Can You Do Situps During Pregnancy?
Doing situps during pregnancy is not recommended for all women. In this article, you will find out what the best ways are, when you can do them and in what cases they can be useful.
Can you do situps during pregnancy?
Yes you can. In some cases, doctors say you can do it after an evaluation. If everything is OK and you want to continue exercising, the following advice may be helpful.
prepare yourself
Before doing situps while pregnant, it is important to prepare yourself and wear comfortable clothes. It is also a good idea to make sure you drink enough water so that you do not become dehydrated.
With that said, if you feel sick, you should definitely stop until you feel better and visit your doctor. The same applies if you have a fever.
If you are not used to exercising, it is best to start gradually. You need to use the right technology when you are pregnant to get the most benefits.
3 ways to do situps during pregnancy
When you are pregnant, the abdominal muscles are stretched. Therefore, the right exercises can help strengthen them and make you recover faster after childbirth.
Exercises where you sit down
Place your hands on your abdomen, rest your back against a wall and stay upright. Inhale and expand your stomach. Then suck in your stomach as you exhale, as if you were trying to hold the baby against your back.
With your back straight and without moving your neck or shoulders, gently suck your stomach in as if you were trying to hide your pregnancy. Hold this position, inhale and lift your shoulders as your chest expands. Repeat the whole sequence.
Exercises where you lie on your side
Lie on your right side, bend your right leg slightly and stretch your right arm. Place your left arm behind your head and lift your left leg as far as you can. Change and repeat on your left side. Do a number of repetitions.
Exercises on the knees
This is one of the most common. Go down on all fours, keeping your back straight and your head in line with your spine. Then gradually bend your back and relax while controlling your breathing.
Exercise during the different stages of pregnancy
During the first trimester of pregnancy, you can do situps comfortably, but from the second trimester onwards, you need to be a little more careful and not exercise as intensively as your growing waist can give you problems.
In the third trimester, you should preferably stop using them completely and switch to gentle exercises under supervision.
The benefits of training your abdominal muscles
Strengthening the abdominal muscles during pregnancy is an excellent decision. You will feel much more vitality and get more energy.
It also helps you to control the anxiety and stress that arises from the uncertainty of what is to come. Exercising the abdomen also helps to compensate for the extra weight placed on your lower back.
It also reduces leg cramps and tones the back muscles, strengthens your posture and improves the mobility of your joints. It can even make you sleep better.
Studies have shown that exercise during pregnancy speeds up labor and reduces the risk of weight-related diseases such as gestational diabetes.
Another benefit is that it helps control bowel movement as many pregnant women suffer from constipation. It can also improve your breathing during childbirth.
Risks and precautions
It is really important to remember that pregnant women should not do normal abdominal exercises.
One reason is that when you lie down with your face up, it puts pressure on the umbilical cord, which affects the oxygen supply to the baby.
It also affects your health because when you lie down with your face up , your blood pressure drops, which makes you feel sick and feel weak and dizzy.
To avoid all of these, keep your doctor informed about your exercise routine and ask if there are any changes you should make. If you notice any abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding or other condition, see your doctor immediately.
If a specialist says you can train, do it! You can still enjoy all the benefits of exercise while you are pregnant.
