While pregnancy experiences may vary, physiotherapists across Australia unanimously advocate for maintaining an active lifestyle and exercising during and after pregnancy. The benefits include improved mood and sleep and a decreased chance of developing gestational diabetes, hypertension, and pre-eclampsia. However, understanding the right exercises for your body can be a challenge.

We sat down and chatted with Bella, a highly experienced physiotherapist based in Melbourne. With a specialisation in pelvic floor health and a clientele primarily consisting of pregnant women, Bella's 15 years of expertise underscore the importance of women's ability to move their bodies during pregnancy and the significance of listening to their bodies.

“During pregnancy, a woman’s body changes dramatically. Her weight increases, her posture changes, and her abdominal and pelvic floor muscles often experience some stretching. It is the biggest physical change a body can go through,” explains Bella.

“Pregnancy is a unique journey for every woman, as are the exercise needs. While engaging in some form of exercise is crucial, it's equally important to attune to your body's signals. For some, a gentle prenatal yoga class might be the perfect fit, while others might prefer a jog or a higher-intensity workout. Remember, there's no one-size-fits-all approach to pregnancy exercise.”

Tina, from Melbourne, is 32 weeks pregnant. Her pregnancy has been uncomplicated, and she has enjoyed the journey. However, she came in to see Belle as a patient when she was around 25 weeks pregnant with lower back complaints after continuing with mat and reformer Pilates classes three times a week during pregnancy.

“My Pilates instructor modified my movement a little, but a lot of the time, I felt I was overlooked. When I was 15 weeks pregnant, I switched to a mums and bubs Pilates class, and while it was better, there was a bigger emphasis on the mums in the class who had already had their babies. I started to develop a sore lower back and went to see Bella,” says Tina.

“Often, I see women who have been fitness fanatics before falling pregnant and keep trying to do the same exercises throughout their pregnancy. Their trainer tells them it is fine, and while this works for some, it doesn’t work for others. It is important that there is more education about modifying exercises for pregnant women,” explains Bella.

Bella also worries that some fitness trainers do not understand pelvic floor health.

“When a woman is pregnant, there is even more physical pressure on her pelvic floor. If a woman jumps around or does heavy-impact sports, that pressure is greater. My advice to pregnant women is always to ensure you can have a conversation while exercising. This means you aren’t exerting yourself too much,” clarifies Bella.

Bella also believes that social media pressures women to remain fit throughout pregnancy and snap back to their pre-baby bodies after giving birth. She comments on the danger of this mentality.

“I have had women come in showing me an influencer on Instagram who had a baby, and six weeks later, her body looked how it did before falling pregnant. This simply isn’t realistic, nor is it healthy! My motto is: Take. It. Slow. Depending on how you’ve given birth, I always advise patients to start with some slow walking. Get the blood moving around the body, but be gentle. Some slow yoga is also good. After your 6-week check-up, you can start gearing your exercise up a notch if that feels good for you”.