THE ARC OF PREGNANCY LECTURES

📹 #1. Introduction: The Arc of Pregnancy

📹 #2. The Details: Pressure Management, Doming, and Diastasis

Before diving into the lecture, let’s talk about the “core” in the context of this course. The “core” is built like a canister or a container (much like a soda can) – with a top, bottom, and sides and is made of the following muscles: 

• The diaphragm (top of the canister)

• The pelvic floor (bottom of the canister)

• The transverse abdominis (deep abdominal muscles in the front and sides)

• The multifidus muscles (deep stabilizers in the back)

As pregnancy progresses, the growing uterus elevates baseline intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) because it starts to take up more space in that container. This increased pressure places additional strain on ligaments and connective tissues. 

Pressure management refers to the control of IAP within the core container. If there is a finite amount of space in the abdomen, as a teacher, you can observe where the pressure goes and if the student is able to adequately manage that pressure. This will impact your class building decisions — giving you information about the skills the students needs in order to continue to adapt to the growing uterus as well as heal after delivery. 

It’s important to remember that because the body is experiencing constant changes, the student has to adapt to new changes in sensation every session, that’s why is never a “bad idea” to continue to work on fundamentals. 

Because of constant changes, it’s even more important to 1. observe and respond in real time and 2. teach the student how to feel the pressure changes during changes in load (body weight or spring resistance) for themselves and be able to manage the load. This is especially important in group classes when you won’t be able to give them constant personal feedback throughout class. 

Tips for Teaching

Managing load is a skill that’s important in all of Pilates repertoire. This is why body awareness in managing pressure in the core is not only essential for pregnant and postpartum students, but important for all students. If you have a pregnant student in a regular group classes, you can use this as an opportunity to teach deep core activation to the entire class. 

Teaching Proper Core Mechanics & Preventing Doming

The following can be used as class primers and warm ups in a general group class, or can be the center focus of a prenatal/postnatal specific class:

1. Teach 360 degree breathing: this can be a great warm up in the beginning of class, or a primer before core work. 

2. Teach deep core activation: before moving into abdominal work, spend a few moments priming student to engage their deep core muscles (transverse abdominis and pelvic floor) for better pressure control. Focus specifically on sensations students can be feeling to gauge their core engagement under load/tension.

3. Layer exercises that place various amount of load on the abdominal muscles: teach exercises in order from less load to greater load and observe for coning/doming. Offer less load options first (e.g., bringing legs to a tabletop position instead of extending them during The Hundred), and use sense based cues to help a student gauge their core mechanics.

Offer exercise choices not as “modifications”, but have students sense when they begin to cone/dome and explain which option is best based on a sensation they may be experiencing.

This will help them understand WHY they might need to choose a certain version of the exercise on their own, and not feel like it’s an “easier” option (especially in a group class), but actually the most effective option for them.

Note: Many students have a challenging time developing body awareness in the center (ie., what they “should” be feeling when doing an exercise that puts pressure on their core).

Here are various cues that can be very helpful: 

Verbal Cues for Teaching 360 - Degree Breathing and Active Breathing

These can be used as body awareness warm ups, active breathing primers, and alignment cueing during various exercises. Breath work is a critical tool for managing intra-abdominal pressure. 360-degree breathing helps students create uniform expansion in the core canister, accessing the sides and back of the body rather than solely expanding the front.

Goal: general breath awareness.      

"Start breathing and begin to notice where your breath naturally goes. Does it fill up your chest? Do you sense the air traveling to your mid- torso? Does the air go all the way down to the bottom of your core container? Notice the gentle rising and falling of the ribcage and the natural lifting and softening of the shoulders.” 

Goal: pelvic floor engagement and responsiveness during core work.  

 "While seated at your resting position, imagine an elevator at the base of your pelvis. As you exhale, begin drawing the elevator upwards toward the ribcage. As you inhale, gently release the elevator down." 

 Goal: full exhalation and TVA awareness.

"As you exhale, squeeze all the air out of your lungs until it feels like you’re about to cough." 

Goal: finding more space in the sides and back of the body.

"Place your hands on your ribcage with your thumbs pointing toward the back. Take an inhale and feel your ribs expand toward your palms. Now try to find space in the back of your body, so you feel the back of your ribs expanding toward your thumbs."  

Goal: 360-degree breathing.

"Place your hands on your ribcage with your thumbs pointing toward the back. On your exhale, can your ribs come closer together? You can guide this compression by gently pressing your palms toward one another. On your exhale, can you feel your pelvic floor lift away from the floor, and on the inhale, feel your pelvic floor lower down toward the floor? Inhale, open the side and back of the body. Exhale, pelvic floor draws up."   

Verbal Cues for Teaching Deep Core Activation  

These can be used for primers in a regular group class for core-specific exercises, like the the Hundred, Single Leg Knee Stretch, Supine Arm Series, or can be used as stand alone exercises in a prenatal or postnatal specific group class.

Goal: connect to all layers of the core. 

"Hug your waist from all directions, as though you are hugging your torso."  

Goal: core awareness and stabilization of the spine/pelvis.  "Imagine a ring around your spine. As you exhale, squeeze the ring toward the middle.”  

Goal: connect to TVA and the deep core. 

“Imagine the hip bones at the front of your pelvis sliding toward one another.” 

Goal: pelvic floor engagement during load-bearing exercises. 

"Feel your core as a canister— with 4 sides, a top, and a bottom. As you exhale, lift the base of the canister closer to the top." 

Goal: deep core and leg engagement during The Hundred (or other similar exercises). 

"Keeping your torso stable, extend your legs and reach them toward a distant wall."  

These cues work because most of them are sense-based, which helps your students understand not only why managing pressure is important, but also helps them feel  it in their body. This is essential for them to continue practicing in group classes based on your prenatal studio policy

📹 #3. The Postnatal Check In: The Step by Step Process

A Safe Space to Practice: A Postnatal Check-In

The postnatal check-in is a critical first step in working with students after they have been cleared for exercise, typically following their six-week postpartum visit. This session provides an opportunity to assess their physical condition, understand their goals, and help them reconnect with their bodies. 

If your studio does not have a systematic approach to welcoming postpartum students into group classes, I encourage you to create one.

Requiring a mandatory post-natal check in session will allow you to discuss sensitive topics, create a safe space to observe the student move through their practice, and help establish trust and comfort.

All of this can give you the information you need to either suggest the next steps to re-starting a student’s practice and/or guide them safely into group classes. Here are some general guidelines for a thorough check-in session. 

Start with Breath Work:

• Have the client lie down and focus on their breath.

• Observe their breathing patterns—many postpartum students default to belly breathing due to changes in core structure.

 Introduce 360-Degree Breathing:

• Check if they are able to expand their breath into the sides and back of the body.

• Encourage softening through the neck and jaw to release tension.

Activate the Deep Core Muscles:

• Guide students to connect to their pelvic floor: have the student practice gently lifting their pelvic floor during deep abdominal muscles. Reference verbal sense-based cues in the first module to help. 

• Move into a tailored exercise progression: focus on movements that align with their goals (ie., continuing with private sessions or going into group classes), and recommend next steps. 

• Perform a diastasis recti assessment, if requested or appropriate. Check for abdominal separation to help guide core recovery.

This structured approach to the postnatal check-in ensures you gather essential information, create a supportive space, and begin a meaningful movement journey with your student.

RESOURCE VIDEOS

📹 Practical Applications: Thinking Through your Reformer Class

Offering Various Options for Pregnant Students and Setting Prenatal Policies 

In this lesson, we explore how pregnant students can safely and seamlessly participate in group classes. By focusing on mindful movement, clear communication (including setting clear studio policies), and critical thinking on your end, you can ensure each session is safe, effective, and adaptable to their changing needs.

One key component of easily navigating pregnant students’ participation in group classes is having a clear studio-wide prenatal policy. 

I highly encourage you to create your own policy that works for you and your studio, if you don’t already have one.

Here’s a sample policy that you use as a place to start, if your studio does not have one. 

Sample Prenatal Policy: 

• All students who are pregnant must schedule a private session before their 2nd trimester (14 - 27 weeks). 

• Pregnant students can take “x” classes only and not “x” classes. 

• After 32 weeks of pregnancy (or 28 weeks for multiple births), all students must either be enrolled in prenatal classes or private sessions only - no regular group classes after 32 weeks. 

One key component of the policy is the mandatory prenatal check in.

This session is essential as it teaches the students what they need to know specifically in order to participate in a regular group class. This session is especially helpful for students who are fairly new to Pilates as they are navigating not only a new practice but also feeling new sensations in their body.

Sample Prenatal Check-In Session Checklist:

• Check in with the student to hear which, if any, movement or positions are causing discomfort during class, and show modifications for those movements. Note: if a student is brand new to Pilates, it may take more than one session to: 1. learn foundational Pilates principles 2. get comfortable moving on the equipment and 3. learn modifications. In this case, be sure to mention that it may take a number of sessions for them to have all the appropriate information. 

• Remind the student about studio prenatal policy.

• Show the students how to use the pregnancy wedge (or any other props) and let them know that they are welcome to request to use it in a group class by letting their teacher know.  

• Do a movement practice that 1. moves the student through a workout and 2. teaches them various prenatal modifications. You do not need to cover every single possible prenatal modification in one session. Focus on the most important modifications and considerations that a student may need to know now or in the near future, and let them know if discomfort with movement arises in the future, you are available for another private session at a later time. 

• Teach transition options: encourage students to roll onto their side and use their arm to press up rather than rolling directly upward from supine.

The prenatal check in is the perfect time to teach your student about pressure management and guide them through sensations that they need to be aware of in order to make the best exercise choices in a group class.

This not only helps them build healthy body mechanics for daily life as their body changes, but also gives them autonomy and self-efficacy over their practice in a group environment. This is key for you as a teacher.

Remember your scope: our scope of practice is to help pregnant students safely functionally through classes and basic day to day activities.

To simplify your approach in working with a pregnant student, keep these 3 questions in mind:

1. Is the student able to safely manage the core container pressure due to the growing baby? And do they have a version of the exercise that would allow them to manage pressure better if you’re noticing that they are not able to do so?

2. Are they generally safe and comfortable in positions that they are in? If not, how can they modify?

3. Are they doing anything that can contribute to pain or be a safety concern due to them experiencing more instability in their joints because of the infusion of hormones, especially relaxin?

By establishing clear studio policies, helping students find autonomy in their practice, and using critical thinking on your end, you can support pregnant students safely and effectively through their Pilates practice. 

📹 Postpartum Exercise Progressions

This lesson outlines fundamental movements to support postpartum students in reconnecting with their core canister. 

These exercises provide a foundation for safe progression while addressing the specific needs of postpartum recovery. While not exhaustive, these movements focus on rebuilding strength, managing intra-abdominal pressure, and creating a solid base for future physical challenges both in and outside of class. 

This sample practice can be split into various mini-routines and given as homework to students who may be not able to join group classes yet, but want to start incorporating some kind of a movement practice at home.