[.ca] Melinda Bryan: Pilates for Pregnancy

similar to other pilates videos:
Regarding the instructor's having you lie on your back for most of the video: You will NOT like this workout if you feel strongly that this is dangerous (I don't, since all of our mothers and ancestors did that before the blood flow issues were "known")... However, even if you don't mind that, you may feel you've wasted your money since it is almost identical to NON-prenancy pilates DVDs. If you already own some, you might just alter the workouts on your doctor's advice to make sense for you and your belly (which she doesn't even really do). One of my biggest complaints about this video (besides the waste of money) is that she sometimes has you sit up just to lie back down again. A pet peeve to be sure, but gets me riled up every time! Bottom line: if you don't have any other pilates videos, and you aren't a perfectionist about her style, voice, mistakes, etc., AND you use common sense to adjust her moves to your body, you will probably tone your core (tummy and back) with this video.

Waste of money and time for now:
Like another reviewer, I had to double check to make sure that this is for pregnancy and not postpartum. I got tired of waiting for me to get to exercises that I could do--ones that weren't lying on your back. She gave modifications, but those, too, were lying flat, and she kept saying that only in your 3rd trimester you shouldn't do something, when you shouldn't be flat on your back from the 2nd trimester on. She even had a special exercise for women in the 3 trimester to do--LYING ON THEIR BACKS! I am very disappointed, and will have to hold on to this until after the baby is born--it is basically useless until then.

Unsafe and Awful!:
This is one of the worst exercise videos/dvd's I have ever used. The instructor is completely flat in personality. They show her advanced in pregnancy, so you think you could do the video the entire pregnancy, but in reality, she is very early in her pregnancy and barely showing. All of the moves should only be done in the first trimester. Practically all of the moves are done flat on the back, which is unsafe! Save your money!

Not all that bad:
I had the opposite experience from a number of other reviewers - the Method's Prenatal Yoga made me nauseated every time I tried it (and I haven't had all that much trouble with morning sickness in general). This one, on the other hand, energized and strengthened me. There are a number of back exercises, true. I didn't have trouble with them, but I can see how others might. I am nearly 8 months and have combined this with a brisk waddle a few times a week to keep fit. Of course, always follow the advice of your doctors.

DO NOT BUY THIS DVD!:
This dvd is very bad for mothers in the 2nd or 3rd trimester. Lying on your back puts all the weight of the uterus and baby on your lower spine. This video begins by not only asking you to lie on your back, but it asks you to lift your pelvis at the same time (adding insult to injury). The first set of exercises had me in so much pain, that I had to shut it off. I turned it off and put on The Method prenatal yoga video, which causes me to feel BETTER, NOT WORSE!! Finally, abdominal crunches are not safe during pregnancy. This video asks you to do those as well. Stay away!!