I tried lots of sports and relaxation during pregnancy, and this, a little depending on my state: pilates, swimming, walking, prenatal yoga and most recently the prenatal singing. Finally, weight gain is reasonable and most importantly, my body has kept good flexibility without major pain. Far from being a coach, I preferred interviewed an expert, herself pregnant and thirties.

First part of article: Laurence Berger-da Silva, educator and multi-sport athletic trainer at home Ownsport, has answers to my questions and gives us all the advice necessary to keep the - beautiful - shape during those nine months!

End of the article: I give you all the addresses where I went to move during my pregnancy

What are the different sports that you recommend and which you advise against throughout a pregnancy?

I recommend moderate exercise and listen to your body know when you are tired and follow signs for professionals!

Imperative, the client must follow the medical advice of your doctor, do not cons-indications for a sporting activity (a medical certificate. Some people may have a high risk pregnancy!

A few highly recommended sports:

- The gentle exercise, it allows better maintenance and general maintenance. Of course, avoid prolonged exertion, avoid lifting heavy weights or not aerobics too violent for the muscles and ligaments.

-Pilates, you can practice in the early weeks of pregnancy. The benefits are numerous: an awareness of her body of her breathing, control of his emotions and gain serenity and posture harmonious. Facilitates pregnancy and childbirth

- Stretching or yoga, very good for breathing and muscle oxygenation, prevents cramps and keeps ligaments flexible and fight against stress.

- Swimming, aqua-gym is the ideal sport for a pregnant woman because the water door and makes it lighter. For this reason, the preparation for delivery in the spa pool is growing as more and more.

- Walking is highly recommended since walk at least 30 minutes a day promotes oxygen delivery to the baby and keeps out the carbon dioxide.

In addition, walking is excellent for improving circulation, it avoids the heavy legs, constipation, and the state of stress! It is a good way to invigorate and soothe. Muscles work with little effort. In the mountains, not to exceed 1000 to 2000m, because beyond the oxygen becomes scarce. Now the baby is a major consumer of oxygen!

Finally, we can do some cycling in early pregnancy because it is good for the heart tones it. But it will stop when we will be less agile to prevent falls!

Above all, I highly recommend the course of preparation for pregnancy by a midwife group or individual.

Sports to avoid:

During pregnancy, NO to all sports at risk of falls and shocks, beatings and shocks. All these sports manhandle the uterus and causes shortness of breath. Attention to endurance or increase the temperature too high.

For all these reasons, avoid team games, skating, horseback riding, skiing downhill or bottom, water skiing, climbing, skating, air sports, combat sports, athletics, race ...

Caution:

Strenuous efforts to promote uterine contraction. Before three months, the embryo is still poorly secured attention to miscarriages! From this perspective it is not the time to travel or relocate attention to overwork! Do not competition because it can lead to careless movements and force the expenditure of too much energy!

You are trainer for Ownsport in Paris: how are you accompanying pregnant women during pregnancy (evaluation of objectives and health problems, such activities possible, duration, benefits)?

^1st contact: a phone call to introduce myself and to know the client. I briefly explain my work as a coach and I agree to the appointment of a discovery session.

Assessment form and request a medical certificate: height, weight, age, measurements of moderate exertion tests according to the stage of pregnancy. I asked him some questions about his objectives and his health problems (weight control, back problems, flexibility, general maintenance, work of breathing, water retention problem, ...)

A program tailored and scalable according to the stage of pregnancy based on their objectives and their health, I established a specific program from the gymnastics and Pilates. Especially important will be breathing a preparation for childbirth. I also advises them to do an activity in addition to swimming, walking or yoga.

Frequency of sessions 1-2 times per week during the first months of pregnancy. 45mn 15mn sessions and relaxation.

Benefits: The gym can correct posture over the months, thus relieving some pain and strengthens the body's core. It helps fight against cardiovascular problems, diabetes, cholesterol, water retention and obesity.

What body parts do you work in particular? How often?

Especially the back, pelvis, perineum

Council for comfort: It is better to pursue an activity in the morning as the pregnant woman is in better shape; more day advance no more the body gets heavier because of meals, water retention and hormonal surges due to the growing baby.

A typical session of coaching at home

Heating dynamics in music: walking on tiptoes, on heels, back and forth, some bending, rotation of the arms, shoulders, head. Activation of blood circulation thus warming the body.

Some stretching of the trunk and legs, work flexibility and balance with the help of a stick on ½ points, one foot. We must focus on breathing should always exhale during the effort. Knee flexion, hip rotation. Stretching facilitate flexible ligaments

Ground work: mobilization of the pelvis, or sitting position quadrupedic tilt the pelvis forward and back, it strengthens the abdominal muscles, helps reduce back problems.

Become aware of your perineum with a balloon for example crush the ball between the legs, knees, ankles. Good work will facilitate the delivery of the perineum.

The thighs and buttocks: lying on side to side scissors. Assemble the legs straight on the sides. For a better fit and beautiful forms.

For the back: Standing legs apart basin width: winding the spine towards the floor, this exercise strengthens the back muscles and allows greater flexibility chest.

The arms and shoulders in position quadrupedic imitate pumps, flat back, perineum activated, bending your elbows and lower the chest toward the floor. Then push on the arms to come and sit on your heels and pull the column by extending the arms forward. This exercise strengthens the lower abs, chest and back of thighs.

Stretching and relaxation after the session: make the cat, kneeling stretch, stretch the dorsal side, stretch the thighs, glutes, relax completely flat back, do the starfish and make 10 great inspirations and expirations.

What are the main expectations of the mothers?

• Weight control, better control of their body shape to avoid weight gain greater than 13-14 pounds.
• Avoid back problems
• Fortification of the abdomen,
• Increased resistance and resilience,
• Relaxation and energy (to feel good about her body and her head)
• Prevention of varicose veins and cramps by improving circulation
• Preventing pain by improving posture
• Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles for an easier delivery
• Breathing exercises and concentration to relieve stress and tension
• They expect more control over their bodies and their emotions

You also offer sessions at home. Handy when you do not want or can no longer move! What other benefits of this service for pregnant women?

All women want a course tailored to their demands and needs especially at this time of questions and changes they wish to be heard.

An individualized course home can relax at home, to confide share concerns related to pregnancy.

Do not stress because of the weather and transport! Saves time and money!

Do not feel alone with pregnancy or with the extra pounds.

What simple exercises can you give us to make at home on weekends? They vary depending on the stage of pregnancy?

Start from the first quarter would be the gymnastics the best prevention against low back pain, stiffness, poor posture but it's not always easy because most women experience nausea. The first quarter is the most important because the baby is built !

Then the 2 ^nd quarter is an ideal time to attack an activity é because hormones are a little more stable, the woman is more euphoric and yet exhausted by the weight of bb.

Finally ⁱⁿ the 3rd quarter, the belly is bigger it prevents the practice of certain postures. More than ever it is imperative to complete the exercises in a ventilated room and quiet. To better oxygenation! It must warm up and rest between exercises. Less time doing the exercises, listen to his body because we tired quickly!

Some exercises to do at home:

Straighten the spine and the pelvic floor: Sitting, feet up, parallel, column straight, inhale and let your belly expand. Exhale length by tightening the pelvic floor (as if you take away the urge to urinate or have a bowel movement) for 3 seconds and relax for 5 seconds. Repeat this exercise once a day from 1 to 5 minutes

Tone the thighs and buttocks and perineum: Elongated, feet slightly apart and parallel, shoulders down and neck stretched, put a soft ball or cushion between your knees. Reassemble the pelvis and lower back by contracting your glutes on a breath, then slowly lower. Repeat this time by contracting the pelvic floor and tightening the ball.

Relieve the perineum: Elongated, a pillow under your head, lift the pelvis slightly and place a rolled towel under your buttocks so that the perineum is facing up. Close your eyes and savor this moment of relaxation

You can also use a large ball type Swissball to perform relaxation exercises sitting in a circular or elongated legs elevated on the ball.

When return to sport after childbirth?

It takes about 2.5 months. This time when we should make no effort is required after a vaginal delivery or caesarean section. We must intelligently resume sports, Pilates helps the body to gradually recover.

Imperative: do the tests and pelvic floor muscle training 6-8 weeks after childbirth before resuming physical activity. To avoid complications and urinary incontinence.

A word from the coach: everything went well during my pregnancy I continued my sports activity until postnatal leave! It made ​​me the most good and I did not take a lot of weight.

The delivery was a great sporting event you better be prepared especially for a first baby! But the result is a delight!

Laurence thank you for all of the above!

Addresses tested by Chris

Prenatal Yoga

A very nice studio, Be Yoga , opened in September 2010, and classes are especially motivated by a Canadian professor, English, Dorion Davis. I started the sessions at the 5th until the 8th month (because the course was stopped due to lack of participants!) And I'm really realized how much I needed to regain flexibility. The exercises are varied, sometimes much sweat and other plunged me into a relaxed state of near sleep. Practice, courts are to the card (25 euros per hour). Now place a phone call to make sure that the price will be maintained at least 2/3 months!

Be-Yoga, 17 Rue Campagne Premiere, Paris 75014
Metro Raspail
01 40 47 67 63

Pilates

I tested just before pilates yoga teacher with a friend at the center. I really had the feeling of exercising, so fresh and focused. But this activity appeared to me a little complicated, both in settlement of machinery and continuous monitoring of teacher postures, and not super fun either (no music, machines stuck together side by side, deco summary). We're really here to work ...

A-Lyne, 29, rue Notre Dame de Nazareth, 75003 Paris
Metros: Temple Republic, Arts & Metiers
09.54.11.91.38

Song pre-natal

One hour of wellness, where we sing but obviously as you move your body on a simple choreography. We're not there to pass an audition for New Star, which is very clear. After a warm body, you make vocalizations, we add movements that relax the body, singing a song in groups around a guitar and then we dance to go with a sacred potato! This singing lessons prenatal costs only € 12 the 1st meeting, on telephone registration anyway!

Stroller Coffee, 6 Rue Pierre Semard, 75009 Paris
Metro Poissonnière
01 78 10 49 00

Aqua-gym/natation

The falling water aerobics along with the yoga classes, so I put my jersey on Saturday morning to join the municipal pool. The advantage is that it is not expensive and in fact, this is a very easy to practice, almost to the end of pregnancy. Provide bathing cap and shoes to go to the basin, without slipping. I was afraid of mycoses but I was awfully surprised by many of cleanliness.

My friend has tested the course of the PAMA , offered in four pools instead of central Paris.

And you, did you practice sports during your pregnancy? What activities / places would you recommend?