and respect for the wonders of the female body. The way it can adapt, change, house, nourish, expand, shrink, and heal. Bless us!