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Abdominal Training
Keep Your Core Toned during Pregnancy
By Kelly Burgess
It would be wonderful if right after giving birth our abdominal muscles would just spring back to the way they looked before pregnancy. Unfortunately, many women are shocked at how flabby and stretched out the abdomen is even a few weeks after the birth.
The good news is abdominal muscles will get back to normal eventually. In addition, exercising them during pregnancy is not an exercise in futility, but may actually help you get a head start on getting you back into shape and into your pre-pregnancy jeans.
"It is a misconception that you can't tone the abdominal muscles throughout pregnancy," says Braud. "These muscles lengthen and stretch during pregnancy, but it's an excellent idea to strengthen them to stabilize the body. This core stabilization of the abdominal, back and pelvic floor muscles that make up the torso can offset some of the common problems during pregnancy, like back pain, and can help with balance. Finally, these muscles can assist in the pushing phase of labor."
There are additional benefits to keeping toned throughout pregnancy. Tracy Washington, an exercise physiologist at the exclusive Canyon Ranch Spa in Tucson, Ariz., says abdominal exercises help maintain muscle tone, strength and proper posture.
"Exercise during pregnancy is good for you, both physically and emotionally," says Washington. "It can keep you more comfortable during pregnancy and help you during labor. It can even help your baby be healthy."
Before starting or continuing any exercise program when you're pregnant, it's important to get your doctor's approval. Because women often don't see their doctors until they're close to three months along, give him or her a call if you have a positive pregnancy test and get verbal approval even if you're not going in right away. Generally, in the first trimester most abdominal and core exercises are fine to do. After that, back lying exercises should be avoided.
If you were doing ab work before your pregnancy, you can continue during pregnancy, merely modifying them as your shape changes. If you haven't had a routine, or if you're no longer comfortable with your old routine, here are a few "must do's" that Washington recommends for her pregnant clients. These can be done throughout the pregnancy and shortly afterward to maintain muscle tone.