Having taught and practiced Pilates for around 8 years now, my body has always been rather consistent. Even when there’s a bit of tightness in my shoulders and neck or a slight twinge in my knee, my body has always felt reliable.
My pregnancy thus far has been quite smooth sailing (touch wood), with no morning sickness and only a little bit of fatigue. However, after hitting the 20 week mark with my baby bump beginning to take shape, a couple of new niggles have developed that my body wasn’t used to. The most prominent being a tightness in my coccyx (tailbone) and sit-bones (the two boney points that we sit on). These niggles were constant, whether standing, bending over or even just trying to find a comfortable position sitting on the couch.
FEELING THANKFUL FOR PILATES
Dealing with these new niggles has made me feel incredibly grateful for both my own Pilates knowledge and the wonderful Pilates team at MOSIC. It only took one Pilates session to get back in touch with my breath and reconnect with my pelvic floor muscles. I realised that my pelvic floor had been in a constantly contracted state (shortened phase) perhaps as a consequence of the extra weight it’s supporting or the constant need to be going to the bathroom during my pregnancy.
WHAT IS THE PELVIC FLOOR?
The pelvic floor is a wondrous muscle that supports the bladder, uterus and bowel and attaches to the pubic bone at the tail bone as well as the base of the pelvis (the sit bones). You can imagine the pelvic floor as a hammock that runs between your legs. The pelvic floor ideally functions like a trampoline with the ability to both concentrically shorten (or lift up), and eccentrically lengthen (or draw down) in conjunction with our breath or diaphragm.
After reconnecting to my breath and pelvic floor, this Pilates session left me feeling in-tune with the change my body is going through and like I had both lengthened and strengthened the muscles.
If you are experiencing any of the prenatal discomforts described above or would like any more information about how Pilates can help you connect with your pelvic floor, feel free to contact myself or any of our expert Pilates team at MOSIC.
- Phone: (03) 9939 1289
- Email: info@melbourneosteopathycentre.com.au
