Does anyone know of safe abdominal exercises to do during your second and third trimester?

Answer 1

Working your abs during pregnancy is safe as long as your rectus abdominus does not separate. You can check this by doing a sit-up half-way up and trying to stick your finger in the middle of your abs an inch or two below your belly button (this is hard to explain, but easy to do). If you can two fingers in, it's time to discontinue ab work - or at least use your hands to support the sides of your belly - check with your doctor, of course.
Given that, after your 4th month you shouldn't do any exercise in the supine position ( the extra weight could block the blood flow to the fetus). So to get around that, do your sit ups in a decline position. Using a bench with 2-3 blocks on one end and none on the other end then laying on it with your head at the high end accomplishes this very easily.

Answer 2

There are two I know that are accepted for second and third trimesters:

1. (called the Dromedary Droop in some places) - Get on your hands and knees on the floor. Start by relaxing your stomach muscles all the way and let your back droop. For each rep, pull your belly up towards your back with your abdominal muscles and round your back as much as you can. As you near the end of your pregnancy, you may not be able to round your back very much. Hold this position for a slow count of 5 before returning to the starting position. Aim for 10-15 reps and 1-3 sets.

The starting position is also recommended for laboring, as it relieves the pressure from your back, and it is frequently used by midwives to encourage a breech baby to flip into the proper position in the last few months.

2. Arm and leg raises - Sit on a stability ball with your feet about hip-width apart and firm on the floor and your hands either on your thighs or at your side. Slowly raise your right knee, raising your foot off the floor, and your left hand and balance for 5-10 seconds. Repeat with the left knee and the right hand. The muscles you use in stabilizing will strengthen both your abs and your back. Aim for 10-15 reps (each side that many times) and 2-3 sets.

If this is too difficult to balance, given your changing center of gravity, you can start with just arms or just legs, working towards doing both together, or start doing these sitting on the edge of a chair and work up to the stability ball. Don't push too hard or risk falling.

If you keep your ab excercises gentle and stay way from the back-laying crunches and sit-ups, you can exercise without hurting anything and encourage an easier recovery postpartum. If anything hurts or is very uncomfortable, stop and ask your doctor before trying it again.

Happy exercising!

Answer 3

Abdominal exercises are not safe during your 2nd and 3rd trimesters. Most women's abs separate in the middle during this time. Exercising them while they are separated (even soon after giving birth) can permanently damage them to the point that they will never go completely back together.

Answer 4

Try this! whether or walking, sitting, standing, or even using the restroom - hold in your stomach muscles, tighten up your "water works" - just concentrate - pull in your stomach muscles and hold for as long as you can. When in the "duty room", do the same exercise for "your urinary track" - be sure to empty the bladder totally when pregnant. Not doing so, is the main cause of "stress incontinence".. continue doing these exercises, after birth and especially the "duty room". You will never regret it. This one exercise could save you as you age,from serious female urinary problems. Remember this, it takes 9-months of your body working extremely hard to develop this wonderful human being you are bringing in to this world. It takes 9 mos to 1-year for the body to recover. Take care of yourself even more, after the baby is born.If this is your first, take ALL the help that is offered, you won't regret it.

Answer 5

absolutely none. Maybe some light stretching.

your ab muscles are not together, they stretch and pull apart during pregnancy, if you work them by exercising you will tear them and lead to serious complications, not to mention that the act of bearing down can induce preterm labor.

youre not even allowed to do sit ups until about 6 weeks after delivery, and even then they want you to be careful so you dont get a hernia.

Answer 6

I have been told not to do abnominal workouts after 4 months

Answer 7

The siting in a chair with straps weights behind you.

Answer 8

none