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# Is Reformer Pilates safe during pregnancy?
- URL: https://journal.pilatesproject.com/is-reformer-pilates-safe-during-pregnancy/
- Published: 2026-11-08T12:47:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-08T13:47:13.000Z
- Description: Love your Reformer and just found out you're expecting? Here's what the guidance says, how to adapt each trimester, and when to pause and call your provider.
- Author: Maghan Fittler
- Tags: Pregnancy and postpartum, #Import 2026-11-03 11:02

**The short answer**

For most uncomplicated pregnancies, staying active is encouraged, and modified Pilates, including Reformer work, can be part of that. The key words are "modified" and "cleared": check with your doctor or midwife first, and adapt your practice as your body changes.

## The short answer

If you already love Pilates, you don't have to give it up just because you're pregnant. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says that in the absence of obstetric or medical complications, physical activity in pregnancy is "safe and desirable," and it encourages care providers to help patients continue or start exercising. ACOG also notes that some changes to your usual routine may be needed as your body changes.

Every pregnancy is different, though. The right plan for you is the one you make with your doctor or midwife.

## What ACOG recommends

ACOG's guidance points to about **150 minutes of moderate activity a week**, spread across the week. That could be 30 minutes on five days, or shorter sessions more often. The UK's NHS gives the same 150-minute target and suggests that if you're new to exercise, you start with as little as 10 minutes a day and build up gently.

ACOG also lists conditions where exercise may not be safe, or needs a tailored plan. Talk to your provider before you start or continue if you have, or have been told you may have:

- Heart or lung disease
- A cervix that may open too early
- Preeclampsia or high blood pressure that isn't well controlled
- Placenta previa (especially later in pregnancy)
- Severe anemia
- Poorly controlled diabetes, or another ongoing health condition

This isn't a full list. If anything about your pregnancy has been flagged as higher risk, ask before you step on the carriage.

## What changes, trimester by trimester

Your body is doing a lot. Hormones, including relaxin, loosen your ligaments, your center of gravity shifts forward, and you warm up faster. Here's how that can show up on the Reformer.

| Trimester | What changes                                                                                                           | How to adapt on the Reformer                                                                                                                          |
| --------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| First     | Fatigue and nausea are common. You may not look pregnant, but your body is already changing.                           | Shorter sessions are fine. Keep a water bottle close, eat a little beforehand and stop if you feel faint or too warm.                                 |
| Second    | Your bump grows, balance shifts and ligaments feel looser. ACOG advises avoiding long periods lying flat on your back. | Raise the headrest or work on an incline. Swap long supine series for side-lying, seated and kneeling work. Keep your range comfortable, not maximal. |
| Third     | Balance is trickier, breathing feels shorter and getting up and down takes longer.                                     | Slow your transitions, use lighter springs and keep a hand on the frame when you move. Choose stable positions over balance challenges.               |

Throughout pregnancy, ACOG advises avoiding activities with a high risk of falling or of a blow to the belly, and it names hot yoga and hot Pilates among the things to skip. Avoid high heat and humidity, wear breathable clothes and keep sipping water.

## Reformer modifications that help

- **Headrest up, or an incline.** As your pregnancy progresses, avoid spending long stretches flat on your back. A raised headrest, a wedge or simply choosing other positions keeps you comfortable.
- **Side-lying, seated and kneeling work.** Side-lying footwork and leg series, seated arm work and kneeling arm series give you a full workout without lying flat.
- **Lighter springs.** You don't need to prove anything. Lighter springs mean more control and less strain on loosened joints.
- **Skip deep loaded flexion and heavy twisting.** Avoid crunch-style curls, the Hundred in a full curl-up, and strong loaded rotation. Think long spine and gentle movement instead.
- **Take your time on and off the carriage.** The carriage moves. Make sure it's still and the springs are set before you step on or off, and use the frame for support.

If you're new to Pilates, this isn't the time to teach yourself complex Reformer work. Look for a prenatal-specific class or a qualified instructor with prenatal experience who can watch your form.

## Pelvic floor and breath

Your pelvic floor carries more load as your baby grows. Pilates breathing can help you connect with it: inhale to let your ribs and belly widen and your pelvic floor soften, exhale to gently lift and draw in. Aim for a light lift, not a hard brace, and avoid holding your breath or bearing down while you work. If you notice leaking, heaviness or pressure in your pelvis, mention it to your provider. A pelvic floor physical therapist can be a great support.

## Stop and call your provider if

ACOG lists these warning signs. Stop exercising and contact your doctor or midwife if you have:

- Vaginal bleeding
- Regular, painful contractions
- Fluid leaking from your vagina
- Shortness of breath before you start exercising
- Dizziness
- A severe headache
- Chest pain
- Muscle weakness that affects your balance
- Calf pain or swelling

## Returning after your baby arrives

Be patient with yourself. Wait until your provider clears you to exercise, and know that the timing can look different after a cesarean or a complicated birth.

Many women have some separation of the abdominal muscles (diastasis recti) after pregnancy. Ask your provider or a pelvic floor physical therapist to check, and start with breath, pelvic floor connection and gentle core work before you return to heavier Reformer exercises or deep curls. Build back gradually.

Try a class like this

Open the [**Prenatal · Mat**](https://members.pilatesproject.com/programs/prenatal-mat?ref=journal.pilatesproject.com) or [**Prenatal · Reformer**](https://members.pilatesproject.com/programs/pre-post-natal?ref=journal.pilatesproject.com) collection in the Pilates Project app.

[Start free for 7 days](https://members.pilatesproject.com/?ref=journal.pilatesproject.com#pricing)

## Questions

Can I keep doing Reformer Pilates if I did it before I got pregnant?

Often, yes. ACOG says women who were active before pregnancy can generally continue with their provider's guidance. Expect to modify as you go, and check with your doctor or midwife first.

Is it safe to lie on my back on the Reformer?

ACOG advises avoiding long periods lying flat on your back as pregnancy progresses. Use the headrest or an incline, and choose side-lying, seated or kneeling work instead.

Can I start Reformer Pilates for the first time while pregnant?

Talk to your provider first. If you get the OK, choose a prenatal-specific class or a qualified instructor rather than learning on your own.

What should I avoid?

Deep loaded crunches, heavy twisting, heavy springs, hot Pilates and anything with a real risk of falling. Stop if anything hurts or feels off.

## Related reading

- [Mat Pilates with no equipment](https://journal.pilatesproject.com/mat-pilates-no-equipment-full-body-routine/)
- [How often should you do Reformer Pilates at home?](https://journal.pilatesproject.com/how-often-reformer-pilates-at-home/)

## Sources

- [Exercise During Pregnancy & Postpartum: Advice from Experts at ACOG (Lamaze International)](https://lamaze.org/Giving-Birth-with-Confidence/GBWC-Post/exercise-during-pregnancy-postpartum-advice-from-experts-at-acog?ref=journal.pilatesproject.com)
- [ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804: Physical Activity and Exercise During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period (abstract, OPQIC)](https://opqic.org/acog-committee-opinion-no-804-physical-activity-and-exercise-during-pregnancy-and-the-postpartum-period/?ref=journal.pilatesproject.com)
- [Exercise in pregnancy (NHS)](https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/exercise/?ref=journal.pilatesproject.com)
- [Pilates exercise in pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis (BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2025)](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13102-025-01067-9?ref=journal.pilatesproject.com)

*This article is general information, not medical advice. Always follow your own doctor's or midwife's guidance.*