Post Natal Pilates

I offer Post natal Pilates classes on a 1:1 basis in the comfort and privacy of your own home in the same areas as 1:1s or at my home studio in New Malden. I do occasionally teach small post natal Pilates groups, with the minimum number being 3 mums and babies. The same Mum hosts the class at her house, each week at a set time, providing there is enough space.

Please call or email me for availability for either 1:1s or if you are a new Mum interested in hosting a small Post Natal group.

When is the best time to start?

There can be enormous pressure on women to bounce back to their pre-pregnancy shape and weight within a matter of weeks. However, every woman is different and you need to work at a pace that is comfortable for you as well as fits in with the demands of caring for a new baby. It’s important that you listen to your body and take time to heal from the birth.

You should only start exercising once you have been given the go-ahead in your post-natal check (this normally happens at approximately 6 weeks for a natural birth and 8-9 weeks for a caesarean).

How the sessions support you

Post natal Pilates is not a high impact, sweaty workout but sessions can be challenging, nonetheless. The deep, internal muscle work new Mums need to do after childbirth can be very intensive. Overall however, the sessions are designed to promote your wellbeing after the birth of your baby; a time to reconnect with your body especially after the changes experienced during the previous 9 months.

The focus is on the pelvic floor muscles, gently strengthening weakened abdominals, building strong arms and upper backs, improving postural awareness and regaining alignment of your pelvis & ribs. We work on building your muscle strength so you can successfully and safely carry the weight of your baby, whether that’s during feeding, lifting in and out of prams/baby slings or when comforting your baby. This will reduce tension in your neck and back muscles and help to protect your spinal discs.

The importance of Pelvic Floor Work

Many women find it difficult to reconnect to their pelvic floor postpartum. As a Franklin Method Pelvic Floor Fascia Trainer, I guide you through the process of re-familiarising yourself with your pelvic floor muscles and different types of exercises you need to do.

Understanding how to heal and keep your pelvic floor healthy is so important but so too is knowing what exercises should be avoided until your pelvic floor has healed (such as crunches or movements where too much intra-abdominal pressure is exerted when the pelvic floor is still weak). We cover this in your sessions. It is a good idea to combine post natal Pilates with some form of cardio exercise.

Any number of sessions can be book but I do recommend a minimum of 6 sessions initially, especially if you have experienced abdominal separation (diastasis recti). I offer a special 6 week post natal package and reduced rates on blocks of 10 sessions.

When should I not exercise?

If you feel a little unwell, stop exercising and rest. Learn to listen to your body and if you are uncertain, please consult your GP.

Bleeding – other than menstruation
Abdominal pain
Mastitis
Feeling faint, dizzy spells, severe headaches, temperature

h2 When can I move from post natal work to a regular class?

This is very individual and often depends on the experience of and recovery from birth. I’ve had clients return to a regular Pilates class between 3-5 months.

If you’d like to find out more about the Franklin Method work I do which covers pelvic floor health, please read my About page.

Post Natal Packages

I currently offer a special intensive 7 week post natal 1:1 Pilates package for £460; a saving of £30 off the normal price of 7 sessions.

My post natal sessions are the ideal opportunity for you to safely restore and re-align your body, helping you to recover more quickly from the birth.

Please call or email me for further details.

Thank you

A big thank you to all the Mums-to-be and Mums who kindly agreed to be photographed for my website during their classes.

The women you see in the photographs on my ante and post natal pages were clients who attended my London Ante Natal Pilates classes during their pregnancies.

And some, following their return to work from maternity leave, came to my regular lunchtime Pilates classes in the City.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my 1:1 post natal sessions with Jacqueline! I had never done Pilates before and had heard it is excellent for improving your posture and core strength, especially if you have scoliosis as I do. I also had diastasis recti after having my baby so I was keen to close up the gap in my stomach muscles.

I found Jacqueline’s approach fantastic, she is encouraging and makes you work to the best of your ability. Jacqueline clearly has a solid understanding of Pilates and she always explained positions/movements very clearly, going into the reasons “why” we need to do them which is something I had never appreciated before.

Chloe, post natal client

Photography © Niels Rakhorst & Jacqueline Pye. Photographs cannot be reproduced without the photographers' prior permission.