Lara, a veteran Momentum client and student of Cathy Ferrara, attributes her diligent Pre-and Post-Natal Pilates studies to making Oliver’s entrance into the world a “whole lot easier!” (as Lara puts it). Oliver is Lara’s third child and she has worked consistently with Cathy Ferrara both pre-and post-births since baby #1. Since studying pilates, during her births, Lara has experienced very short labors. Her diastases have been almost non-existent, and she has also been able to easily slip back into her pre-pregnancy jeans only a few weeks after her deliveries.

Pre-and Post-Natal Pilates focuses on strengthening the deepest layer of abdominals, the transverse abdominis, which wraps around the body from back to front and works in conjunction with the pelvic floor muscles, giving great support for the postural changes that take place during pregnancy. By strengthening the transversus, it is also less likely to experience a diastasis during pregnancy (the separation of the two halves of the rectus or most superficial layer of abdominals that happens as the baby grows bigger). Moreover, it is also easier to bounce back post-partum since the strength of the deep abdominals and pelvic floor muscles have not been lost during pregnancy.

Read more about the benefits of Momentum’s Pre-and Post-Natal Pilates.