Ab Exercises in the 2nd Trimester
By Lisa Stone, ACE
Q. What kind of ab exercises can I do in my second trimester?
A. Here are two to get you started . . .
- Start in a quadruped position (forearms and knees), exhale as you tighten the abs pulling the belly button in toward the backbone, inhale as you release.
- You can work the obliques by starting in a side-lying position with knees bent and at a 45 degree angle, exhale as you lift the rib cage toward the hip bone, squeezing in the waist line, inhale as you lower.
You should also combine these exercises with pelvic floor or Kegel exercises to get maximum benefit. Once you are past your first trimester, traditional crunches are a no-no. You shouldn't do any exercises in a back-lying position because your heavier uterus could compress your vena cava (the main source of blood return), causing abnormally low blood pressure and restricting the amount of oxygen getting to the baby.
