Absolutely. General exercise like Pilates is highly recommended throughout pregnancy - it helps get you ready for birth and supports your postpartum recovery too.

And even if you'd never done Pilates before you fell pregnant, now's a great time to start. There are loads of benefits for both you and baby, including:

Lower risk of gestational diabetes:
Movement reduces blood glucose levels - exercise prompts your muscle cells to take up more glucose, and makes them more sensitive to insulin, so they keep taking up glucose even after you've finished moving.

Less back and pelvic pain:
Regular exercise like Pilates helps prevent joint stiffness and muscle tightness, and improves circulation by strengthening and stretching the muscles and ligaments of your back and pelvis.

A mood boost:
The endorphins released when you move are wonderful for mental health. Evidence links physical activity during pregnancy with better mood, less stress and anxiety, and a lower risk of postnatal depression.

Decreased risk of pre-eclampsia:
This is a complication marked by high blood pressure that usually shows up around 20 weeks. Evidence suggests exercising early in your pregnancy can reduce the risk by up to 43%.

Heart health:
People who move for at least 30 minutes a day, three times a week tend to have lower heart rates during pregnancy. Their babies also show better heart rate variability - a sign of stronger cardiovascular health right from the start.

Better sleep:
Regular movement is well known to improve sleep, which in turn does lovely things for your mood and pain tolerance.

More energy:
Exercise plays a real role in lifting energy levels - especially handy for keeping pregnancy fatigue at bay.

Easier labour and recovery:
Every birth is different, but there's growing evidence that fitter bodies tend to have easier labours - thanks to things like improved flexibility, strength and endurance.

The physical activity guidelines during pregnancy stay the same as for everyone else. Aim for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise spread across the week - ideally on most days - plus 2 to 3 strength sessions.

Of course, that can be easier said than done, and a lot depends on how you're feeling as your pregnancy progresses. Listen to your body, move with your mood, and do what feels good on the day.

If you're new to Align and to Pilates in general, we recommend starting with our Essentials classes, or a Semi-Private or Private lesson.

All our classes are open level, and once you've done your Pregnancy Private before 16 weeks, your teacher will offer you all the options you need throughout class to support your practice.

As set out in the Physical Activity Guidelines, the warning signs to stop exercising and seek medical attention include:

• Chest pain
• Unexplained shortness of breath
• Dizziness, feeling faint, or headache
• Muscle weakness
• Calf pain, swelling or redness
• Sudden swelling of the ankles, hands or face
• Vaginal bleeding or amniotic fluid loss
• Decreased fetal movement
• Uterine contractions, or pain in the lower back, pelvic area or abdomen (which can be a sign of pre-term labour)

If you experience any of the above, please stop and let your teacher know.

Depending on the stage of your pregnancy, and your individual preferences there are some things to be mindful of while doing any kind of exercise while pregnant.

Throughout pregnancy:
Limit your risk of contact and/or collision - like ball sports and water sports.

Limit your risk of falling. Activities that require high levels of balance, coordination and agility - like getting up on a ladder, horseback riding, and off-road cycling.

Limit significant changes in pressure - like sky diving and scuba diving.

Super heavy lifting

Limit exposure to high temperatures - like sauna, stream rooms, hot Pilates/Yoga

Second + third trimester:
As the uterus grows, the weight of the uterus may obstruct venous return (rate of blood flow back to the heart). Therefore, pregnant people in the second and third trimesters should avoid performing exercises laying on their back for prolonged periods of time.

At this stage of your pregnancy, your teacher will offer you alternatives to lying on your back and support with the pregnancy wedge.

Always listen to your body and let your teacher know if something doesn’t feel good for you on the day so they can offer an alternative.