Abdominal exercise?

[AmyKT]

Do you do any while pg? I'm taking a water aerobics class and one part is all abs. I rested during that part because I thought it was unsafe, but I'm now finding that maybe that's not true. It's not a prenatal class and the instructor is a young guy who probably wouldn't know what to advise. I'll ask my CNM, but what about you? Do you do any ab work while pg?

The wkout was pretty intense and I did cramp some. I guess that's my best guide, right?

[MammaB21]

I don't think the risk is about the baby, but more about hurting yourself or pulling a muscle. Your ab muscles are stretching out a great deal during pregnancy so their strength decreases. It is much easier to pull a muscle that is stretched out. Personally I notice my ab muscles react more to fast movement than they do to say, crunches. If you just listen to your body I'm sure you'll be fine. If it hurts, don't do it. If it doesn't hurt, that's a pretty good indicator that it's probably okay to do. I've actually heard that light ab work is really good to do throughout pregnancy. They sure go through the ringer in these 9 months and beyond. It certainly doesn't hurt for them to be in shape.

[tnh2007]

I still try to do some light ab work a couple days a week to help keep them toned and ready for the "big event". haha.. I have also found it really helps my lower back if I keep those muscles working!!!
I would say to definitely listen to your body and if it feels wrong... don't do it!!!!

[AmyKT]

Thanks for the replies. I had thought it was terribly old school to skip ab work entirely. During my first pg, I took a water aerobics class with a woman who was absolutely terrified I'd hurt myself, and she wouldn't let me do anything with my abs, made me stop every 10 minutes and rest, made me take my pulse constantly. Ugh. I guess that's where my hesitation came from this time.

Thanks again.

[flitters]

I found the crunchy time abs to be very uncomfortable during pregnancy, but exercises that are more about body tension like planks and such to feel good and strengthening in a gentler (more preg-friendly) way.

[gcgirl]

A big secret most aerobics instructors won't tell you: you ARE working your abs whenever you do any type of strength training or balance activity. You actually DON'T have to work your abs specifically, believe it or not.

I don't do ab-targeting exercises myself, especially during pregnancy, HOWEVER, I do bellydance, in which case you can't avoid using them.

[rootzdawta]

GCGirl, you said exactly what I was going to say!

[dannic]

I don't know...my first cnm told me ab stuff was fine during pregnancy and I think it messed them up a bit. My midwife (different one) is adamant about not working them specifically. My aerobics instructor also warned against it in our class and showed us how her ab muscles have detached because of ab work during pregnancy.
I agree with the belly dancer (siggy?) tho, that there's plenty of other things that indirectly work your abs without putting too much stress on them. It's a tough call to make.

[tngirl11]

I'm a pilates instructor, so I've continued to work my abs pretty hard during my pg. I'm definitely used to it, though, and haven't done anything "new". I would think at the stage where you are, you would still be fine doing most traditional ab work as long as it feels okay. You probably will find as you get farther along things will get more uncomfortable. Any books or websites about prenatal pilates would have some of the best pg ab work suggestions. One of the very best things that can help you keep your abs in shape without stressing or damaging them is belly pulses. While you're sitting around, you just try to pull your belly button in towards your spine, then do little pulses in. I try to do sets of 50 or 100. It's also one of the best things for getting your abs back after delivery--very gentle and effective.