Meet Stephanie
Founder.
Balanced Body Educator.
Director of Pre and Postnatal Education at EHS Pilates.
Over 25 years of experience
Stephanie Forster is the founder of Preggo Pilates, a Balanced Body Educator and Director of Pre and Postnatal Education at EHS Pilates in San Francisco. She brings over 25 years of experience as a Pilates practitioner, dancer, body worker, anatomy and yoga student to her teaching, which is infused with irreverence and humor.
Her first-hand knowledge of pregnancy, birth, Parenthood and deep connection to birthing professionals make her a natural at serving pre and postnatal women and birthing folks. Stephanie is passionate about working with people struggling with diastasis recti (split abdominals), prolapse and pelvic health issues.
She is a Balanced Body Educator and is on the EHS Pilates faculty team for their Balanced Body Pilates certification program. Additionally, Stephanie has also developed the Preggo Pilates teacher certification program for certified Pilates trainers wanting to learn how to effectively train and support pre and postnatal people.
When she's not teaching Pilates, Stephanie enjoys biking throughout San Francisco, swimming & dancing outdoors, hiking, reading long mystery novels, geeking out on the pelvic floor and spending time with her two teenage children, her partner, and their beloved menagerie of three cats and a dog.
Pilates is pretty damn magical
Pilates is grounded in functional exercise or said another way, movement of the body with proper muscle and joint function, and without pain or overexertion. Pilates is pretty damn magical and can serve you in childbirth, postpartum, everyday life, or even running a marathon (if that’s your thing).
Building upon 25+ years of instructing Pilates and working with pregnant and postpartum parents, I bring a unique whole body and mind approach to every session that helps you build more joy and trust in your own body. Our sessions teach you to strengthen, stretch, connect and guide your body to a place where you intuitively move with the most ease, the least amount of aches and pains, and can trust your body to be there for you.
Transform your body and your mind
I’m continually amazed by the results, physically and mentally, when we take the time to be present in our bodies. Many people aren’t just showing up for a Pilates class — they’re uncoiling a long history of self-doubt and body shaming. Connecting to our physical selves teaches us to trust our bodies, and then our whole selves.
Preggo Pilates will expertly prepare you for childbirth and the postpartum period by making you physically stronger and linking you to your core and your breath (hello pelvic floor, didn’t even know I had one of those…). Mindset and body are intrinsically linked — transform your body and your mindset will follow.
Trust and love your body and yourself
Having a baby is arguably the biggest leap into the unknown those of us that choose parenthood will make in our lifetimes. Currently, in the United States, pregnancy, childbirth, and parenthood converge at the apex of a culture of fear and a culture of consumerism (you’ll harm your baby if you eat a slice of brie and you need a $3000 stroller… you get my drift).
Preggo Pilates will guide you to believe and trust your body’s strength and innate wisdom, lean into your vulnerability, and release stories about your body and yourself that no longer serve you.
When you feel strong, you can connect to your core when you need it and innately embody a posture that supports you whether you’re practicing Pilates or going about your daily life.
With Love,
Stephanie Forster, Founder
Getting back to exercise postpartum
You’ve given birth and you’re eager to get back to exercise. I like to remind people that it’s not about “bouncing back,” it’s about the journey forward. If you’ve never checked out a placenta, I highly recommend it. You actually grew an organ in your body…Wow! I believe it’s important to honor the incredible job your body has done by growing and giving birth to another human.
And it’s important to build back better — there’s no going back to where you were, there is only transforming into the future even stronger, more resilient, and more joyful than before.
