Abdominal Crunches With a Pillow While Pregnant

After your first trimester, your doctor may recommend that you avoid exercises that require lying supine. That position puts pressure on your baby and the lower back. However, strengthening your abdominal muscles will not only help your delivery, but it will also prevent lower-back strain, poor posture and the painful compression of the sciatic nerve running from your pelvis to your feet. By using a pillow, you can modify your position while doing various types of crunches and build your abs.

  1. Upper Abs

    • To build on your upper abdominal muscles, you can do an incline crunch with a stack of pillows. Arrange the pillows to support your upper body at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Position your head and shoulders at a higher elevation than your stomach. Flex your knees, placing your feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart. Put your hands behind your head, elbows pointing to the side. Avoid intertwining your fingers. Exhale and draw your navel toward your spine. Without straining your neck, lift your head and shoulders off the stack of pillows. As you inhale, return to the starting position. Perform 10 to 12 reps for two sets, resting a minute between the sets.

    Lower Abs

    • Assume the same position as the incline crunch to perform a reverse crunch and strengthen your lower abdominal muscles. Lean back and into the stack of pillows, keeping your upper body at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Place your palms on the floor for support. Contract your core muscles and slightly tilt your hips forward. Press into your hands, using your arms as leverage for the tilt. Hold the peak position for a second and then return to the starting position. Perform 25 reps for one set.

    Transverse Abs

    • You can target the transverse abdominal muscle wrapping around your torso from your ribs to the pelvis and from front to back with a breathing exercise. Sit on a pillow with your legs crossed and torso against a wall. Your legs can rest at a shallow incline to the floor, easing pressure on the lower back. Put one hand over your navel and the other over your rib cage. Keep your elbows by your sides. Inhale through the nose, expanding your lungs and belly. Exhale and draw your abdominal muscles toward your spine. Cough lightly to tighten your abs. Repeat the cough three times, breathing deeply. On the third cough, hold the contraction. Begin by performing the exercise for 30 seconds, building up to two and a half minutes per day. Do this exercise before each meal.

    Precautions

    • When it comes to abdominal work, consult your doctor during every stage of pregnancy. Performing abdominal work after the first three months is still a topic of debate and is generally not recommended, according to the International Fitness Association website. If you do perform abdominal exercises in the second and third trimesters, limit the duration to five minutes or less. Avoid core-strengthening exercises in which you flex or extend your spine. If you lie supine to do abdominal work, it can reduce the blood flow to your baby and your own body.