Tag Archive for: Pilates North Liberty Iowa

Pilates and Pregnancy: The First Month After Baby

Hello and welcome back to our Pilates and Pregnancy blog! I am happy to announce that I gave birth to a healthy baby boy on April 20, 2014. This post will chronicle his birth and my first month as a new mom, including adjusting to my new body, enduring the baby blues, and attempting to exercise!

Finn’s birth story

My water broke around 5 a.m. on Sunday, April 20th. We were admitted to the hospital by 6:45 a.m. and Finnegan James was delivered via C-Section at 9:08 Finn at birtha.m.

Toward the end of the pregnancy, my doctor and I discussed the probability of delivery via C-Section because Finn was measuring large (nearly 11 pounds). The C-Section was surreal and a little frightening. My husband and I had taken a class on Caesareans and I had also done some Pilates continuing education on recovery post-Caesarean, but nothing really prepares you for the cold sterility of the operating room. A kind nurse held my hands during the epidural. I was amazed at how quickly the epidural took effect. Within moments, several hands were guiding me to lie down on the table and securing my arms in place out at my sides. I remember being very cold and scared. My husband came into the room just before the procedure began.

I didn’t expect to feel anything, but did feel pressure when the doctor opened the incision to pull Finn out. Only a few minutes passed from the time my husband entered the room until I heard him say, “I can see his head,” and like that – Finn was born. He weighed 10 lbs. 5 oz, and was 21 ¾ inches long!

We spent three days in the hospital because of the C-Section. Our nurse the first night was amazed at how easily I was able to get out of bed and how eager I was to walk around. I walked slowly at first, but it felt good to get up and move. My family and another nurse commented the next day on how well I seemed to be doing. In particular my sister, who had a C-Section just over a year ago, noticed that I was up and moving around much sooner than she had been and attributed the difference to my Pilates practice.

Week 2

Walking with Finn

The second week was rough emotionally. I had read about the baby blues, but couldn’t believe that I could hold my perfect baby boy and be sad. My husband and family were all very supportive. Two of the big things that helped were going on walks and getting outside of the house.

Physically my body was still recovering. My incision was uncomfortable and I was only getting two or three hour stretches of sleep at night. On a happy note, by the end of the second week I had lost two-thirds of the pregnancy weight.

Weeks 3-4

The next two weeks were much better. Finn started sleeping for four hour stretches. I was getting out for walks and feeling good. I even tried some Pilates.

Pilates has always been my happy place and so I was curious about how much I’d be able to do. I started really slowly, lying on the floor for some arm circles and knee folds. I was amazed at how difficult knee folds were (where you keep your knees bent and lift one knee up over your hip and then slowly lower it back down). Between the stretching of my muscles during pregnancy and then physically cutting through some of them for the C-Section, I have a lot of ground to recover!Finn1month

I tried a few other exercises on my own. Shoulder Bridge and Spine Stretch felt great. Upper Ab Curl and Swan didn’t feel awesome and so I decided to skip them until I was officially cleared to exercise and could get back into the studio with Carey.

Finn is now one month old and I am ready to start Pilates in ernest! Look for future blogs coming soon as Carey and I work together to help me safely tone and strengthen my body post-baby.

See you next week,

Cassie

Strengthen your bones and celebrate Osteoporosis Awareness Month!

Osteoporosis….when you hear the word you may think of a disease that older women have. However, it is never too early to think about keeping your bones strong. The National Osteoporosis Foundation defines osteoporosis as “a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and an increased susceptibility to fractures, especially of the hip, spine and wrist.” Major risk factors include a low calcium intake, smoking, excessive alcohol use, a sedentary lifestyle and infrequent menstruation. Bone loss typically begins after age 30. The best way to potentially increase bone mass and strength is through physical activity.

photo(5)Although all exercise is important, weight bearing activity is the best for warding off osteoporosis. Activities such as dancing, walking, tennis, stair climbing and jogging are important along with strength training. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk for fractures among women aged 50-70. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends high-intensity, high-impact activities for children to build bone, and moderate to high intensity weight-bearing activities for adults to maintain bone mass.

Strength training should be performed two to three days per week, with weight bearing activities performed three to five days per week. If you have osteoporosis, you should avoid any exercises which include unsupported forward bending or twisting. A full body strength workout should include one or two sets of 10 to 12 reps of an exercise for each muscle group.

Always check with your physician before starting an exercise program. For more information on osteoporosis, visit the National Osteoporosis Foundation’s website at www.nof.org.

 

Written by Kris Cameron, Certified ACE personal trainer and instructor of our Bones Builder Strength Straining ClassKris Cameron Bio

 

Kris has worked with all ages from children to the elderly, but her specialty is medical fitness and working with active older adults. With a background in healthcare and physical rehabilitation, Kris has experience working with clients who have orthopedic injuries, arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, bariatric surgery, mental disorders, and stroke. She is also certified through the Ohio Health Delay the Disease-Exercise and Parkinson’s program and through the Arthritis Foundation.

Inspiration of the Month – Angela Nelson

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When did you start Pilates and what inspired you to start?   

 

I took my first Pilates class in 2005. I have scoliosis and Pilates was recommended by my orthopedist to help alleviate back pain. After a bit of a break I resumed practice at Rivercity Pilates very first studio and found it was a great fit for me. 

 

What benefits have you seen by committing to a regular Pilates practice?

I have been able to strengthen my core and regain flexibility that was lost by wearing a spinal brace for my scoliosis. My balance and posture have improved, and I am much more aware of proper positioning and breathing as I go about my day. Pilates has really helped me to maintain strength during pregnancy and recover after birth.  

You are a busy mom of four, how do you make time to take care of yourself?
I love, love, love the Schedule Ahead Rewards Program at Rivercity Pilates! With lots of kids’ schedules to manage, if I don’t put my things on the calendar far in advance they won’t happen. For me, scheduling a month in advance is key to actually getting in a workout! The flexibility of having a free late cancel means that I don’t have to worry if someone gets sick or we have a last minute conflict.
Do you have a favorite exercise or piece of equipment (or both)?
I really love the chair – it’s such a great little piece of equipment that does so much! My favorite chair exercise is the seated twist.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about doing Pilates?
Absolutely give it a try. The instructors at Rivercity Pilates are great at adapting exercises to individual fitness levels (even in group classes – modifications for more simple or advanced levels are always suggested). You can really start at any point and you will always finish a little stronger than before!

Inspiration of the Month

,
anne

When did you start Pilates and what inspired you to start? I have only been practicing Pilates since November 2013.  I had tried fitness classes and different types of yoga but never really found my niche.  An avid runner and self-described “gym-rat,” I really wanted something that would complement my usual work outs.  Pilates forced me to slow down and to balance my mental AND physical needs.

What benefits have you seen by committing to a regular Pilates practice? It’s surprising how many times I consider Pilates each day.  From my posture while sitting at my desk in the office, to feeling more strength in my legs and core on my long runs, and even just remembering to breathe, Pilates is really improving all aspects of my life.

Do you have a favorite exercise or piece of equipment (or both)?
My absolute favorite piece of equipment is the Chair. It’s small but packs a mighty work out!

What would you say to someone thinking about starting Pilates? It’s funny because I probably sound like a broken record to my friends and family because I’ve been recommending Pilates to everyone since I started.  It’s a great addition to your traditional cardio and weight training programs- the perfect combination of core work and mindfulness.  I even got my husband (a personal trainer up in Cedar Rapids) to come with me to a recent Saturday morning class. He loved the class  (and our classmates) and is definitely coming back!

Pilates and Pregnancy – Week 38: The Home Stretch

Welcome back to our Pilates and Pregnancy blog! We are 38 weeks along and baby is still about the length of a watermelon – 18 to 22 inches. I had a doctor’s appointment this week and my physician said that baby’s head has dropped even further and boy can I tell! Not only does my belly feel lower, but it almost feels like I pulled a muscle at the lowest part of my baby bump. My guess is that those muscles have been stretched so far that any additional pressure from baby just tugs at them.

Other than feeling large and the occasional low back pain and foot/ankle/calf swelling, I really do feel quite well. Strangers at the grocery store smile at me and ask when I’m due. There’s something about a visibly pregnant woman that just makes people happy.

This week Carey and I focused again on stretching and gentle movements. We started seated on the big Pilates ball and did some side bending and small hip movements – side to side, tucking and extending, and circles each direction. We then moved to the mat and used the half barrel to prop me up into a semi-seated position. Carey placed a small ball under my head to support my head and neck. She then handed me a two-pound weight for each hand. We did arm circles in each direction and a straight arm open and close where my hands started above my chest and then opened out to the side and back. These arm movements really helped to stretch across my chest and it felt good to move my shoulders.

We then used the Tower for two traditional and unmodified Pilates exercises: chest expansion and thigh stretch. I wasn’t able to stretch as far back in thigh stretch as I could before becoming pregnant, but the stretch still felt great across my thighs and lower abdomen.

Week38

We finished with a standing shoulder stretch using the foam roller (see photo to the right). Generally we teach this stretch with the client lying on the mat with the foam roller under her shoulder blades. She then presses her feet into the mat to lift her hips and rolls front to back across her upper back and shoulder blades.

I can still lie flat on my back, but it’s considerably more work to lift my hips and move my body front to back than it was a few months ago. As a modification, Carey had me place the foam roller against the wall, and then get the stretch by straightening and bending my legs. This version felt great and is a gentle way to sneak in a few extra squats!

Thanks for sharing this experience with me! I’ll be back next week (unless baby comes first).

-Cassie

Pilates and Pregnancy – Week 37: Preparing for Delivery and Post-Pregnancy Recovery

Welcome back to our Pilates and Pregnancy blog! According to my app, this week the baby is the length of a watermelon – about 19-22 inches. My app also says that he should be around 6.5 pounds, but we know from my last ultrasound that he blew past that landmark weeks ago! We’ll guess that he’s somewhere in the 8-9 pound range.

I’ve noticed this week that I am slowing down – big time. I have mastered the pregnant lady waddle and am not only slow moving, but slow to get up and down. This affects our Pilates lessons, as we’re able to fit fewer exercises into our 50 minutes together, but they are still fabulous nonetheless.

This week our workout focused on stretching and releasing muscle tension. Carey and I talked a little bit about delivery and the importance of learning to let go. We also started looking ahead to post-pregnancy recovery. As a mother of three and movement enthusiast, Carey shared some of the little movements she started doing after her children were born. These movements include Kegels, gently engaging her abdominal muscles, walking short distances, and arm circles in bed.

Note: the amount of exercise that you do post-pregnancy should be a decision that’s made between you and your healthcare provider.

So, with the focus on delivery and reducing muscle tightness, Carey had me start standing, holding on to the red rope. The red rope, which comes from the Ron Fletcher school of Pilates, is essentially three six-foot-long strips of terrycloth that are braided together. Because the rope is made of terrycloth it has a little bit of give. Carey had me hold the rope taut in front of my body with my hands near the ends. On an inhale, I slowly lifted the rope up over my head and then exhaled and brought the rope behind my body. We then reversed the movement, bringing the rope back in front of my body. This movement is great for opening up the shoulders and chest.

Next we worked on stretching the side waist and chest with some half barrel exercises. To begin, Carey had me lie on my side with the left side of my torso resting on the half barrel, my left arm reaching long to the mat, and my legs comfortably resting on the mat. Working to lengthen through my right side waist, Carey had me take a big inhale as I reached my right fingertips toward my left hand and then exhale as I brought the hand back down by my side (essentially a modified version of Mermaid).

Then, Carey had me start in the same position, except with both hands overhead. From there, I reached back with my right hand and rolled slightly onto my back, opening my chest in a very nice stretch. We repeated that move 5-8 times (see photos).

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See you next week (unless baby arrives first)!

-Cassie