Ab Exercises During Pregnancy: How to Keep Your Core Strong Safely
Wondering if ab exercises are safe during pregnancy? The short answer is yes—core work is beneficial, as long as you avoid certain things that can increase risk. Here’s what you need to know to keep your core strong and supported as your belly grows.
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If you’ve been exercising throughout your pregnancy and your bump is growing, you’re probably wondering what’s okay when it comes to ab exercises during pregnancy. Can you do core work while pregnant?
The short answer is yes! Core work is great during pregnancy…as long as you avoid a few specific things.
Let’s dive deeper so you can exercise with confidence and keep your core strong.
Why Core Work Can Be a Concern
First up, let’s go over the potential risks of doing ab exercises the way you always have while pregnant, especially in the third trimester when your bump is biggest.
Diastasis Recti
The most common issue that can arise from improper core work during pregnancy is diastasis recti (die-uh-STAY-sis REC-tie), or abdominal separation.
Many women experience some degree of abdominal separation after pregnancy, even if they did everything “right” while pregnant. Your body has to accommodate a growing baby and uterus, so it’s normal for those connective tissues to get a little stretched out.
For most women, simple breathing and core exercises can heal that gap.
Doing some ab exercises while pregnant, especially late in pregnancy, can exacerbate the issue and lead to a wider gap after pregnancy.
RELATED >> What is Diastasis Recti? (and What You Can Do To Avoid It)
Injury
Because of loose ligaments and a new center of gravity, some exercises can increase your risk of injury while pregnant. Carefully controlling movement and being mindful of the strain you put on your body can help you avoid this issue.
Now let’s talk about a few specific questions that women commonly ask about ab exercises during pregnancy.
Can I Do Sit-ups While Pregnant?
Short answer: Once your baby bump is really showing, no, you shouldn’t do sit-ups.
Long answer: Sit-ups (and crunches) require your core to do all the work of pulling your upper body up off the ground. The pressure is centralized right over the widest part of your growing belly.
This kind of movement—including sitting straight up when getting out of bed—is one of the fastest ways to exacerbate diastasis recti, widening your gap and necessitating more recovery time and effort.
In the early stages of pregnancy, doing sit-ups shouldn’t cause any issues, unless your doctor has specifically directed you not to do them. As your belly grows, though, avoid any exercise or movement that puts that much direct pressure on your abs.
Can I Plank While Pregnant?
Short answer: Yes, most women can safely plank while pregnant, with modifications as their bellies grow.
Long answer: Like sit-ups, at the beginning of pregnancy (before you start to show) you can do planks just like you’ve always done them. Again, the possible issue arises as your belly gets bigger and there’s more pressure on your abs.
If you want to continue doing planks to strengthen that core, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Be mindful of how it feels in your body. (This is always a good practice, whether you’re pregnant or not.) Challenge is good; pain is bad. If you feel any pain—or even if something just feels off—modify or stop doing planks altogether.
- Watch for bulging or coning. During pregnancy (or after, if you have diastasis recti), some movements may cause your belly to take on a doming or coning shape, where it looks more like a mountain than a rolling hill. If you notice this bulging shape, that’s a good sign you need to pull back and modify.
How to Modify Planks for Late Pregnancy
If you want to keep doing planks but need to modify, try these variations:
- Kneeling plank: Keep the same shape, with your belly down, but support yourself on the fleshy part of your knees instead of your feet.
- Side plank: If it feels safe for you, try side planks, with your weight on one forearm, perpendicular to your body. You can try this in the fullest expression, with your weight on the sides of your feet or you can lower your bottom knee to the ground (perpendicular to your body) for a more supported option.
- Elevated plank: Alternatively, you can remove some pressure from your core while planking by using a chair or other waist-high surface to put your hands on, instead of the floor. The steeper angle takes some of the work off your abs.
Ab Exercises to Avoid During Pregnancy
In addition to avoiding sit-ups late in pregnancy, here are a few other core moves to leave for after your little one has arrived:
First, avoid twisting movements, like Russian twists. The twisting, especially when leveraged with dumbbells or your body weight, can cause sudden stretching in your abs, worsening diastasis recti.
Closed twists, like Lord of the Fishes pose, may also squeeze your belly, restricting oxygen and blood flow to your baby.
Second, avoid heavy weightlifting unless you are experienced and have proper support. While using dumbbells and doing strength workouts can be safe and beneficial during pregnancy, high-weight exercises, especially unpracticed, may lead to injury, especially since your joints are looser during pregnancy.
Good Ab Exercises for Pregnancy
If you’re wanting to err on the side of caution or want a broader range of safe options for core work during pregnancy, here are some good options:
- Side, Kneeling, or Elevated Planks
- One-leg Leg Lifts
- 360 Core Breathing
- Pelvic Tilts
- Bird Dogs
- Glute Bridges (your glutes are part of your core, too!)
- Seated Lean Back (like a supported Boat Pose)
A Few Reminders
Before you go, I want to remind you of a few important things.
First, if you have any questions about your specific circumstances or any new exercise routine, talk with your midwife or OB. They can give you specific direction for your body and your situation.
Second, be mindful of how long you lie down. You’ve probably heard that lying on your back while pregnant isn’t safe. Well, it’s more nuanced than that. There is a blood vessel in your back that can be restricted if you lie on it for long periods of time with a big pregnant belly.
But for short periods of time, lying on your back is okay. The thing is, your body knows how to tell you it’s not getting the blood flow it needs—you’ll get lightheaded. If you feel faint, simply change positions (slowly) and get off your back.
Conclusion: Don’t Stop Moving!
While pregnancy can bring challenges that can make exercising hard, don’t stop! Modify if you need to and take breaks, but keep moving your body. Core work and ab exercises (as we’ve discussed) are not only safe but also beneficial for you during pregnancy—and they’ll likely make recovery easier!
So keep on keeping on. Listen to your body, consult with your provider when you need to, and stay strong, Mama.
Until next time,
Allison
READ MORE:
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