What does a pre and post-natal trainer do?
A pre and post-natal trainer holds a specific qualification to train women during pregnancy and in the months after giving birth. It is not a reason to stop training, but it is a reason to train differently, and this is the trainer who knows how.
What it means
Pregnancy and the postnatal period change what your body needs from exercise. The wrong programme can make a diastasis worse, ignore the pelvic floor, or load a body that is still recovering. A qualified pre and post-natal trainer adjusts for all of that.
Crucially, a good one works with your stage and your sign-off from a GP or midwife, and refers you on when something is outside their scope. They coach within the lines, which is exactly what you want at this point.
What a pre and post-natal trainer can do for you
- Adapt training safely through each trimester
- Rebuild core and pelvic floor strength after birth, properly
- Help you return to exercise at a sensible pace, not a rushed one
- Watch for things like diastasis recti and adjust the plan around them
- Keep you strong and confident through a big physical change
Who should look for a pre and post-natal trainer
- You are pregnant and want to keep training safely
- You have had a baby and want to return to exercise the right way
- You tried to get back into it and something did not feel right
Common questions
When can I start training after giving birth?
Usually after your GP or midwife sign-off, around the six to eight week check, and later after a caesarean. A good post-natal trainer will ask about this before starting you. FASTER is a directory, not a medical authority.
Do I need a special trainer when pregnant?
You need one qualified for it. Pregnancy changes what is appropriate, and a pre and post-natal qualification means the trainer has studied exactly that.
Find a pre and post-natal trainer near you
Every trainer on the register is FASTER-qualified, with insurance and first aid verified.
Search the register