Pilates for Pregnancy & Establishing Healthy Habits for Kids

Our state of health depends greatly on our ability to care for ourselves.  Gaining the tools for self care begins in our youth.

As a parent, sibling, aunt or grandfather, we are mentors to the young people in our lives.  By making time in our own busy schedules to eat well, exercise wisely, appreciate nature, and practice stress management we become positive role models.  The number of adolescents who are overweight has tripled since 1980 (read more statistics on childhood obesity).  We have a responsibility, as health conscious adults, to pass on the love of feeling good and taking care of our health.  Perhaps we can reverse these frightening statistics through education and proactive, preventative healthcare. 

Doing all that you can for maintaining good health is a lifestyle choice. What do you eat?  How do you exercise?  When do you slow down?  What do you do daily to take care of yourself?  It can seem like a lot to take on, so let us start with the Mamas.  If Mama is happy, everybody is happy.

Pregnancy Pilates

Always during pregnancy, follow the guidance from your doctor, midwife, doula, or licensed professional. Presented here are general ideas and thoughts, but remember that you know your body well and you must follow your intuition and the trusted council of the professionals you are working with.

Pregnancy is a remarkable time in a woman’s life. Transformative, creative, remarkable and very taxing. Mamas go through the ringer to make babies. Maintaining a level of fitness and strength can help with the physical changes during pregnancy and especially in recovery post-partum. Walking, swimming, even running if you were doing that prior, yoga and Pilates are all excellent modalities for keeping the body moving during pregnancy. Pilates workouts during pregnancy may involve core-strengthening, side stretching and lengthening, leg and bottom toning, arm and upper back strengthening, and gentle stretching through the hips especially to keep the body strong but supple. The Pilates instructors at Clasique are trained to understand how to safely teach pregnant women, and how to help women recover and find strength after the baby is born.

Chinese Medicine for Infants & Toddlers

Yes, acupuncture for babies. Remember, Acupuncture is more than just needles. Chinese Medicine offers us a host of methods for preventing illness and treating disease. Acupuncture needles are not always necessary for treating infants and toddlers. Very effective methods for kids include acupressure, gua sha (gently scraping the skin), tui na (gentle massage), essential oil blends for application on acupuncture points on the skin, and Chinese herbal remedies designed only for kids (tasty tinctures).

Attention to the diet is especially important for treating infants and toddlers. As a baby develops, the digestive system is very slow to mature, therefore digestive issues are often the root of many childhood illness. Often it is as simple as adjusting the nursing mother's diet, and the child's diet to treat such illnesses like eczema, colic, constipation, diarhea, snotty nose, ear aches, and fussiness. Through counseling and treatment with a Licensed Acupuncturist on diet, lifestyle, massage, and herbs, many childhood illnesses quickly resolve.

Self Awareness & Pilates for Teenagers

Imagine if kids were educated toward greater personal awareness, accountability, and balance in their lives. Imagine if middle school or high school aged students were so tuned into their health that they chose to eat a good breakfast before their morning biology test, or they came home from a basketball game and stretched their tight muscles to prevent an injury in tomorrow’s practice. How incredible would it be if students had the tools and skills to manage their stress and anxiety over grades, honors exams, peer pressure, or fears about social acceptance?

Through guidance and wellness education, young students can learn what it means to live well and be healthy, inside and out. It requires being attentive, and perhaps beginning to encourage "wellness accountability" at a very early age. Imagine how much teenagers would benefit from a quiet moment in nature, without cell phones or iPods, just to be outside and be reminded that they are part of something greater, like the Blue Ridge Mountains. One place to begin is by encouraging kids to stay physical in a mindful way. Most yoga and Pilates classes encourage young people to attend. Practice stillness or meditation to encourage a connectivity between mind and body. (Read about the benefits of yoga for teens from specialist Christy Brock).

Pilates for teenagers is incredibly empowering. At the core of Pilates is work on the posture. How we hold ourselves, our posture, and how we move through the world, with physical awareness and strength, are major components of self-esteem. Helping young people strengthen where they are weak and stretch where they are tight encourages a sense of physical empowerment that translates into a stronger sense of self. Pilates not only helps improve confidence and align posture, but it helps kids develop a safe, functional strength that will enhance performance in all other sports and activities. The unique combination of stretch and strength in a Pilates workout benefits kids involved in all varieties of activities from basketball, swimming, horse riding, dance, soccer, martial arts and more.