Every Day is Mother’s Day at Mind the Mat
When I found out I was pregnant in May of 2014, the first people I told, after my husband, were my Pilates instructors at Mind the Mat. That may sound insane, but as a Pilates addict, who attends daily classes, it made perfect sense to me.
Being an older first time mom, I worried about every possible complication and probably would have quit all forms of exercise had it not been for my instructors at Mind the Mat.
I started weekly Prenatal Pilates classes around month four. I knew I was in good hands with Megan Brown, who is a skilled Doctor of Physical Therapy. Megan didn’t go easy on us, but I felt completely safe knowing that every move was specifically designed to help prepare my body for labor, delivery and recovery.
It was a wonderful experience to be surrounded by women going through exactly the same thing at various points in their pregnancies. Megan was supportive, knowledgeable, and made everything fun and exciting. I felt strong and in control of my body throughout my pregnancy.
I can truly say Prenatal Pilates not only made my pregnancy easier, but following an emergency C-section, I was up, out of bed, and walking within hours. My nurses were pretty surprised. Mid-surgery, my doctor even commented on my strong abdominal muscles. My husband still doesn’t let me live down the fact that I was talking with the doctor about Pilates during our daughter’s birth!
When my daughter was six weeks old we returned to Mind the Mat for Mommy and Me Postpartum Pilates. It was a lifesaver. Again, Megan didn’t go easy on us just because we had a baby in our arms. I felt worked over after every class, and Megan modified the moves for each of us depending on the circumstances of our delivery.
Class was the one place I could go where my baby could cry and nobody batted an eye; we were all new moms just trying to get an hour of exercise in. I tried to keep my daughter from crawling (Mommy and Me is just for mom and babies before crawling) as long as I could so I could keep getting that hour in every week!
At Mind the Mat there is so much care and attention to each mom and her specific needs. I am so grateful to have Mind the Mat instructors as my Pilates gurus. They are truly inspirational and helped me stick with exercising at a time where it would have been very easy to quit.
If you are expecting a child or just welcomed one into the world, I can’t recommend enough that you check out Mind the Mat’s prenatal and post pregnancy classes. Or, if you have a special mom in your life, give her the gift of Mind the Mat classes.
Here are some other great offerings for moms coming up. Restorative Yoga Postpartum with Suzie Farnick, designed to give moms a break from their busy lives and be nurtured. Get dad involved and go to one of Sara VanderGoot’s popular and amazing Prenatal Partners Massage. On May 12 is the first Mommies Gone Wild, a night out for moms with Sara VanderGoot, Megan Brown, Laura Schwartz, and Deb Jackson. It starts with a fun belly dancing class, followed by a Moroccan themed dinner at Stomping Ground. Or book a prenatal or postpartum massage with Sara VanderGoot by emailing sara@mindthemat.com. Sara also attends births, so let her know if you are interested in having her at yours.
