16 Safe Core Exercises To Perform During Pregnancy

No one talks about the pain that comes along with pregnancy. To get through 9 months and beyond without any pain at all is next to unheard of.

Your mind might have jumped to the idea of labor, but there are other pains you might be experiencing already. Upper back pain, lower back pain, buttock pain, hip pain, the list goes on.

It’s natural to get this uncomfortable side effect as your body makes way for the life growing inside you, but that doesn’t mean you have to grin and bear it.

Core exercises can support your muscles and organs as your baby grows, reducing your pain and strengthening your body at the same time.

Lower back pain is the most common pain which affects someone carrying a baby, but with a couple of ab exercises, the pressure on your back can be lifted and supported allowing you to feel comfortable and in control during this precious time. It’s always best to talk to your doctor or midwife before changing your routine. They know you, your baby, and your body better than I do. They can give you more advice on what to avoid and what to encourage.

My advice is generic and should be helpful to most people reading this, but always check with your doctor first.

16 Safe Core Exercises to do During Pregnancy

I’ll explain each exercise, why it is good, and how to do it, so you can feel confident and comfortable in your new routine. Here is a list of ab workout equipment too.

Core Breathing

This first exercise is more about relaxing than working out. If you need a break, use this core breathing routine to help you catch your breath and clear your mind.The pelvic muscles part of this routine will strengthen your pelvic floor for when you need to give birth, and also during your recovery period.You will need a chair or an exercise ball.

How To Do Core Breathing:

  1. ​Sit comfortably on your chair or ball and keep your back straight.
  2. Keep one hand on your belly and the other on your chest.
  3. Breath in through your nose for 5 seconds, and contract your pelvic muscles.
  4. Breath out through your mouth for 5 seconds and release your pelvic muscles.
  5. Repeat this 10 times or until you are ready to continue or start your workout.

Kegel Exercises

​You may have heard about kegel exercises already, but if not you should know that it is the most important exercise you should do. It helps you keep your bladder control, prevents hemorrhoids, and can give you more comfort and control during your labor and delivery.I recommend doing this exercise on an exercise ball, but you can use a chair if you don’t have access to one.

How To Do Kegel Exercises:

  1. ​Sit on your ball, inhale through your nose for 10 seconds and exhale for 10 seconds.
  2. When you next exhale, tighten your pelvic muscles. Imagine the feeling of needing to pee but having to hold it, the tightening sensation should feel like that. Hold this tightening pose for 8 seconds, and then slowly release.
  3. Do this 20 times a day at least. Gradually increase the number of times you do this exercise as the days go on.

Sitting Knee Lift

For this exercise, you will need either a chair or an exercise ball if you already have one. This exercise strengthens your upper leg and the back part of your thigh, both of which create strength in your knees.

How To Do A Sitting Knee Lift:

  1. ​Sit almost on the edge of your chair or ball.
  2. With your feet flat on the floor and positioned under your knees, hold on to the chair or ball with your palms by your hips.
  3. Keep your back straight, and slowly lift one knee towards your chest.
  4. Lower your leg to the same flat-footed position you started with.
  5. Keep your back straight, and slowly lift the other knee towards your chest.
  6. Lower your leg to the same flat-footed position you started with.
  7. Repeat for 2 or 3 rounds, with 8 to 12 lifts each round.

For your first trimester, you can add a light ankle weight to each of your ankles to make the exercise more difficult, but I wouldn’t recommend the weight in your second or third trimester.

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Ankle Weights Set by PINC Active

Healthy Model Life Ankle Weights Set, 2 x 1 lbs Cuffs

Stability Hold on an Exercise Ball

This next exercise is perfect for keeping your balance and giving your core, arms, and legs a light workout.

You will need an exercise ball for this workout because using a chair won’t exercise your sense of balance.

How To Do A Stability Hold:

  1. ​Sit on your exercise ball, and keep your back straight.
  2. Place your hand by your side to help you balance.
  3. Breath in from your core and lift your right foot off the floor. At the same time lift your left arm above your head.
  4. Hold for 3 seconds.
  5. Slowly return to your step 2 position, and exhale.
  6. Breath in from your core and lift your left foot off the floor. At the same time lift your right arm above your head.
  7. Hold for 3 seconds.
  8. Slowly return to your step 2 position, and exhale.
  9. Repeat this for 3 rounds, 10 lifts each on every round.

Side Plank

Side planks can be hard, so if you give this a go and don’t feel comfortable, don’t feel bad about skipping this exercise.Side planks are great at strengthening your core and your back without adding stress to your back. If you suffer from lower back pain, I would recommend this exercise.

How To Do A Side Plank

  1. ​Lie down, roll to your side and use your elbow to lift you. Keep your elbow under your shoulder and let it hold you for now.
  2. Stack your legs on top of each other. Either keep them both straight or bend the top leg over the bottom leg if you need the stability.
  3. Lift your torso and squeeze your hips. This should make a straight line from your head to your hip to your toes. (Make sure to keep your neck and head straight).
  4. Hold this position for 20 seconds, and concentrate on your breathing.
  5. Gently lower yourself down and repeat the process on your other side.

Cat And Cow Pose

This move is more of a stretch than a workout, but it still strengthens your core. The cat and cow pose also works on the flexibility of your back and spine, which can reduce the stiffness and pain that you might be experiencing during your pregnancy.

How To Do The Cat And Cow Pose:

  1. ​Using a mat to protect your knees, lower yourself onto your hands and knees. Keep your hands directly below your shoulders, and your knees below your hips.
  2. Inhale through your nose, look upwards, arch your back, and let your stomach muscles relax.
  3. Exhale through your mouth, arch your back, tuck your chin into your chest, clench your butt inwards, and pull your stomach muscles inwards.
  4. Repeat this for 2 minutes.

Heel Slides

​This exercise is great for your butt and the back of your thighs as well as your core.

How To Do Heel Slides:

  1. ​Lie on your back, bend your knees and lift your stomach, so you are positioned like a bridge.
  2. Extend one of your knees and reach out with your heel.
  3. Bring back that leg and put yourself back into the bridge position,
  4. Extend the other leg by reaching out with your heel.
  5. Bring back to the bridge position.
  6. Repeat this 10 times for each leg.

Side-Lying Legs Lifts

Leg lifts are a great workout for your butt, hips, and core. I would recommend using a mat for this exercise to keep your hips comfortable.

How To Do Side-Lying Legs Lifts:

  1. ​Lie down on your side, and keep your legs stacked on top of each other. Using your elbow, hold yourself up to support your torso.
  2. Lift either both legs or just the upper leg, and do so slowly. Lift your leg/s as high as you can, but keep your hips straight.
  3. Bring your leg/s down, but not completely to the floor.
  4. Do this 20 times.

Hip Hiker

Another great workout for your butt and hip muscles is the Hip Hiker. You’ll need a pillow for this one, as your head might want some extra support.

The Hip Hiker is a mixture between the Side-Lying Legs Lift and the Side Crunch, but the difference is you are focusing on your hips and not your abs or legs.

How To Do The Hip Hiker:

  1. ​Lie on your side, and keep your legs stacked together. Bend the bottom leg, but keep the top leg straight. (Use the pillow at this point if you are uncomfortable.)
  2. Raise your top leg 2 inches from the ground.
  3. Using your abs, pull your hips up but keep your leg straight.
  4. Hold for 5 seconds
  5. Lower your leg down and repeat this 10 times

Side Crunch

Side crunches are a great workout for your abs. I wouldn’t recommend regular crunches as the muscles you’d end up stretching can affect the baby, but side crunches can help you support your baby and create a stronger “belt” around your pregnancy’s weight. You can do this work out on the floor, but I would recommend using a camping mat or yoga mat to keep yourself comfortable.

How To Do A Side Crunch:

  1. ​Lie down, roll onto your side, and bend your knees at a 30-degree angle from your hips.
  2. Keep your knees up so they aren’t resting on the ground.
  3. With both your hands behind your head, lift your head and shoulders as if aiming to reach your hips. You should be curling your sides and not your back or stomach. (Try not to pull your neck. Your hands are there for balance and to get them out of the way, they shouldn’t be pulling you.)
  4. Lower yourself back to the mat, but try not to lie down.
  5. Repeated for 2 rounds, 10 to 12 lifts on each side.

Bird Dog Crunch

Bird dog crunches are great for low back pain relief. It also helps you get a larger range of motion in your back overall.

How To Do A Bird Dog Crunch:

  1. ​Start on your hands and knees, keeping your hand directly below your elbow and your knees in line with your hips.
  2. Inhale through your nose, tighten your core, lift your left leg, extend that leg and keep it straight, lift your right arm, extend that arm and keep it straight.
  3. Exhale through your mouth, release your core, and bring your limbs back to your starting position.
  4. Inhale through your nose, tighten your core, lift your right leg, extend that leg and keep it straight, lift your left arm, extend that arm and keep it straight.
  5. Exhale through your mouth, release your core, and bring your limbs back to your starting position.
  6. Do this 10 times.

Standing Crunch

If the side crunch seems too difficult, then the standing crunch can still allow you to work out your abdominal muscles, but without putting too much pressure on your stomach.

How To Do A Standing Crunch:

  1. ​Stand up straight. Keep your feet the same distance apart as your hips. Bend your knees slightly. Put your hands behind your head.
  2. Inhale through your nose, and pull your stomach in.
  3. Exhale through your mouth, and crunch your torso forward using your abs,
  4. Slowly straighten up, take a couple of breaths, and then repeat steps 2, 3 & 4.
  5. Do this 15 times.

Standing Bicycle Crunches

Another workout for your balance as well as your core is the standing bicycle crunch!

How To Do A Standing Bicycle Crunch:

  1. ​Start by standing straight with your feet the same width apart as your hips, and put your hands behind your head.
  2. Inhale through your nose.
  3. Exhale through your mouth, at the same time bring your right knee up and bring your left elbow down.
  4. Inhale through your nose as you go back to your standing position.
  5. Exhale through your mouth, at the same time bring your left knee up and right elbow down.
  6. Do this 15 times.

Squat

The squat is already a common exercise, and it is a great workout for your abs. What you might not know is that the squat is an excellent workout to prepare you for the pushing stage of your delivery.

How To Do A Squat:

  1. ​Stand up straight and put your feet the same distance apart as your hips.
  2. Keep your arms straight and out, at the same level as your chest.
  3. Inhale through your nose, and squat down with the weight of your body on your heels.
  4. When you are past the point of a normal sitting position you should exhale through your mouth and go back to the standing position.
  5. Do this in 3 rounds, each round containing 15 squats.

Standing Pelvic Tilt

The standing version of the pelvic tilt is a great choice to improve your posture. It does this by strengthening your back as well as your abs.

How To Do The Standing Pelvic Tilt:

  1. ​Lie your back and hips against a wall. Your lower back probably doesn’t touch the wall.
  2. Tighten your abs and tilt your hips until you can feel your lower back touch the wall. Your whole back should now be touching the wall.
  3. Hold for 5 seconds, release for 5 seconds.
  4. Do this 10 times.

Engaging with your TA (Transverse Abdominis/Corset Muscle)

Exercising your TA gives you a strong posture which can help against lower back pain.

How To Engage Your Corset Muscle:

  1. ​Stand straight, put a hand on your belly.
  2. Inhale through your nose, and feel your rib cage expand. Try not to move your shoulders.
  3. Exhale through your mouth, and pull your stomach inward. You should feel your corset muscles in the pull.
  4. Do this 10 times, keeping your breath controlled.

And there you have it, 16 exercises that are safe to do whilst pregnant! Try not to push yourself, and if you weren’t doing exercises before your pregnancy then take each routine slowly. Try and do at least one routine a day to help battle back pain!