Being a pregnant mom to be is filled with all kinds of joys and excitement, especially if it is your first pregnancy. From picking baby names to getting the nursery ready pregnancy is one of the most special times in a woman's life. But it also comes with its own set of unique challenges and surprises. One of the least desirable aspects of pregnancy is weight gain. But weight gain during pregnancy does not have to be excessive. You can keep yourself fit and trim while pregnant with a combination of aerobic exercise and abdominal exercises during pregnancy.
Let's first clear up a common myth that it is not safe to do abdominal work whole pregnant. This simply is not true. As a matter of fact many experts recommend that your abdominals and your entire core should be exercised and strengthened when you are pregnant.
Why is this? Strengthening your abdominals does not only help to keep you fit it also will aid in labor and delivery. An added benefit is that toning your abdominals will help your tummy to "snap back" much more quickly after your baby is born. If you combine abdominal exercise with aerobic exercise you will be looking fantastic in no time after your baby is born.
So just how can an expecting mother exercise her abdominals during pregnancy in a way that is safe for both her and her baby?
A great place to start is with Kegel exercises. These exercises are excellent to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and you can do them just about anywhere. A simple Kegel exercise is to simply tighten your pelvic floor muscles as if you are trying to stop your urine flow. Hold for five seconds and repeat ten times.
Through your first trimester you can do just about any kind of abdominal exercises. This includes crunches, leg lifts, etc. At this point in your pregnancy you will not do any harm to yourself or your baby by doing traditional ab exercises. But you will reap the benefits of a toned tummy and preparing yourself for delivery.
As you progress past your first trimester you will want to avoid exercises that require you to lie flat on your back. At this point you can continue to exercise your abdominals using gentle standing pelvis tilts, seated belly breathing, or by tightening, holding, and releasing your abdominals counting to five at each step. Tighten (one, two, three, for five), Hold (one, two, three, four five), Release (one, two, three, four five).
When you combine aerobic exercise with abdominal exercises during pregnancy you help to ensure that you will; look great during pregnancy, have an easier labor and delivery, and get your body back to pre-pregnancy shape much more quickly. Now that is a set of triplets that any expecting mother can love.
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