Pregnancy and Postpartum Therapy

    Women will experience many changes in their bodies during pregnancy, such as weight gain and change in the body’s center of gravity. Nearly 60% pregnant women will suffer from low back pain, sciatica, and sacral iliac joint pain. Proper exercise can help with the health of both mothers and their babies during pregnancy, help ease the labor process, and promote postpartum recovery.

    In addition to exercise, manual therapy can help to relax the fascia, and help improve the pain and discomfort caused by changes in the body during pregnancy. 

    Most pregnant women can exercise, but the most suitable exercise may be different for each woman and different throughout each stage of pregnancy. Before exercising, an obstetrician and gynecologist must conduct an evaluation and assess the exercises that are most suitable. A few basic exercises and methods to measure suitability are listed below. 

Let us first look at some of the benefits of exercise training for pregnant women:

• Improve lower limb peripheral edema 
• Prevent excessive weight gain
• Reduce risk of pregnancy-induced diabetes
• Prevent preeclampsia 
• Maintain good placental health
• Reduce lower back pain during pregnancy 
• Reduce risk of premature birth
• Reduce possibility of caesarean section (C-section)
• Prevent low-birth weight 
• Reduce postpartum recovery time 

What exercises can you choose from? 

    Pregnant woman who have already established a regular habit of exercise can maintain their original routine but with reduced intensity. For pregnant woman who are new to exercise or who did not exercise regularly before pregnancy, starting with the one of the following exercises at the lowest intensity is a great way to gradually ease into the habit of exercise.

    The iBalance team specializes in the following: pregnancy group yoga, one-on-one Pilates, and fascia release treatment for pain relief. After an evaluation by a physical therapist, the most suitable one-on-one exercise class can be prescribed to help improve your body and health during pregnancy and after childbirth.