Being pregnant does not mean you have to stop working out your abs and stomach. You merely need to accommodate your stomach exercises to your new physical condition. Consult your physician to make sure your new routine will not affect your pregnancy. According to the Sutter Health Hospitals website, you should also check to make sure the pregnancy has not separated your abdominal muscles before working out.
Benefits
Exercising the abdominal muscles while pregnant has numerous benefits. According to the website Pilates Pro, strengthening these muscles can help support the growing uterus as well as help to release pressure on the pelvis that comes with the additional weight of the baby. Abdominal exercise during pregnancy leads in most cases to a decrease in lower back pain, an increase in mobility, an easier time delivering the baby and a shorter recovery period after giving birth.
Risks
Of course, the changes to your abdominal region during pregnancy mean that working out this area can carry some risks. The most common risk is stretching your abdomen further than the pregnancy requires, which may lead to umbilical hernia if your abdomen is not able to close after delivery. Another risk, according to the website Abs Exercise Advice, is that some abdominal exercises can put unwanted pressure on a blood vessel known as the inferior vena cava.
Precautions
The main precaution to take before a stomach workout session during pregnancy is to check for abdominal separation, also known as diastasis recti. This normally occurs 20 weeks or so into a pregnancy. The check can be done on your back, with your head raised off the floor so your abdomen is taut. If your abdomen has developed a soft region wider than 2 of your fingers, diastasis recti has occurred and you should avoid stretching your abdominal muscles. Another precaution is to avoid any abdominal exercises that involve lying on your back after the fourth month of pregnancy, to avoid putting pressure on your already strained blood vessels.
Types of Exercises
Some stomach exercises are particularly beneficial to pregnant women. One of these is the transversus contraction, which can be performed seated or on all fours. This exercise, which involves pulling your belly button toward your spine, helps to stabilize your spine and pelvis as well as maintaining abdominal tone throughout the pregnancy. Another exercise that tones your stomach and strengthens your pelvis is the pelvic tilt. This exercise, best performed with your back against a wall, asks you to imagine that your hips are a soup bowl and to tip this bowl backward toward the wall, while tightening your abdominal muscles.
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