Prenatal & Postnatal Pilates in Sofia
Pregnancy changes your body in profound ways - your posture, your pelvic alignment, your breath, your sense of self. The right movement practice during and after pregnancy supports these changes rather than working against them.
At The Black Swan Pilates in Sofia, prenatal and postnatal clients are supported by a BASI-certified prenatal instructor and a qualified kinesiotherapist - two complementary qualifications that together cover both the movement and the clinical side of what pregnancy does to the body.
The BASI approach to pregnancy - in Ashley Ritchie's words
Ashley Ritchie, who created the Pilates Through Pregnancy and Beyond course for BASI and has presented it around the world, describes what Pilates gives the pregnant mother:
"The physical benefits of practicing with a Pre and Postnatally Certified Pilates instructor while pregnant are endless. Maintaining a balanced, healthy pelvic floor throughout the pregnancy helps avoid postnatal complications. 64% of mothers suffer from incontinence post birth due to lack of awareness and inadequate training during pregnancy and post-birth. The pelvic floor muscles play an important role throughout our lives - not only during pregnancy. Just like any other muscle group, they need strength and flexibility. Find that balance!" - Ashley Ritchie, BASI Principal Faculty
On hormonal changes and the whole-body approach:
"Hormonal changes that take place during pregnancy also affect the spine and pelvic alignment. Maintaining physical strength and working the body as a whole will result in a healthier, happier, calmer mother who is able to cope with the changes, and life in general." - Ashley Ritchie, BASI Principal Faculty
And on what Pilates offers beyond the physical:
"The greatest gift you can give yourself is time to be with yourself and to honor the sacredness of life within and without. Practicing Pilates will calm the mind and soul and benefit the body too." - Ashley Ritchie, BASI Principal Faculty
The BASI Pilates Through Pregnancy and Beyond programme, created by Ashley Ritchie, covers exactly what each stage of pregnancy requires:
Prenatal foundation
- Anatomy of pregnancy and the pregnancy cycle
- Pelvic floor anatomy, function, and training
- Breathing techniques specific to pregnancy
- Hormonal changes and how they affect a training programme
First trimester
- Common discomforts and conditions of concern
- Exercise recommendations and what to approach with caution
- Modifications and assists for mat and equipment work
Second trimester
- Progression of exercise recommendations as the body changes
- Repertoire adaptations using the full BASI apparatus - Reformer, Cadillac, Wunda Chair
Third trimester
- Further modifications as the pregnancy advances
- Preparation for labour through movement and breath
Labour and postnatal
- The birthing process and its physical implications
- Exercise considerations post natural birth and post c-section
- Hormonal changes after birth and during breastfeeding
- Diastasis Recti - identification and corrective exercise
- Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction and Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction with adapted BASI repertoire
- Postnatal return to strength and fitness
Our instructors
Teaching in English and Bulgarian.
Васи
Vassi holds a BASI Pilates Comprehensive Teacher Training certificate (Izmir, 2024-2026) and a Pilates Through Pregnancy and Beyond certification created by Ashley Ritchie, BASI Principal Faculty (Istanbul, 2025). She works with clients from the first trimester through postnatal recovery, adapting every session to where you are right now.
Теодора
Teodora is a qualified kinesiotherapist (National Sports Academy Vasil Levski, Sofia, 2023). Her clinical training gives her a precise understanding of how pregnancy changes the spine, pelvis, and postural muscles - and how intelligent movement keeps them strong and pain-free throughout.