Short answer - there are better exercises for Women during pregnancy and it is unlikely that you will feel comfortable doing sit ups. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work your abdominals during pregnancy!
You may hold the assumption that abdominal exercises are not safe to perform during pregnancy. This notion is completely untrue. Rather, some exercises are not suitable and some are. In fact, some abdominal exercises and pelvic floor exercises are extremely beneficial to do during pregnancy.
During pregnancy, for obvious reasons, your belly needs to make room for bub to grow! We all have connective tissue called the linea alba that connects our six pack muscles together. During Pregnancy, the linea alba will stretch or thin out, causing what is known as an abdominal separation. This isn’t anything to be afraid of and is a normal part of pregnancy. In fact, by 37 weeks, all pregnant Women will have an ab separation. However, as your linea alba stretches, it is important not to put added or unnecessary pressure on your abdominal wall.
How do you know if you have an abdominal separation?
You will notice a ‘doming’ or ‘coning’ look when you sit up or lie down in bed or when sitting up to reach for something e.g launching forward from the couch to reach for a remote in front of you. Side note: To avoid this coning effect, when lying down, simply lie on your side first and then roll onto your back. When sitting up, lie onto your side first and then use your arms to push yourself up.
Similar to sitting up and lying back in bed, sit ups can produce this coning effect which is why it is NOT an ideal exercise to do during pregnancy. Along with plank holds, they can exacerbate any abdominal separation. They will also likely feel very uncomfortable for you.
In saying that, there are a number of great abdominal and pelvic floor exercises that you can do instead!
Instead of sit ups and planks consider;
Learning how to diaphragmatically breathe
Learn how to engage (& release) your pelvic floor correctly
Learn how to combine breathing exercises with pelvic floor and core engagement. E.g when to engage and when to release during a breath.
Perform pelvic floor exercises and pregnancy safe abdominal exercises. A pre & post natal Pilates specialist can guide you through these. Exercises such as the bird dog, foot lifts, knee hovers and side leg lowers are great alternatives.
If you are unsure about which exercises and safe and not safe during pregnancy, I highly recommend exercising under the guidance of a pre & post natal fitness specialist. You can search in your local area for a pre & post natal specific PT, Pilates or Yoga studio. If you are local to Camp Hill, Brisbane, see our Camp Hill pre natal classes here and you can book any of our pilates classes here or to access our pregnancy safe online workouts, check out our Duo Online Platform
To speak with one of our instructors about Prenatal Pilates in Camp Hill, Brisbane, contact us here
PILATES INSTRUCTOR BIO
Passion and purpose is her driving force, the visionary and driver behind the Duo wheel. A Registered Nurse, Doula-in-training and Cancerian. Nurturer at the core. Knowledgeable, personable and empowering, Alex comes with a wealth of experience & a proactive approach to health.
