Bend and stretch... reach for the stars...

For a few months now, Naomi has been going to a pilates class that has been specifically designed for pregnant women. The Fit to Deliver program has been designed by physiotherapists, to use aspects of pilates in a way that's safe during pregnancy. So far, Nai reckons it's a winner. Months ago, when we did the training sessions organised by the hospital, the first of the these was on Fitness and Health and it mentioned the program by name. Dr Lionel, too, has given it the big thumbs-up. I suppose time will tell, but it seems to be really helping with the general aches and pains that pregnancy can give you. As well as working on core stability (the basis of pilates), it also works on strengthening and toning everything Nai's gonna need to help the BB out into the world.

As the weeks have gone by, when Naomi has attended the sessions she is getting closer to being the 'most pregnant' there, although they do claim that women have come to sessions in their early stages of labour. It is as much about focus as it is physical activity, so in a way that is probably not terribly surprising. And the focus, deep breathing and relaxation principles that it espouses also neatly mesh in with the HypnoBirthing techniques, so it's all good really. And being physiotherapy in nature, we can also claim in on our health-insurance, which is a bonus (but then... makes sense really!)

As well as these sessions which she, and her friend Tania, attend (yes... Tania has been drinking that water too, and is due around a month or so after us) they also have DVDs so you can go through things in the comfort of your own home. So the photo is of the lovely Naomi, on her purple yoga mat in our lounge, in the last stages of the DVD. At present, Nai is managing this around 2-3 times per week.