The Surprising Reason This Supermodel Traded In Her HIIT Routine For Pilates

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Model Emily DiDonato Started A Pilates Routine — Because It Helps With Labor

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September 18, 2024

Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Director

By Alexandra Engler

Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Director

Alexandra Engler is the senior beauty and lifestyle director at mindbodygreen and host of the beauty podcast Clean Beauty School. Previously, she’s held beauty roles at Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, SELF, and Cosmopolitan; her byline has appeared in Esquire, Sports Illustrated, and Allure.com.

Image by Flamingo Images / Stocksy

September 18, 2024

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For many women, pregnancy brings about lifestyle changes. All of a sudden, diets shift toward satisfying cravings and keeping upset at bay. Skin care routines change toward more baby-safe formulas. And for many, they prioritize rest and relaxation when they can. 

Well for Emily DiDonato—supermodel, entrepreneur, content creator, and mom—it meant tweaking her fitness routine, too. 

But as she went along in her pregnancy, she started a newfound Pilates routine. (Oh, and if you want to listen in, check out her episode recap here.) 

The real reason this model started doing Pilates

A study published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth found that regular mild to moderate Pilates during pregnancy helped improve the birthing experience for participants. 

The study found that practicing during pregnancy significantly reduced the pain intensity and length of the labor (specifically during the active and secondary phase)—and overall just increased maternal satisfaction of the entire process.

The study authors noted that a larger sample size would be needed to confirm the findings but pretty optimistic findings from the onset. 

“Otherwise I don’t know if I’d do it—since I like more high-intensity workouts—but anything for a smooth labor, I guess,” she jokes. 

The takeaway

As this website has espoused before, Pilates comes with many benefits (read up here!), and now we can add easier labor to the list. Pregnant people, take note.

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