Crunches on Fit Ball in 2nd Trimester
By Lisa Stone, ACE

Q. I am almost into my second trimester and I want to continue working my abs. I have read that I can no longer do crunches on my back. I often do crunches on a fit ball, rather than lying flat on my back. Is that safe in the second trimester?

A. As long as you don't have the ball directly under your belly but rather under your upper back or shoulder blades, you should be okay. If you start to feel dizzy or lightheaded, then stop immediately and roll onto your left side. If you notice a bulging ridge down the center of your belly as you crunch, then you may be developing some separation of your abdominal muscles and need to avoid any type of crunching exercises until postpartum.

Keep up the great work!