A svelte pregnant woman of our aquaintance was recently boasting about how swell she was feeling in her seventh month - swell in an unswollen sort of way. Lithe and flexible she is, whisking her rings on and off her fingers with nary a sign of the water retention she remembers from earlier pregnancies.
Her secret? Drop-in aqua-therapy classes given by physiotherapist Mary O'Driscoll at the Sisters of Charity Centre for the Visually Impaired, opposite Merrion Gates in Dublin 4. She has been going two or three times a week during her pregnancy, in addition to doing pilates and attending a yoga class in Holles Street, and is justifiably smug and delighted with herself. Drinking lots of water has been another boon, she says, along with having one of those large pilates Swiss balls at home, which she uses as a chair while watching telly.
She is now something of an apostle for aqua-therapy, and when you speak to Mary O'Driscoll you understand why: she is a beacon of calm and good sense. Just don't overdo it, she warns, and try to find classes run by a qualified physiotherpist.
One last must-have. In addition to the Bella-Band mentioned here, she also recommends the Belly Bra, a magic support top that you can check out on the website www.bumpto3.com.
Mary O'Driscoll's classes are on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 7-8pm and on Saturday mornings from 9-10am and 10-11am. €20 per class. Book on 01-2695314. Patsey Murphy