Prenatal Pilates While I Was Pregnant

A lot of my friends advised me to take up prenatal Pilates when I was pregnant with my first baby. Because I have heard of yoga long before Pilates, I was tempted by another set of friends to take up prenatal yoga. After reading up on prenatal Pilates and yoga, I was at crossroads of decision making. I wonder which would be better for me, which would be easier on me, the prenatal Pilates or yoga?

What Are The Benefits Of Prenatal Pilates Compared To Prenatal Yoga?

After a long period of indecision, I had decided to try out both exercises regimes and compare these two to find out which one would be better for me. I started doing the prenatal Yoga exercises first and I found that it is not easy to compare prenatal Pilates with prenatal Yoga because they are in fact so entirely different when it comes to doing the actual exercises.

My experience is prenatal Pilates concentrates more on my posture and the way I carry myself. The exercises prescribed under prenatal Pilates are mainly targeted on my perfect body balance which in turn will minimize the labor pains and even the carrying discomfort of the last two months of pregnancy.

Alternatively, yoga also increases the muscular strength, but first it strengthens the mind. The exercise and the methods of breathing targets at increasing muscle flexibility to its maximum possible and in turn reduce back ache and other related aches. Yoga also helps improve immunity for oneself and the baby while promoting excellent night sleep. Among the pregnancy related problems, yoga completely blocks the raise of blood pressure, occurrence of respiratory problems and edema by improving the way these organs function.

In comparison, prenatal Pilates does not have direct power upon the functioning of internal organs, while yoga can control absolutely everything, with the power of breathing and the prescribed asanas (postures). However the exercises prescribed by prenatal Pilates also result in perfect physical health. But it does very little for the mental condition of the expectant mother.

At last, I decided to take a few classes of prenatal Pilates and Yoga, thinking then a little hands-on experience would help me decide. Now, after 2 children and 6 years later I am still practicing both the styles and feeling great about it. The moment I started Pilates and Yoga, I started finding extreme joy in the smallest things, such as a butterfly flying in the meadow, grass bowing slowly into the wind, a baby crinkling its face to cry and the like. While I continue with these two exercises, I feel I am a complete person.

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