Ab work while pregnant

sugarangel77

I cant seem to get a strait answer on what I should and shouldn't do. I really think it would help to relieve my lower back pain uif i did more ab work. I used to do alot and now i only doing pilates 1/week!

tokenhoser

Do what feels right, first of all. If you feel pain, if you feel nausea, or if you feel lightheaded, stop. If you can feel your abs separating (test here), stop.

I'm still doing exercises on my back without issue. I'm still doing some crunches on the swiss ball, and lots of pelvic rocking and cat/cows. Bird dogs are good for core and lower back.  I also like yoga a lot - there's a free prenatal podcast here: https://www.yogadownload.com/Classes/ViewClasses/tabid/69/catid/20/ViewClasses.aspx

SFAug07

I did crunches on an exercise ball three to four times a week up to the day I gave birth. I had an amazingly easy delivery and recovery and didn't get the mommy pouch so many complain about.

JessJ222

SFAug07:

I did crunches on an exercise ball three to four times a week up to the day I gave birth. I had an amazingly easy delivery and recovery and didn't get the mommy pouch so many complain about.

I have been curious about this too.  What type of crunches did you do?  Just regular ones?

tokenhoser

Regular crunches on a ball are great. How could you really do anything else, balanced up there?

I really do feel the pelvic rocking, as well. Especially if I do it slowly and in time with my breath:

 

SFAug07

I did regular crunches and sideways crunches, with one arm down on a side of the ball.

suscq

My OB won't let me do ab exercises (but I had a c/s and I have fibroids) so I would at least ask the dr.

tallica55

i did all my regular ab work on my back for the 1st trimester.  Once I hit the 2nd, I made sure i was on an incline or the ball when i did crunches.  I pretty much did special pregnancy dvds to be sure that the ab work was ok for pregnancy.  I did the Denise Austin, Gabby Reece and Erin O'Brien dvds.  They were fine for pregnancy, on the easy side.  I was used to working out much harder than that.  I also did a lot of Zumba (with modifications) and that helped keep my weight down. 

steenie41

Its ok to do ab work while PG! I am still doing regular crunches, side crunches, bicycle crunches, planks. I do most of these flat on my back bc I am comfortable on my back... you have to listen to your body. There are still ab exercises that you can do if you have muscle separation, you just have to modify.

kmn3

Great to know!  I get scared I'm doing something I'm not supposed to do while during ab work