A woman wants to look attractive even when she is pregnant. Before pregnancy, most ladies visit gyms to eliminate figure flaws, tighten their butts, get rid of cellulite, and lose extra pounds from their stomach. But as soon as they see the long-awaited 2 stripes on the test, they immediately begin to think and look for the answer to the question: “is it possible to pump up abs during pregnancy?”
But the sensations differ in women, which occur during pregnancy. Some ladies complain of pain, dizziness, toxicosis. For some, all 9 months are no different from the rest, since there is no discomfort. If you belong to the first category of women, then we do not recommend working out your abs in the early stages of pregnancy. This can negatively affect the body as a whole, as well as the condition of the baby.
Is it possible to pump up your abs at the beginning of pregnancy? In what situations is this acceptable?
Expert recommendations
When turning to a professional trainer or medical worker with the question of whether pregnant women can pump up their abs, the answer will be: “Everything is individual!” You should focus on the state of the body, the nuances of physiology. During the period of bearing a child, there are days when you want to lie in bed all day. It is during this period that it is better to stay at home.
Experts say that pregnant women can work out their abs. But do it in light mode. Why? During pregnancy, the body's endurance decreases. When attending workouts during pregnancy, minimize the stress on your stomach.
Why you can’t actively pump up your abs during pregnancy, we discussed above, but how can you do it then?
It is recommended to select the load yourself. Rely on your own health. Feeling discomfort? Try several approaches. If you feel weakness, pain, then you shouldn’t pump up your abs and work out on weight machines - opt for yoga or stretching.
If you can’t resist pumping your abs while pregnant, pay attention to your oblique muscles. The main thing is to trust your body, rely on sensations and reactions.
Will exercising while carrying a child be harmful?
It is not necessary to pump up a pregnant woman’s abs, especially if the girl previously led a passive lifestyle. In this case, it is too late to strengthen the muscles before childbirth, and physical activity can harm the fetus.
But if before conception a woman regularly exercised, then training is not contraindicated.
According to gynecologists, strong abdominal muscles will benefit a pregnant woman. Therefore, they advise regularly training your abs even before conception.
Due to weak abdominal muscles, the expectant mother faces various problems:
- Lower back pain during uterine enlargement.
- Diastasis (divergence) of the rectus muscles in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy.
- Preperitoneal lipoma (hernia in the midline of the abdomen).
- Difficult birth.
- The appearance of stretch marks.
Strong abdominal muscles support an expanding uterus and help avoid stretch marks, as well as lower back pain in later pregnancy. Thanks to trained muscles, efforts during childbirth will be stronger, the fetus will pass through the birth canal faster, and the mother will not be so tired. In addition, it will be easier to regain a thin waist and flat stomach after childbirth.
When is the best time to skip classes?
If you have health difficulties, tell your coach about it, and additionally clarify your question regarding sports with your doctor. As soon as you visit a gynecologist, be sure to ask about exercise levels if you prefer to spend time in the gym often. The doctor will tell you whether it is possible to pump up your abs during pregnancy in the first trimester. Be sure to check with him what will happen if you pump up your abs during pregnancy.
But there are dangerous phases of pregnancy, during which it is better to interrupt even special training for expectant mothers. Dangerous ones include:
· from 2 and 3 weeks;
· from 12 and 13 weeks;
· from 20 to 24 weeks;
· 28th week.
During these weeks, it is better to exclude not only sports, but also other emotional stress.
If you have general weakness or headache, you should replace the workout with exercise at home. Also remember that such unpleasant symptoms during pregnancy are not the norm, so do not go to the gym, but to see a doctor.
If you feel pain in the first trimester and cannot do without medication, then lie on the couch and cancel all plans.
Is it possible to pump up abs while pregnant?
A beautiful, toned stomach is not just a fashion statement. Gynecologists claim that women who actively worked their abdominal muscles before pregnancy have a much easier time bearing babies and are less likely to experience complications during childbirth. Those who regularly pump up their abs know how to breathe correctly and have fairly high endurance. On the other hand, heavy loads on the abdominal area during pregnancy can negatively affect the uterus, so doctors recommend that expectant mothers treat pumping exercises with caution.
It is very important to pay attention to your well-being during pregnancy. If the expectant mother easily tolerates hormonal changes and feels well, she simply needs some physical activity.
Early abs
Working out your abs in the first trimester of pregnancy is dangerous. During this period, even small loads can lead to uterine tone, and this condition is fraught with miscarriage. To keep herself in good shape during this period, but at the same time avoid risk to the fetus, it is useful for a woman to turn to the safest physical exercises: walking, swimming, yoga.
Expectant mothers who are at risk of miscarriage should avoid any physical activity in the first months of gestation. Some women in the first trimester have to spend most of the day and night in a lying position: even minor physical or emotional stress is harmful to them.
Abdominal exercises in later pregnancy
In the 2nd and 3rd trimester, physical activity is safer, but only in moderation. Women who feel nagging pain in the abdomen, suffer from swelling or migraines are prohibited from engaging in any sports. Working out your abs at full strength in late pregnancy is not recommended, even if you feel well.
Excessive activity of the abdominal muscles can cause premature labor. This is especially true for women who do not have good training. Those active mothers who, before their interesting situation, regularly visited the gym and were the owners of a perfectly flat tummy with cubes, should also not do intense abdominal exercises.
How to replace abdominal exercises?
There are a number of exercises that will never cause harm, these include:
Slow swings of legs;
· walking;
· Careful cycling.
Yoga and various stretching poses will improve the general condition of the body. These exercises activate blood circulation in the pelvis, due to which pregnancy will be painless and without discomfort.
To strengthen the muscles of the abs, buttocks, legs, use the following exercises:
Slow walking with legs raised;
· sweeping of the legs backwards;
· neat bends forward and to the sides;
· pulling bent legs to the elbows in a horizontal position.
By performing such simple exercises, you can tighten your muscles and pump up your muscles. Pay attention to the press, as soon as the tummy is formed, exercises with raising the legs should be done on a chair.
Prohibited activities
We examined the question of whether it is possible to pump up the press during pregnancy in detail. But every doctor will say that there are exercises that you absolutely must do during pregnancy. These include:
· vacuum;
· birch tree pose.
These exercises have a serious impact on the internal organs. Activities that require effort from a woman are also not permitted. The normal weight that a girl can lift is 5 kg. During pregnancy, it should absolutely not exceed 2-3 kg.
If rocking your abs causes discomfort, you can replace it with stretching. Such exercises also work the abdominal muscles, only in a way that is safe for the mother and child.
Experts' opinions
Qualified gynecologists advise women to exercise only after the approval of their personal physician. If there are no contraindications, then a woman can perform lighter versions of standard abdominal movements. At the same time, you should constantly monitor your condition. If you experience discomfort in the lower abdomen, headaches, shortness of breath, increased heart rate, or simply fatigue, you should stop training and consult a doctor. If there is no discomfort, and the woman has previously exercised regularly, then exercises for the abdominal muscles will only bring benefits.
Olga Panfilova, doctor
An obstetrician-gynecologist at the Women's Health Center claims that it is possible to train the abdominal muscles in the 1st trimester, but in the absence of contraindications. Starting from the 2nd trimester, you should stop exercising while lying on your back. This is due to the fact that the enlarged uterus compresses the vessels through which blood flows to the heart and brain. Then the likelihood of developing inferior vena cava syndrome increases, which is manifested by fainting.
However, light physical activity during pregnancy is very beneficial. After regular training, blood flow increases, then the likelihood of stagnation in the vessels of the legs decreases.
In any case, you should consult your personal physician before exercising. If there are no contraindications, the specialist will help the expectant mother choose the safest loads.
Olga Yakubovskaya, trainer
The yoga instructor believes that during pregnancy you should even exercise, paying special attention to your abdominal muscles. After all, a strong muscle corset will make pregnancy easier and guarantee a successful birth. However, using standard elements that are usually performed to pump up the press is prohibited!
Effective and simple yoga asanas will help strengthen your abdominal muscles. They definitely won’t harm the baby or mother. Belly dancing will allow the expectant mother to increase her muscle tone. During smooth movements of the hips, swaying, and circles, almost all abdominal muscles are involved in the work. However, before training, a woman should consult with her personal doctor so as not to expose the unborn child and herself to danger.
Tamara Yakobovna, doctor
A qualified obstetrician-gynecologist highlighted the basic rules for abdominal training for pregnant women:
- Modify the exercises depending on the period: the longer it is, the lower the load on the abdominal muscles should be; you should help yourself with your arms and legs.
- Monitor your feelings. If you experience discomfort during exercise, stop immediately, rest, and visit a doctor as soon as possible.
- If you haven't exercised before pregnancy, skip ab workouts or exercise under the supervision of a qualified pregnancy fitness instructor.
And, of course, before conducting classes, consult with your personal gynecologist.
Contraindications
There are cases when training is not advisable due to the threat of miscarriage. Muscle contraction can negatively affect the condition of the uterus and the condition of the fetus. There are signs that should alert you:
- pain below the abdomen as before menstruation;
- red discharge;
- too high uterine tone.
You should also stop exercising if the condition worsens. Besides:
important It is not advisable to overload yourself with physical activity if you did not do this before conception. Even if your workouts are going well, it is not recommended to exercise until you experience muscle pain and fatigue.
And don’t forget - while carrying a child under your heart, the goal should not be to pump up your abs. Pregnant women perform gymnastics for the abdominal muscles to prepare the body for the upcoming birth.
So, abdominal exercises during pregnancy are not prohibited. In many ways, this even contributes to an easier birth. But you can’t overstrain your body with training. After all, this can be dangerous for the fetus. Especially during critical times of pregnancy. Before performing any gymnastics, you should definitely consult your doctor.
Main conclusions
An expectant mother can train her abs, but under the following conditions:
- After an examination, the doctor approved the initiative of the expectant mother.
- There are no contraindications (toxicosis, threat of miscarriage, hypertension, placenta previa, etc.).
- The pregnant woman feels well, and training brings her pleasure.
- The complex consists of lightweight exercises to improve the tone of the abdominal muscles.
- The load corresponds to the period of pregnancy.
- A woman has not done press exercises on her back since the 2nd trimester.
- The expectant mother regularly exercised even before conception.
In other cases, it is better to refuse training the abdominal muscles in order to protect the child and yourself.
Sports and pregnancy
Sports during pregnancy can include yoga, swimming, gymnastics, ball exercises, various sets of exercises for the pelvic floor muscles and abdominal muscles, for example, many people wonder if pregnant women can pump up their abs?
If a woman had a “close relationship” with sports before pregnancy, there is certainly no need to interrupt it during pregnancy. If the gynecologist assesses the pregnant woman’s condition as satisfactory and approves of playing sports, you can safely continue them. The main thing to remember: Everything is good in moderation!
The doctor pays attention to indicators such as:
- Gestational age
- Pregnant woman's well-being
- Fetal condition
- Fetal position
- Test results
It is important to listen to the advice of doctors. It is advisable to avoid some sports altogether. There are alternatives to many sports activities. Training is best done under the supervision of professionals.
Why do you need abs during pregnancy?
Elastic abdominal muscles during pregnancy can help in bearing a child.
During childbirth, trained abdominal muscles will help minimize the risk of birth injuries. They will shorten the period of pushing and reduce the risk of ruptures. A flat tummy before pregnancy will return to its previous shape quickly and with virtually no effort.
Pump up your abs when planning a pregnancy
When planning a pregnancy, sports will well prepare the body for the load it will have to endure while carrying a child.
Swimming, running, and various gymnastic exercises will strengthen the muscles of the back, legs and abdomen. But abdominal exercises should be approached with caution. When planning a pregnancy, you should pump up your abs only in the first half of the menstrual cycle. Bodybuilding and weightlifting should be completely excluded. All exercises that place excessive physical stress on the abdominal cavity can lead to dysfunction of the female body. They prevent conception and, if it does occur, they can harm the further proper development of the fetus.
The influence of the press on pregnancy
Of course, a trained abs has only a beneficial effect on the birth process. If the expectant mother exercised regularly before pregnancy, she can control the contraction of the abdominal muscles and follow the correct breathing technique, which will help give birth to a strong and healthy baby easily and without problems.
In addition, after childbirth, stretch marks may appear on the skin. A well-trained abs allows you to prevent them and maintain the beauty of your skin, and then quickly get into shape during childbirth. However, it is important not to overdo it, so that overly pumped muscles do not cause problems. It is important to know how to pump up your abs during pregnancy, and whether you can do it. And to do this, you need to constantly be under the supervision of a professional and listen to your body, remembering that the baby’s health at this time is more important than physical fitness.
