How Pilates Can Help Ease Pregnancy Discomfort And Prepare You For Labor
Key Takeaways:
Pilates Supports Pregnancy: With its emphasis on core strength, flexibility, and mindful movement, Pilates can ease common pregnancy discomforts and help prepare the body for labor.
Trimester-Specific Guidance: Safe, tailored exercises for each stage of pregnancy can help build strength, promote stability, and support emotional well-being.
Holistic Care At The Lifted Lotus: Integrating Pilates with pelvic floor therapy empowers women throughout pregnancy and beyond, enhancing recovery, resilience, and readiness for what’s next.
Pregnancy is a time of incredible change. While it brings joy and anticipation, it can also introduce physical challenges that deserve care, understanding, and support. From lower back pain and pelvic pressure to shifting posture and fatigue, your body is constantly adapting to support new life. That’s where Pilates for pregnancy comes in. At The Lifted Lotus, we offer a supportive, evidence-informed approach that combines mindful movement with breathwork and pelvic floor engagement to help you feel stronger, more balanced, and better prepared for labor. Whether you're in your first trimester or approaching delivery, Pilates can be a gentle yet powerful way to reconnect with your changing body.
What Is Pilates And Why Is It Beneficial During Pregnancy?
Pilates is a low-impact movement practice that focuses on core strength, flexibility, postural alignment, and breath awareness. Originally developed by Joseph Pilates, it’s known for its ability to build strength and control without putting stress on the joints, making it especially well-suited for the pregnant body.
How Pilates Supports The Pregnant Body
During pregnancy, your body is constantly adapting to support your baby. This often brings shifts in posture, increased pressure on the pelvis, and changes in core stability. Pilates offers targeted exercises to gently support these changes by strengthening the deep core and pelvic floor muscles, which can help reduce common discomforts like lower back pain, hip tension, and pelvic heaviness.
Tailored, Breath-Focused Movement At The Lifted Lotus
At The Lifted Lotus, our private Pilates sessions are personalized to meet you exactly where you are. With a strong focus on breathwork and pelvic floor engagement, we use functional movements to help you build strength, improve balance, and enhance body awareness in a way that feels safe and supportive.
Preparing For Labor
Pilates can also be a powerful preparation tool for labor. By cultivating breath control and strengthening the mind-body connection, you learn how to move with intention, engage your core without strain, and stay grounded through each stage of pregnancy. Most importantly, Pilates encourages you to tune in to your body’s needs and respond with compassion.
Through our holistic approach, The Lifted Lotus creates space for pregnant individuals to move, connect, and prepare for birth with confidence. Every session is an opportunity to feel empowered in your body, allowing you to focus on the exciting transition into parenthood.
Safe Pilates Exercises For Each Trimester
At The Lifted Lotus, we believe movement should adapt with you, not against you. Our private Pilates sessions, led by certified instructor Mariela Dorado, are designed to honor your pregnant body through every trimester. With nearly a decade of teaching experience and advanced certifications in Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise and Pilates for Neurological Conditions, Mariela offers a rare combination of expertise, empathy, and adaptability. Her approach centers on breathwork, pelvic floor engagement, and functional movement tailored to your unique energy levels, comfort, and trimester-specific needs.
Here’s a look at how Pilates exercises can be safely and effectively incorporated throughout each trimester:
First Trimester
During the first trimester, focus on exercises that build foundational strength and stability. Start with simple movements to connect with your breath and core:
Pelvic Tilts: A foundational exercise that encourages awareness of the pelvic floor while gently mobilizing the spine. Whether you’re lying down or performing it seated on a stability ball, Mariela will help you tune into your breath and engage your deep core safely.
Arm And Leg Raises: These controlled, low-impact movements are excellent for building balance and core coordination in early pregnancy. Using props for stability when needed, Mariela ensures the exercise supports your body's changing needs without overexertion.
Second Trimester
As your pregnancy progresses, the second trimester is the perfect time to adapt your Pilates routine to accommodate your growing belly. It's all about fostering strength and flexibility without strain:
Cat-Cow Stretch: This is a classic for good reason! Here, fluid spinal movement supports mobility and relieves tension in the lower back. With Mariela’s guidance, the focus remains on breath and pelvic alignment, making it a safe and grounding choice throughout pregnancy.
Side-Lying Leg Lifts: This targeted movement strengthens the outer hips and stabilizes core muscles, which are essential for pelvic support as your center of gravity changes. Mariela can adjust your positioning with cushions or bolsters to maintain alignment and minimize strain.
Third Trimester
In the final stretch of pregnancy, the focus should be on comfort and preparing your body for labor. This is a time to embrace gentle movements and modifications (if needed):
Seated Forward Bend (With Props): When supported with props like yoga blocks or bolsters, this gentle stretch can help ease lower back tension and lengthen the hamstrings — while also promoting pelvic openness in preparation for birth. Mariela ensures the posture is modified for comfort and safety, and we encourage you to speak up if you ever need any adjustments.
Wall Squats: Supported wall squats can be a great way to build lower-body strength and endurance, which may support positions and stamina during labor. The wall provides a stable surface to reduce strain on the lower back while encouraging safe pelvic alignment. If you feel unsteady, Mariela can offer modifications using props like a stability ball, yoga block, or chair, or provide hands-on support to ensure you feel confident and safe.
Fourth Trimester: Pilates Beyond Pregnancy
Just as Pilates supports you through pregnancy, it continues to offer incredible benefits during the postpartum phase. As your body recovers, gentle, intentional movement can help you reconnect with your core, rebuild pelvic floor function, and ease common discomforts that arise after childbirth. Whether you’re weeks, months, or years postpartum, these movements are designed to support your healing timeline and remind you that your body is strong, capable, and worthy of care at every stage.
Modified Bridge Pose: This movement helps gently re-engage the glutes, hamstrings, and core while supporting pelvic stability. With Mariela’s guidance, it can be adjusted to be pain-free to accommodate healing tissues.
Breath-Integrated Toe Taps: Performed lying on your back with knees bent in tabletop position, toe taps (lowering one foot to the floor at a time) are a safe, foundational core exercise. When paired with exhalation and gentle pelvic floor activation, they help reintroduce core control without strain.
At The Lifted Lotus, each Pilates session is one-on-one and completely customized. Mariela will always provide thoughtful modifications and clear guidance that reflect your evolving needs. Whether you’re preparing for birth, managing perimenopause pelvic pain, or simply learning how to move in a way that feels good, she’s all about helping you cultivate trust in your body’s innate strength. If you're seeking safe, empowering Pilates for pregnancy, our Brooklyn-based practice is here to support you with personalized care and evidence-informed movement. Book a session with us today and let us walk with you through every stage of your prenatal journey.
Combining Pilates And Holistic Pelvic Floor Therapy
By combining Pilates with holistic pelvic floor therapy at The Lifted Lotus, we offer more than just movement; we create space for you to feel supported, informed, and connected to your changing body. This integration provides safe, functional support through every trimester, preparing you not just for birth, but for the life that follows.
Why Pilates And Pelvic Floor Therapy Work So Well Together
Pilates and holistic pelvic floor therapy are beautifully aligned in their focus on core strength, breathwork, and body awareness: all crucial during pregnancy and postpartum. Pilates uses controlled, low-impact movement to support spinal alignment, improve posture, and engage deep stabilizing muscles. Pelvic floor therapy enhances this by addressing how those same muscles function in relation to your bladder, bowel, and sexual health. When guided by our expert team of Pelvic Health Occupational Therapists, the two practices work together to build strength without strain, promote better movement patterns, and help prevent or resolve issues like incontinence, pelvic pain, or prolapse. This integration creates a safe, empowering approach that supports your changing body from the inside out.
Tailored Support Through Pregnancy And Postpartum
For those preparing to welcome a baby, our Pregnancy & Birth Preparation Bundle includes a 90-minute evaluation and four follow-up sessions designed to help you learn about your pregnant body, practice labor-prep techniques, and stay active through each stage. If you’re already a parent, our Postpartum Healing Bundle meets you exactly where you are with sessions that gently guide you through healing from birth wounds, rebuilding strength, and reconnecting with your core and pelvic floor.
Together, these offerings create a continuum of care that honors your full experience, from the earliest stages of pregnancy through postpartum healing and beyond. If you’re ready to move forward in a supportive space, book a session today. Have any questions or concerns? Don’t hesitate to reach out — we’re always here to help!
Final Thoughts
As you navigate pregnancy, finding supportive ways to ease discomfort and prepare for labor can turn this transformative time into an empowering experience. At The Lifted Lotus in Brooklyn, we offer holistic pelvic floor therapy, private Pilates sessions, and specialized services — all tailored to your unique needs. Through functional movement, breathwork, and holistic care, our expert team can help guide you through this exciting life stage with compassion, knowledge, and care.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Pilates For Pregnancy
What is Pilates?
Pilates is a low-impact form of movement that focuses on core strength, postural alignment, flexibility, and breath awareness. It emphasizes the mind-body connection, making it a thoughtful, adaptable option for pregnant individuals looking to stay active and connected to their changing bodies.
When can I start Pilates during pregnancy?
Most people can begin or continue Pilates at any stage of pregnancy, but we always recommend consulting your healthcare provider first. At The Lifted Lotus, we tailor each session to meet your needs, ensuring that your time with us serves you well throughout each trimester.
Are there any Pilates exercises to avoid while pregnant?
Definitely. Some movements, such as lying flat on your back for long periods or deep abdominal crunches, may not be safe as pregnancy progresses. Our private Pilates sessions are designed with your comfort and safety in mind, and Mariela is always willing to recommend personalized modifications if you need them.
How often should a pregnant woman practice Pilates?
Aiming for 2–3 sessions per week is ideal for building strength, supporting posture, and enhancing breath control. That said, consistency matters more than intensity. We’re here to help you create a practice that feels refreshing, sustainable, and aligned with your energy levels.
Will Pilates help me regain my shape after childbirth?
Absolutely. Pilates can gently support core and pelvic floor recovery, improve posture, and help you reconnect with your body after birth. Our Postpartum Healing bundle offers expert-guided movement and care to help you heal in a way that feels compassionate and restorative.
Do I need a special instructor for prenatal Pilates?
While it’s not required, it’s strongly recommended. At The Lifted Lotus, our Pilates instructor Mariela Dorado is specially trained in Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise. Her background and personal experience with pelvic floor therapy uniquely positions her to provide care that’s empathetic, safe, and effective.
