POST Natal Pilates

The Physiotherapy Clinic offers Physio Pilates classes specifically for women after they’ve delivered a baby. You can start Physio Pilates Pregnancy classes from 6 weeks into after delivery, following your check up with your Obstetrician. Please bring the baby along as long as they aren’t crawling, but leave the pram at home as we have limited space. The classes are run as a block of 5 weeks of 1 hour classes. Classes are strictly limited to 5 participants and so bookings are essential. Contact our office for current class times and availability. Most health funds offer a rebate under your Physiotherapy Cover for Physio Pilates Post Natal classes.

At times we do specific exercises with the babies. It depends on how they feel on the day! If they are awake and happy we incorporate then into the class and help the babies develop their gross motor control and balance.

Some women need specific permission from their Obstetrician to ensure they can safely exercise 6 weeks after delivery. If you have a history of haemorrhage or severe post natal bleeding, please check with your Obstetrician before exercising.

All Physio Pilates classes are taught by Physiotherapists with a specific interest in Obstetrics, to ensure a high standard of instruction, supervision and expertise. Where necessary, our Physios are able to adapt the class structure for individuals with a history of pain or pathology. It’s unusual for a Physio Pilates class not to contain someone with a history of pain either during pregnancy or after delivery, especially sacroiliac or pubic symphysis pain.

Why do Physio Pilates Post Natal Classes?

Physio Pilates Post Natal classes are designed to help your body recover from pregnancy, labour and delivery. As well as regaining your pre-pregnancy shape, Physio Pilates Post Natal classes help you regain your muscle control. The pelvic floor, abdominals and gluteal muscles are particularly important.

Up to two thirds of women have a separation of their abdominal muscles after delivery. This is known as a rectus abdominis diastasis. Most women are able to bring the muscles back together with specific exercise for the deep stabilising muscles of the abdominal wall. Your abdominal wall is checked for separation in Physio Pilates Post Natal classes and specific exercises are used to close up the separation after delivery. After a Caesarean delivery, regaining abdominal control is even more important. Recovery after delivery is much more uncomfortable after a Caesarean compared to a vaginal delivery.

Pelvic floor dysfunction is incredibly common after giving birth. We work on ‘finding’ your pelvic floor again and getting it strong and well controlled. This can help reduce the incidence of post natal incontinence. Even after a Caesarean the pelvic floor needs to get strong again. Although the baby has not passed through the pelvic floor, it has been under a lot of load through the pregnancy due to the weight of the foetus. Regaining pelvic floor control is an important part of Physio Pilates Post Natal classes.

One of the most important areas to strengthen are the gluteals or buttock muscles. The pelvis has been stretched during the later stages of pregnancy and vaginal delivery. The gluteals helps to pull the sacroiliac and pubic symphysis joints together to reinforce the pelvis. This is especially important for subsequent pregnancies, as the ligaments have been stretched, the muscles need to be even stronger to prevent pelvic pain. Physio Pilates Post Natal classes involve a lot of gluteal strength and control work to counteract this.

Contact The Physiotherapy Clinic for further details, bookings or to talk to one of our Physios tel: 02 9387 1011