Today I tried a new type of pregnancy exercise class – a pregnancy ballet class! Dance and music are generally good for the body and soul I believe, and despite not feeling very graceful in my 9-months pregnant body, I really wanted to finally try this class now that I have the time being on maternity leave.
I’d seen “Barre & Baby” pop up on my Instagram feed but as the class near me (classes are held in three different locations in London) is during day time I’d dismissed it until now. The class is designed for pregnant mums and new mums with baby – in my neighbourhood the two classes are combined (due to what I believe is lack of pregnant women able to take the day-time class).
For the past two years I have focused on fitness and strength training, particularly in HIIT form as it works the best with my schedule and limited free time. However, I do have a background in classical ballet and I’ve always felt that dance is the form of art I enjoy, not being a very creative person otherwise. Primarily I was simply trying to find baby-friendly exercise classes near me, but a dance class could be the perfect fit!
Worth to note for those interested in this class – no prior experience is required.
I paid 10£ for a taster class, which ended up being 1.5 hours long. I was the only pregnant woman while the other nine ladies came with their babies, including the teacher. The youngest baby was only 6-weeks old and her mum had just been cleared for exercise! Overall the set up seemed very baby friendly: enough space for prams, no rushing, spontaneous breastfeeding or nappy changing was encouraged, and the little ones seemed to really enjoy it!
We started with a gentle warm up on the floor including pelvic floor exercises, followed by “baby time” – singing and playing with baby. I spent this time doing similar stretches and mobility exercises to pregnancy yoga. After this we got up and babies were put into their slings and the ballet barres were pulled out. By the barre we did simple yet effective exercises such as plies, releves, tendus and jetes, with port des bras. I can only imagine how the extra weight from the baby in a sling adds to the challenge! Although in fairness, I’m currently carrying approximately the same extra weight in my front, haha! Having pushed the barres to the side, we attempted a little combination (babies still content in slings) which was the closest thing to dancing during the class.
I found the class good for improving mobility and core strength while enjoying the music. Considering that I’m used to pretty strict Vaganova-style classical ballet, this class was quite relaxed and jazzy but I had expected this and was not disappointed. Probably most importantly, it was interesting for me to see what you could do with your baby and I’m looking forward to coming back to this class after having mine! (Of course only after the six week period, assuming I’ll get cleared to start exercising then.)
With the approaching due date and all the physical and mental stress/discomfort that comes with it, I think a dance class (or yoga class, which I did yesterday) was a great way to get my mind of what’s ahead… Just having things to do and to look forward to while still pregnant help me cope with the wait. And let’s not forget the social aspect of actually leaving the house and meeting with women in the same life situation! At 38-weeks pregnant I could still have another four weeks to go if she ends up very late!
And finally, dance is a good way to embrace and love my pregnant body which may not be as nimble as it used to be, but is still beautiful and able – gracefulness comes from within!
Don’t be afraid to try new things even while pregnant! Listen to your body and go for it.
Happy mummy, happy baby!
xoxoxo,
Sini