If you have recently found out you’re pregnant or are planning on becoming pregnant, you may be asking yourself or your healthcare provider if it is safe to pole while pregnant, and the answer is YES, it generally is!
There are loads of studies that highlight the benefits of staying active during pregnancy and most of the time doctors and midwives will tell you to keep exercising for as long as possible throughout your pregnancy.
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However it does depend on the individual, and listening to your healthcare providers is vital. If you have a low-risk pregnancy, were already doing pole before you fell pregnant, and have been told by your antenatal care team that it is safe for you to exercise, then it is very likely that you can continue enjoying pole!
As a general rule, if you have the all clear to keep poling, you should be fine to continue at the level you are already at before pregnancy as long as you are making adaptations where necessary. This is not the time to be trying pole for the first time ever and not the time to start again after a long break. Attempting to learn difficult tricks is not recommended and it is also advised not to do any stretching where the goal is to increase flexibility. (This is due to hormonal changes that relax your ligaments to the point where you can experience joint instability and pain.) And finally, it’s recommended to avoid very dynamic moves such as drops, flips, fonjis etc.
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There are a number of contraindications to pole dancing while pregnant. If you have any of the below conditions you should stop pole dancing immediately and ask your health care provider to give you some safe exercises to do instead:
- You’ve never done pole fitness before or you have had more than 6 months off
- Incompetent cervix
- Placenta previa
- Pre-eclampsia
- Pregnancy-induced high blood pressure
- Multiple gestation with risk factors for preterm labour
- Severe anaemia
- Vaginal bleeding
- Amniotic fluid leakage
The most important thing is to listen to your body and your healthcare professionals. We highly recommend consulting with a women’s health physiotherapist early in your pregnancy to support you in your journey and help keep you (and your growing bub) pole dancing happily!
Want to pole with confidence during your pregnancy? We can help! Check out our online course Pole Mamas: The Ultimate Course for Pregnancy, Postpartum and Pole.
