Centred Mums Pilates and Wellbeing

A quick question for the Pilates teachers on here.

When a client tells you they're pregnant, what's the first thing that runs through your mind?

For me (early on in my teaching days), it was something like: 'What exercises do I need to remove? What's safe? What if I get this wrong?'

And underneath all of that, really wishing that I had more certainty than I did.

I am pretty sure I'm not alone in that feeling of wanting to do the best for my client. Pilates teachers are caring, conscientious people. We take our responsibility seriously. Which is exactly why uncertainty around teaching during pregnancy feels so uncomfortable.

Tell me in the comments - what goes through your mind first? Is it about the exercises? The contraindications? The liability? The trimester differences?

No judgement here. Would love to hear as I am creating some teacher trainings around pregnancy and want them to be exactly what you need!

Just for fun, let’s share 3 things about us that aren’t common knowledge. I’ll go first:

I married my best friends brother! I met Chris when I was twenty two and we lived together in Cologne while performing in the Queen musical We Will Rock You. Three years later, he introduced me to his brother, we hit it off…and the rest is history! A wedding, three homes, two kids and a dog and my bestie is now my brother in law.

I set up my first postnatal class with another teacher as we were both too nervous to go it alone!

I wear a hearing aid in my right ear (as of a couple of months ago!). I started losing my hearing in my twenties due to a condition called otosclerosis, had an operation in one ear and now am trying out a hearing aid before probably having the operation again at some point.

So… that’s a little more of me.

👀 Controversial post 👀

Not all “Pilates” is the same — especially if you’re recovering from injury.

If your GP or physio has recommended Pilates, this matters.

Reformer classes are everywhere right now. And while reformer Pilates can be brilliant, the reformer itself is just ONE piece of the Pilates method.

Here’s what most people don’t realise:

A weekend-trained reformer instructor is not the same as a comprehensively trained Pilates teacher.

If you’re dealing with:
✔️ Postnatal recovery

✔️Chronic pain
✔️ Injury recovery
✔️ Post-surgical rehab
✔️ Movement issues
✔️ Health conditions

You need someone who understands how bodies work — not just how to lead a great workout.

Now I am not dissing the reformer (isn’t the one in my studio gorgeous?!), and I’m not even dissing people who teach reformer classes. Some of them are properly trained and that’s how they choose to teach anyway BUT….

Before booking, ask:
→ What training have you completed?
→ Do you teach the full Pilates system?
→ Do you work with rehab clients?
→ Can you modify for injury or pain?

Your body deserves more than a trend.

✨ Pilates done properly can be life-changing.

On Wednesday 22nd July, Centred Mums and Growing Mums St Albans are hosting this lovely event for new mums and their babes.

This unique offering for your physical and emotional well being combines three elements:

💪 Gentle Movement Class

A calm, guided session focused on postnatal-friendly movement— not exercise but movement you can fit into your day - gently rebuilding strength, improving mobility, and supporting recovery. The class is suitable for all levels, with a strong emphasis on listening to your body rather than pushing limits.

🎙️ Informal Talk on Postnatal Exercise

A short, supportive discussion covering what to expect when returning to movement after birth. Topics include abdominal function and pelvic floor awareness, common concerns, and how to approach exercise safely and realistically. There’s space for questions so you can feel supported and guided in your return to exercise.

🤩 Q&A and social
To finish, we gather for some light refreshments (hopefully in the park if the weather allows!) —an opportunity to connect, share experiences, ask any burning questions about how to support your body best at this time and build community.

This event is for mums to attend with or without their babies / little ones, and the environment is designed to be flexible and judgment-free. Light refreshments will provided during the session and talk (included in your ticket price), but do bring your own picnic food so you can stay in Greenwood Park afterwards for a mingle and a chat!

We will be supported by Lucy from Your Nanny Friend to give a hand with babies so you can concentrate on exercise and a photographer will be on hand to capture beautiful images of you and your baby if you want them ❤️

There was a moment, not long after I qualified, when a client told me she was eight weeks pregnant.

I smiled. I said congratulations. And then — quietly, inwardly — I panicked.

I wasn't worried about her. I cared deeply about her. What I didn't have was a clear way of seeing what was happening in her body. What was changing. What that meant for how she should move.

So I did what a lot of us do. I modified conservatively. I avoided anything I wasn't sure about. I kept things vague and hoped that was enough.

It wasn't a lack of care. It was a lack of framework.

That moment sent me down a long road — into biomechanics, into physiology, into understanding pregnancy not just as a list of contraindications but as a profound physical process that movement can genuinely support.

I've spent years building that framework. And now I want to share it.

If any part of this sounds familiar, stay close. I'll be sharing a lot over the next few weeks.

“Just do your kegels.”

It’s probably the most common advice women hear when something doesn’t feel right with their pelvic floor.

Leaking?
Heaviness?
Post-baby recovery?

“Squeeze, lift, hold, repeat.”

But here’s the truth…

Kegels are not the whole answer.
And for some women, they’re not even the right place to start.

Because your pelvic floor doesn’t work on its own.

It’s part of a whole system — connected to your breath, your deep core, your posture, your hips, and the way you move every single day.

✨ Every breath you take
✨ Every step you walk
✨ Every time you lift your child

Your pelvic floor is involved.

So if something isn’t working well elsewhere —
shallow breathing, gripping through your tummy, poor pressure management —
then a few squeezes a day won’t fix the bigger picture.

It’s like trying to fix one instrument in an orchestra… while the rest are out of tune.

And here’s something else that’s often missed:

A healthy pelvic floor doesn’t just need to strengthen.

It needs to:
– Relax
– Lengthen
– Respond
– Switch on and off when needed

Some pelvic floors are actually overworking, tense, or fatigued — and more squeezing can make things worse.

That’s why “just do kegels” can be such incomplete advice.

Because not every body needs the same thing.

Some women need strength.
Some need coordination.
Some need better breathing.
Most need a combination.

So if you’ve been doing kegels and nothing’s changing…

Please hear this 🤍

You haven’t failed.

You’ve just been given an incomplete solution.

If you’re ready to understand what your body actually needs and start feeling stronger, more supported, and more confident again — I’m here to help 💛

So many mums I work with feel stuck in their bodies.

Frustrated.
Unsure what’s safe anymore.
Holding back because something doesn’t feel quite right.

Maybe you recognise this?

– Your body doesn’t feel like your own
– Exercise feels confusing or uncomfortable
– You’re tired of pain, weakness, or heaviness
– You just want to feel strong again

Here’s the truth:

You don’t need to push harder.
You need the right support.

I’ve helped hundreds of mums improve their abdominal and pelvic floor function — in a way that’s realistic, sustainable, and fits around real life.

No hours in the gym.
No overwhelm.
Just simple, effective guidance.

Right now:

✨ Limited spaces in my Friday morning classes
✨ Free 20-minute 1:1 calls available this week

If you want to understand what your body needs and how to move forward with confidence, this is your place to start.

DM me “121” or head to the link in bio 💛

Feel like you should be doing more exercise…
but don’t know where to start? 🤍

Core work.
Pelvic floor.
“Getting back into shape.”

It can feel like… a lot.

This is your reminder:

It doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective.

When you’re busy, tired, and looking after everyone else —
exercise can quickly become overwhelming.

So let’s make it simple.

✨ Pick ONE exercise
✨ Do it once a day
✨ Less than 2 minutes

That’s it.

One small, consistent action can be enough to help your body feel stronger, more supported, and more like yours again 🤍

The magic isn’t in doing everything.

It’s in doing one thing consistently.

If everything feels a bit much right now…

Start here.

💛 Choose one
💛 Do it today

And save this for when you need a http://reset.It ’s so easy to overthink exercise — especially as a mum.

Which one will you start with?

We all put on a brave face sometimes but so many of the women I work with are carrying something heavy.

A diagnosis.
A relationship shift.
Overwhelm that never quite lifts.

And often — they’re doing it while raising children, showing up, holding everything together.

I see you 🤍

I also know how easy it is to put yourself at the bottom of the list… especially in hard seasons.

But support matters.

Self-care doesn’t have to be complicated:

Going to bed earlier.
Asking for help.
Moving your body.
Talking honestly to someone who understands.

You don’t have to do it alone.

If you’re looking for support right now:
✨ I have 2 spaces for 1:1 therapeutic coaching this term
✨ A few spots in my Monday & Friday morning classes
✨ And I’m always happy to signpost trusted local counsellors like @‌englemantherapy

This could be your reminder to take one small step towards being supported 💛

DM me or visit the link in bio to find out more.

If your body still doesn’t feel like your own… you’re not alone 🤍

I want you to meet Laura.

Not long ago, she was dealing with:
– An achy lower back
– Ongoing abdominal separation (even 5 years after having her baby)
– A feeling of heaviness during exercise

She started to wonder if she should stop altogether.

But instead of giving up, she learned how to properly support her body.

Through improving her core function and reconnecting with her abdominals, everything shifted.

✨ She kept doing the bootcamp she loved
✨ She built strength safely
✨ She felt confident in her body again

Here’s what she said:

“I wasn’t sure it would work… but the results have been amazing. I feel better physically and mentally, and I understand my body so much more.”

This is what happens when you stop guessing and start working with your body instead of against it.

If this sounds like you, change is possible 💛