Pregnant Kim takes her bump to Pilates classes
(...and she’s in same sponsored kit as Andy)
WHILE her husband Andy Murray is sweating it out in the blazing Melbourne heat, heavily pregnant Kim Sears is keen to maintain her own exercise regime.
But with only a few weeks to go before their first child is due, she has opted for the gentler activity of regular Pilates.
The 28-year-old looked relaxed as she visited a studio near their Surrey home for a pre-natal class, free of make-up and with her hair up in a ponytail.
Meanwhile, world number two Murray, also 28, has been hard at work in his quest to finally triumph at the Australian Open after losing in the final four times.
The Dunblane star has made it clear, however, that he will put supporting his wife over his tennis and would fly back during the tournament if she goes into premature labour.
Perhaps showing how they are in each other’s thoughts despite being thousands of miles apart, Kim went to her Pilates class in Under Armour gym gear – the brand that sponsors her husband.
Kim, whose due date is mid- February, normally joins Murray in Australia for the Open but this year is likely to be watching from their six-bedroom Surrey mansion, along with their border terriers Maggie May and Rusty.
It is thought she currently attends Pilates classes twice a week, and the regular exercise has kept her looking toned and healthy.
Gail Johnson, head of education at the Royal College of Midwives, supported the exercise regime she is following. ‘If the woman is fit and well there is no reason why she shouldn’t keep doing exercise like Pilates right up until their due date, as long as they listen to their bodies and don’t overdo it, and they stay hydrated and don’t get too hot,’ she said.
‘Pregnancy hormones can soften the ligaments so there is an increased risk of overstretching. That can cause pain, such as if the woman stretched up tall and pulled a muscle in her back.
‘Doing Pilates and yoga can make women more f l exible, which can mean they are more active during labour, which is good. That can shorten the labour process.’
‘Keeps you flexible’