Safe Butt Exercises to Do During Pregnancy to Stay Fit

Pregnancy can come with a laundry list of restrictions — exercise isn't one of them. In fact, the more active you are during pregnancy, the easier it will be to manage labor and adjust to changes in your body. What's more, it may help you get back in shape after the birth. Pregnant people can keep up daily physical activity, as long as it's not too strenuous.

To evaluate whether exercise is too demanding, the UK's National Health Service recommends asking yourself if you're able to carry on a conversation while working out. If you become breathless while speaking, the workout is probably too demanding.

If you choose to exercise during pregnancy, there are a few tips to keep in mind, such as staying hydrated, warming up before exercising and cooling down afterward, and avoiding difficult exercise in hot weather.

Also, be aware that as your body releases the hormone, relaxin, your joints will loosen, so be careful about putting too much strain on your knees or hips. The same rules apply to working out specific parts of your body, including the glutes. There are a few effective butt exercises you can do while pregnant.

If you plan to do butt workouts while pregnant, you'll want to try hip extensions, which work both the buttocks, lower back muscles and your entire core. This is the gentlest of the exercises.

1. Make sure you're standing 12 to 18 inches from a table or chair, with your feet a touch apart.
   
2. Bend forward at the hips at a 45 degree angle. Hold onto the chair or table for balance.
   
3. While in this position, lift your leg straight behind you. Don't bend your knee, point your toes or bend your upper body any farther forward. Hold the position for one second.
   
4. Take three seconds to lower the leg back down.
   
5. Repeat the exercise with the opposite leg. Alternate legs until you've repeated the exercise 15 times on each side.

If you're looking for physical activity that doubles as a pregnancy leg workout and glute warmup, you can try curtsy lunges.

1. Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart, hands on your hips.
   
2. Next, while keeping your weight on your left foot, take a large step back, your right leg crossing behind your left leg.
3. Drop your right knee toward the floor, while keeping your back straight. Try to have both knees at a right angle.
4. Keeping your core strong, push back to your start position and repeat on the opposite side.
   
5. Aim to do 10 curtsies on each leg before resting for 30 seconds and repeating.

Squats are the triple threat of lower-body pregnancy workouts. They will work the glutes, hamstrings and thighs. Just be sure to avoid doing squats that are uncomfortable, and make sure your stance isn't too wide.

1. Stand straight with feet about hip-width apart and toes a little turned out.
2. Push your buttocks back and down into a squat. Make sure your weight is in your heels, your knees are in line with your toes and you can see your toes in front of your knees.
3. Keep your upper body straight, your core strong and your shoulders back and relaxed.
   
4. To come back up to standing position, push down through your heels, pull up through the pelvis and use your gluteus muscles.
   
5. Repeat 10 times and rest for 30 seconds between sets.