Interested in deepening your understanding of postnatal Pilates? We offer a dedicated workshop designed to support instructors working with postnatal clients. Learn more about the Postnatal Pilates Workshop.

Returning to Pilates after childbirth is a journey, not a destination, filled with unique considerations, challenges, emotions, and personal wins. As Pilates instructors, we have the privilege of guiding new mothers through this transformative period, helping them reconnect with their bodies and regain strength in a safe and supportive environment. This blog post offers a guide on how to consider, adapt, and support a client as they return to Pilates after pregnancy.

Understanding the Postnatal Experience

Every woman’s postpartum experience is different, shaped by personal circumstances, birth experiences, and prior fitness levels. It is crucial to approach each client with empathy, patience, and an open mind. Here are four considerations when working with postnatal clients:

1. Medical Clearance

Before any postpartum Pilates session begins, confirm that your client has been cleared by their doctor to resume exercise. Pilates professionals are not qualified to make this decision, and it’s important to follow the doctor’s recommendation. This ensures the client is safely able to resume or begin their Pilates journey.

2. Know Your Client’s Background

Understanding where your client is coming from helps you individualize your approach in a session. Are they returning to Pilates after years of practice, or stepping into the studio for the first time?

Long-Time Pilates Client: They may have established their powerhouse connections and body awareness, but pregnancy and childbirth bring significant changes. These clients often need to reestablish movement patterns and rebuild strength, especially in the pelvic floor and abdominals.

First-Time Practitioner: For those new to Pilates, focusing on fundamentals is essential. Many may not yet understand how to properly engage the abdominals, stabilize the pelvis, or move with control. This approach is no different than working with any new client.

3. Current Activity Level

Understanding what type of movement your client has engaged in since giving birth provides valuable insight into their physical readiness. Helpful questions include:

• Are you taking walks? After a vaginal birth, this is often recommended by doctors as an initial form of movement.
• Are you lifting and carrying? Clients with other children may already be managing heavier loads.
• Have you done any pelvic floor exercises? This may be as simple as basic pelvic floor contractions.

This information helps you assess their starting point and develop a supportive strategy for returning to Pilates.

4. Birth Experience and Any Injuries

Every birth story is unique, whether vaginal or cesarean. Asking about injuries, physical trauma, or lingering pain helps identify precautions needed in sessions. This should always align with medical clearance and any contraindications provided by a healthcare professional.

Adaptations for a Safe Return

As clients re-enter their Pilates practice, thoughtful adaptation is key. Below are foundational considerations:

1. Begin with the Beginner System

For the first session back, refer to the Beginner System. This allows clients to reset their practice in a safe environment, emphasizing centering and stabilization, which are core principles of Pilates.

2. Focus on Abdominal Strengthening

Pregnancy places significant demand on the abdominals, making gentle strengthening essential. Begin with breath work to reconnect to the core and reinforce pelvic alignment.

3. Neutral Pelvis Positioning

Many women experience an exaggerated anterior pelvic tilt during pregnancy. Guiding clients toward a neutral pelvis provides a stable foundation for movement and strength development.

4. Introduce More Spinal Movements

Spinal Mobility: Incorporate lateral flexion and rotation, such as Mermaid and Spine Twist, to counteract prolonged forward flexion from pregnancy and infant care.

Spinal Extension: Begin with extension exercises like Swan Prep. Mothers often spend extended periods in flexion while nursing or holding their baby, and extension helps restore posture and balance.

5. Progress at Their Pace

Every client’s journey is different. As confidence and strength improve, gradually introduce more intermediate work. Encourage open communication about how they feel physically and emotionally. Listening to a client’s fears is important, but addressing them should remain within the instructor’s scope of practice.

Be Present With Your Client

Supporting postnatal clients goes beyond physical exercise. Holding space for emotional and mental well-being is just as important.

1. Sensitivity to Individual Journeys

Each postpartum experience is different. Some clients may have had smooth deliveries, while others faced complications. Creating a space where clients feel seen and heard is essential.

2. Building a Supportive Environment

The postpartum body requires time to heal. Doctors typically recommend waiting at least six weeks before returning to exercise to allow for uterine involution and pelvic floor recovery. Hormonal changes can affect joint stability and muscle flexibility, increasing injury risk if movement progresses too quickly.

3. Conversation Around Expectations

Open communication about goals, expectations, and mental well-being is key. Sleep deprivation, mental load, and limited personal time can impact consistency. For many mothers, Pilates becomes a dedicated hour to reconnect with themselves.

4. Encouragement Over Results

Shift the focus from results to progress. Celebrate small wins and remind clients that consistency and patience matter. Motherhood is not linear, and resilience grows through the process.

5. Create a Sense of Community

Pilates can foster connection among mothers with shared experiences. Encouraging conversation, when appropriate, helps build camaraderie and support. It truly takes a village, and that village can begin in the studio.

Empowering Mothers Through Movement

Returning to Pilates after childbirth requires both physical healing and emotional resilience. As instructors, we have the opportunity to guide mothers through this powerful transition.

By honoring individual experiences and adapting your approach, you create a space for reconnection, strength, and confidence. Post-pregnancy Pilates is not just about physical outcomes. It is about empowerment. When mothers leave a session feeling stronger, more connected, and supported, they step back into motherhood with renewed confidence and resilience.