QuestionQUESTION: what type of exercise can you do for your abdominals during pregnancy?
ANSWER: How many weeks along are you? What is your fitness level?
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QUESTION: I am not pregnant yet, but I am trying to concieve. I would just like the info so I don't do something to hurt the baby in early pregnancy, but I wanna try to stay fit during pregnancy. Im not an athlete but not a couch potatoe. I get 45 min cardio atleast 4 days a week. I would say am somewhere in the middle.
AnswerStart learning some core exercises, either in a Pilates class, with DVD's or a private trainer. These types of exercises are very different than standard abdominal exercises like crunches and sit-ups.
With Pilates or other functional core systems, the deepest abdominal layer, your Transverse Abdominis (TvA), is strengthened and is trained to function as a spine and pelvis stabilizer. Not only do you learn how to correctly support your spine, but this muscle is key during and after pregnancy.
A strong TvA during pregnancy helps prevent abdominal separation, back pain and pelvic instability. During the pushing phase of labor, a strong TvA helps to push the baby out and makes labor contractions much more effective. Then after pregnancy, the TvA is the first muscle that you need to rehab, and women with strong TvA's bounce back much more quickly.
These types or core exercises can be done through the beginning of pregnancy, then modified as pregnancy progresses. You'll also want to keep up the cardio. Both you and your baby will reap tremendous benefits if you do.
To find out more about about the benefits of exercise during pregnancy and aerobic exercise during pregnancy go to:
http://befitmom.com/exercise.html
and
http://befitmom.com/aerobic_exercise.html
