Exercise for pregnancy
Keeping fit and healthy during pregnancy can be difficult but two Cairns women believe water is paramount. While drinking water is essential, mother of five Raham Elsousi and Tobruk Memorial Pool aquatic services co-ordinator Rachel Pugh have teamed up to offer the city’s only aquatic natal classes. If you’re pregnant and interested, check out all the benefits and get moving
TWO women are working towards keeping pregnant ladies and new mothers healthy and happy with their aquatic natal classes.
The weekly classes at Tobruk Memorial Pool are run by instructor and mother of five Raham Elsousi, who said it was safer for women to exercise in the water, especially when they were further along in their pregnancy.
She has a degree in physical education and sports science and has been teaching aqua natal for more than 19 years.
Her classes focus on working the core, pelvic floor, back, upper body and also shoulders.
“I also work with the women on how to relax as well as focus on a lot of stretching in the water as well,” she said.
Ms Elsousi said she took aqua natal classes from her first pregnancy and said the classes also helped pregnant women sleep at night.
“The ladies have a lot of fun. They meet each other and get a lot of support from each other as well,” she said.
Ms Elsousi said she also worked with women post pregnancy as well and helped them with an exercise regimen.
Tobruk Memorial Pool aquatic services co-ordinator Rachel Pugh said the classes promoted the women to feel weightless in the water.
“The classes really hone in to the muscles that they use for birth and after birth,” she said.
Ms Pugh had noticed there were no aquatic natal classes for women in Cairns. She and Ms Elsousi joined forces to make them a reality with the classes running since late May.
“It’s also a great social community hub for them to meet other women in the same position as well,” she said.
“We offer the classes in the warm water pool in winter, and in summer we have cooler pool temperatures to make them feel refreshed.”
Classes are held from 5.30pm to 6.30pm every Wednesday.
WE OFFER THE CLASSES IN THE WARM WATER POOL IN WINTER AND IN SUMMER WE HAVE COOLER POOL TEMPERATURES TO MAKE THEM FEEL REFRESHED TOBRUK MEMORIAL POOL’S RACHEL PUGH