Moving Through Pregnancy

Please talk to your provider before starting; this is gentle movement guidance, not medical advice. We stay off your back (side-lying and hands-and-knees) on purpose — after the first trimester, lying flat can press on a major vein. The hormone relaxin loosens your joints, so never stretch to your limit; keep the belly soft and skip anything that makes it cone. Hydrate, don’t overheat, and move with your body every day.

Stop and call your provider if you have vaginal bleeding, dizziness or faintness, chest pain, headache, calf pain or swelling, regular contractions, fluid leaking, shortness of breath, or decreased fetal movement. (Guidance from ACOG.)

Pregnancy isn’t a time to push — it’s a time to stay connected to a body doing something remarkable. In thirty years of teaching, I’ve learned to meet each woman exactly where she is that day: some days ask for strength, others for rest, and both are right. When I work with someone who’s expecting, I keep it gentle, I watch how her body responds, and I’d always rather do less and feel good than more and feel strained. If anything ever feels off, we stop — no exceptions. This is offered in that same spirit. — Gina

A gentle lift, throughout. On every move, lightly draw up through your pelvic floor — a soft lift from the base, never a clench, while you keep breathing. New to it? Start with Pelvic Floor Foundations →

Breathe. Hold the stretches for about 5 slow breaths — that’s at least 30 seconds; if you finish quicker, you’re breathing too fast, so slow it down. For a calming anchor, try Five Finger Breathing: with a fingertip, trace up each finger as you breathe in and down as you breathe out — five fingers, five breaths.

When you’re ready to return, wait for your provider’s clearance first — usually around your six-week check, but everyone heals differently. Before you jump back into full core work, see someone who understands postpartum bodies (a women’s-health physiotherapist or a trained instructor) to check for diastasis recti — a natural separation of the abdominal muscles — and how your pelvic floor is recovering. Then rebuild from the foundation: breath, a gentle pelvic-floor connection, and deep-core reconnection before any crunches, planks, or anything that makes the belly cone. There’s no rush — the body that comes back slowly comes back strong.