The pilates sequence designed for mums and their little ones to share at home

Like many mums, BodyMindLife Online Educator and Pilates Teacher Aneta Bachanova has found that Pilates is a daily must as she navigates life with her baby son Levi.

Because she he believes that new mums can have the best of both worlds – spending time with their newborns whilst moving their bodies, Aneta has developed an at home sequence that is focussed on strengthening glutes, a must to help support new mums’ lower backs and posture.

You can see her easy to follow sequence below PLUS an exclusive offer for Bounty Parents readers.

Mums and Bubs Pilates class designed BodyMindLife Online Educator and Pilates Teacher, Aneta Bachanova

Focus: Glutes, Thighs & Legs
Level: Beginner to intermediate
Equipment: None (just your Bub)

Being a new mum, doesn’t mean you have to give up exercise. As a new mum myself, I have learnt how to make my Pilates practice malleable to having a little human in my life. Pilates is great for new mums as it strengthens and tones the muscles we have lost during pregnancy.

What to do with your Bub

Begin by having you bub lying down in front of you. You can even put them onto you with a carrier to make the exercises a little bit harder. Using them as a prop and lift to add weight to your exercise and keep them engaged.

The warm up

INHALE through the nose, directing the breath into the sides of the ribs.
EXHALE through the mouth, closing the rib cage down and in. Repeat five times.

Remember your breathing throughout all our exercises

Seated spine stretch flexion to extension – round your back (ribs pulling towards your back), return to neutral spine and then extend your spine, open your chest towards the sky.

Spine twist – sit nice and tall on your sit bones and rotate your chest side to side.

Side bend stretch – lift one arm up, opposite arm on a ground and reach up and over to one side.

LUNGES SEQUENCE each set 12-15 repetitions

Lunges 90/90
Left leg
Starting position: Step left leg forward (knee over your ankle) and keep right leg straight, shoulders over your hips Motion: Dip down your back knee to tap the floor and go back up

Lunges Tip forward
Left leg
Starting position: left leg forward and both legs straight, shoulders over hips
Motion: Front leg bends and upper body tips forward, keep shoulders over your hips, then return to starting position Keep your back leg straight and active.

Lunges + rotation with upper body
Left leg
Starting position: front leg bent and upper body tips forward, back leg straight
Motion: hands behind your head, twist with upper body to left and then to right, keep pelvis stable, rotate side to side
Hold lunge position and pulse front leg down and up

Repeat all lunges with right leg

Glutes and mid glute

Clams
Left leg
Starting position: Lying on your left side, arm outstretched in alignment with your body. Bend your hips approximately 45 degrees in front of you and knees bent to approximately 90 degrees. Keep your hips and shoulders stacked on top of each other.
Motion:

• Heels together toes apart: top leg open + close
• Add 2 pulses with top leg
• Hold 12 seconds
• External + Medial rotation – tap knee to knee and flex foot, tap toe to toe with point foot – 20sec
• Top leg straight in medial rotation (toe down turn from your hip socket) circles your leg 5 circles forward 5 circles backwards
• Keep leg in medial rotation and sweep leg forward – lower and lift Lower

Repeat sequence with right leg

Donkey kicks
Right leg
Starting position: Position your forearms on the mat, elbows underneath your shoulders and place your knees under your hips. MOTION: Keep your right knee bent at 90 degrees and flex the foot as you lift the knee until it is level with the hip. Lower the knee without touching the floor and repeat the lift.

1. Donkey kick foot flexed
2. Donkey kick add 2 pulses with feet flexed
3. Donkey kick pulses foot pointed
4. Extend your leg and lower leg down and up
5. Leg straight hold up and finish with pulses

Change sides and repeat donkey kicks for left leg

Back exercises

Lying prone

1. Breaststroke starting position: Lying on stomach, pelvis and spine neutral. Legs straight and together. Elbows bent, hands by shoulders.
2. Lift your low belly up toward your spine. Reach from the tips of your toes through the top of your head so that you feel like you’re straight as an arrow.
3. Reach arms forward, then circle arms towards hips and find neutral spine and reach arms forward
4. Add an extension – lift upper body up reach arms forward then sweep arms toward hips and extend your spine, bent elbows and find neutral spine

The cool down

Inverted V (down dog)
Starting position: hands on mat middle finger pointing forward, lift hips up and lower heels down and stretch

Cobra
Starting position: Lie facedown on the mat with your palms flat by the sides of your ribcage and the balls of your feet pressing into the floor. MOTION: Lift upper body up and press into your hands, imagining that you are pulling the floor toward your toes as you press your chest forward and raise it off the floor.

Rotation stretch
Starting position: sit on your sit bones nice and tall MOTION: lift both arms up and twist to right side, left hand on a top of the right knee, Change sides and repeat

Side bend stretch
Starting position: sit tall on your sit bones, MOTION: lift one arm up and stretch to one side. Change sides and repeat

Pilates Breathing
Close eyes
INHALE through the nose, directing the breath into the sides of the ribs (expanding the ribs 3 dimensionally)
EXHALE through the mouth, closing the rib cage down and in

BodyMindLife is offering Bounty Parents readers a discount code that gives you access to a 7 day free trial + 30% off first-month membership. The code is ANEBACHV