Pregnancy Pilates wall slides

Pregnancy Pilates exercises against a wall for a leg and bum toning workout that strengthens you. Include these for safe at home pregnancy workouts!

Standing tall in a natural stance helps to keep your body balanced as your centre of gravity shifts. Practisingsliding against the wallcan help to improve your pregnancy posture and encourage your spine and pelvis into the correct, neutral position, strengthening your glutes whilst providing support from the wall.

Stand about 30cms away from the wall, feet hip width apart and knees slightly bent. Allow your head to balance freely on the top of your spine without tipping it back. Keep your feet grounded, pressing evenly through both feet.

Breathe in gently and as you breathe out use your deep tummy muscles to gently tilt your pelvis backwards a little, lengthening your lower back and imagining a heavy tailbone throughout.

With your next breath out, draw up your pelvic floor muscles a little then slide a few centimetres down the wall, keeping your lower back and spine in the same place, not exaggerated or completely flattening out your lumbar spine curve. Straighten your legs as you breathe in and repeat 6-8 times. Only go down as far as your hips remain above your knees. Remember you will feel more flexible because of your pregnancy hormones but don’t be tempted to squat too long where you add pressure to your ligaments, joints and pelvic floor muscles.

There should never be any strain to push the legs back up.

Step away from the wall and try to remember how your spine and pelvis feel. Walk tall and strong to help avoidpregnancy backache!

Foot pedals

Extend your wall slide exercise with this Pilates foot pedal routine:

• Exhale, slide down the wall to a sitting position.
• Lift heels on inhale.
• Exhale to press back up to standing.
• Inhale, lower your heels.
• Repeat 4-6 times before changing direction.
• Inhale lift heels.
• Exhale, slide down the wall to a sitting position.
• Lower heels on inhale.
• Exhale to press back up to standing.
• Repeat 4-6 times

You can also do alternate heel pedals for variation. Squat down and pedal the feet one then the other for a count of 10 before returning both heels and pushing back up.

FittaMamma Tip! The FittaMamma maternity leggings help to support your bump and lower back, easing the extra weight of your growing baby and encouraging you to stand tall. The FittaMamma Pregnancy Workout Support Top combines support for your bump with full flexibility of movement.

Remember: Always consult your midwife or health professional before embarking on a new pregnancy exercise regime if you have any health issues or concerns. We recommend waiting until your second trimester if you are new to Pilates in pregnancy.